Nourishing Rituals: Finding Balance and Inspiration as a Full-Time Artist

Self-care is an essential aspect of daily life that applies to everyone.

As a full-time artist, I have come to realize the importance of finding balance and grounding amidst the ups and downs of a career that can often feel like a rollercoaster ride. Pursuing my dream has made my life quite unpredictable, with lots of opportunities at times and also moments that require more reflection and pause. To overcome these uncertainties, I have incorporated nourishing rituals that have given me structure, stability, and balance into my daily life.

A nourishing ritual for me is a non-negotiable appointment with myself. It's an activity that helps me give myself the love and care I need and allows me to recharge to avoid burnout.

As a painter, I am constantly applying to art open calls, waiting for responses, promoting my work on social media, updating my website, and working consistently on my art practice. While these activities are precious to me, they can also be draining sometimes, and having a structured routine helps me navigate them with ease.

Before I share my personal rituals, I encourage you to listen to your intuition and identify activities that excite and inspire you. It's possible that we may take these things for granted, or we may be too busy to recognize them. That's why I suggest taking a moment to grab a journal or a piece of paper and make a list of at least three activities or passions that bring you joy. If nothing comes to mind immediately, don't worry. You can start to notice them during your daily life by paying attention to your usual habits and write them down later. This exercise isn't meant to put pressure on you, but rather to remind you that by incorporating something that excites you into your routines, you can enhance your satisfaction, achieve your goals more easily, and feel more fulfilled in your everyday life.

Now, let me share some of mine that have been invaluable in maintaining structure and balance in my days:

Skincare routine: During the first Covid lockdown, I realized that I had been neglecting my skincare routine. I never had any particular issues with my facial skin, so I believed that just washing my face with soap and applying any moisturizer would suffice. I wasn't even aware that there was a difference between an eye cream and a facial cream. However, one day, I decided to research and understand what having a proper skincare routine meant, and it has become a non-negotiable part of my daily routine ever since. Now, cleansers, toners, masks, eye creams, double cleansing, natural and organic face and body products have become my latest obsession, and I am always excited to discover and try out new products!

At the same time, I started to explore the world of face yoga or face fitness. At first, I didn't understand what it was, and I thought it could be related to yoga in general. However, as I delved deeper, I discovered a wonderful new world. Face Yoga is a practice that includes a variety of exercises, self-massages, and acupressure points to tone and firm the muscles in your face, as well as release tension and relax them from all the facial expressions we make. I fell in love with it so much that I decided to become a certified instructor. Now, I have transformed one of my passions into another job!

I want to remind you not to feel compelled to label yourself as just one thing; we can be multi-passionate artists/individuals with a multitude of interests, and that's the beauty of expressing yourself and discovering what makes you happy!

Another lovely habit for me is taking 20/30 minutes to enjoy my morning tea in silence, without my phone or laptop. Since I quit coffee, tea has become my go-to drink and is now my top favorite beverage. I could honestly drink it all day long (but I know I shouldn't overdo it). Surprisingly, I don't feel as anxious as I used to when I consumed coffee, despite the fact that tea also contains caffeine. Of course, everyone reacts differently to caffeine. Additionally, I have developed a newfound love for collecting mug and teapots; they are truly wonderful.

A morning walk is a must for me. I love to walk in the park nearby my house, surrounded by nature. Walking has truly helped me activate my body, release negative emotions and thoughts. After every walk, I feel a wonderful sense of gratitude. While walking, I always like to listen to my favorite music or podcasts about topics I’m interested in, to get new ideas for my business or just uplift my mood with inspirational speeches by hosts I admire.

Taking time to meditate is also another lovely habit that I always include in my daily routine. It can happen after I finish my morning face yoga session or while I'm painting. Meditation helps me be more mindful and present in my life, and it helps me to stop the overthinking loop that I sometimes get into.

Lastly, I'd like to mention my collection of sketchbooks. I have several of them, ensuring I never run out of space to capture my creative ideas. These journals serve as a retreat where I can freely express myself, whether through notes, sketches of jewelry, meditative drawings, thoughts, ideas, or words. They are a vital tool that enables me to capture my creative inspirations whenever they strike, and they play a significant role in nurturing my creativity and practicing self-love.

So, here we are with my list of lovely activities that I truly love. I want to tell you that by practicing sustainable self-care, either through nourishing rituals or by doing things that inspire you, you can make a real difference in your life. What I love most is that by listening to what makes me happy and inspired, I become the most authentic version of myself, and honestly, I think it's one of the best feelings ever.

It's by giving ourselves the love we deserve that we can truly make a huge difference in this world.

I hope sharing my experience with you has been helpful, even just a bit.