As I continue my journey creating Zentangle Inspired Art, I was thinking of what life was like before I discovered this art form and how much it has changed my life.
I discovered this in June 2014, at the tail end of my Caregiver days with Mom. I spent years caring for her and had no creative outlet in place during that time. Mom was only a few months out from her death when this new interest/hobby/art form came into my life.
All those years I was so engrossed in her care, managing so much, I never stopped to think about how to help myself. I wasn't plugged into a community like this. I had become withdrawn, I experienced a strong sense of feeling alone and I was full of sorrow witnessing the changes that were occurring with her extreme memory loss and personality changes. It never dawned on me to think about art or anything at all to help myself find peace of mind and to help me deal with the level of stress I was living with. I was too busy doing the job of Caregiving to stop and think about myself.
Once I found Zentangle, I threw myself into this art form and took to it like a bee to honey! I couldn't get enough. It made me happy, made me feel at peace, it was something Jan and I learned together, so we had a blast tangling together (and still do). So many positive things came out of moving forward this way internally and externally. This is something I can do anytime of day or night, by myself. It's easy to carry around and pick it up and down all day long if I want. It brought a perspective to my life that was missing. That despite the horrible things that are happening around us to people we love, there is still beauty to see and behold.
I encourage you to find a creative outlet. It could be anything. It could something as simple as going to Michael's and picking out a stencil to create imagery or a wreath to create for the Spring or a wooden shape to paint and hang. You can keep it for yourself or you can create it for someone else. The possibilities are endless. And even if you don't feel like doing a thing, I say ignore that feeling, don't let it rule you. Step out of your comfort zone and find something that gets your creative flow going and puts a smile on your face, even if you don't feel creative.
I hope you have a fun time, beginning to end. And when you finish one project, go get another to work on... even a sketch pad will do. Or take a class or get a do-it-yourself book or do oragami or paper quilling... whatever floats your boat. And if you have no idea, get a book from the library or go on Google and start searching for one idea to run with. Once you take the first step, everything else will follow.
Jan created the tangle I used in this blog. It's placed four different ways. A reminder to me: however I am viewing life, that is my view and I can change it any time and see something I didn't originally see. We have the capacity to look at an object or a scenario and have free will to interpret life any way we "feel" like it. Either our feelings are ruling our life or our voice of reason is in control. We can take our pick on how things will move along in our life, just from our thoughts and perception. It's a pretty amazing life when you think of it that way. Yes, we have circumstances beyond our control in life, but our perceptions will determine how we carry ourself, how we behave around others and how we do our job.
Self-care is paramount to your doing a good job during your Caregiver hours. You matter and make a difference in someone's life. Go make a difference in your own life, just for you, just because. You deserve peace and harmony in your life, no matter the circumstances.
Best Wishes,
Carole Brecht
~The Sandwich Woman, Caring For The Sandwich Generation~
~Your Caregiver Support Network: Where Words Soothe and Ideas & Art Delight~
