Resisting Purpose & Meaning ♥ Collection Review #8

see last week's email in this series

 

Have you noticed how Resistance shows up when you’re working on something deeply meaningful? It’s sneaky, it distracts you with busyness and productivity, all to keep you from doing what matters right NOW.

What is the project, story, or next step you know you’re meant to be working on...?

 

Is there something you’ve sketched out in your mind, written in your journal, and carried silently for too long? Waiting for the moment when you will finally take action?

 

As one of my mentors (and may I say friend ♥), Steven Pressfield, says: Resistance shows up around the work that has the most purpose for the growth of our soul. That’s actually comforting, because if you are resisting something hard, then it’s probably important for the evolution of YOU.

 

Resistance is trying hard to STOP me from working on Silent Story Book 2 (Loving & Letting Go) – and has kept me running for over 5 months, creating beautiful collections of paintings, growing in other ways – but NOT working on what I know needs to be born…

 

I’m grateful that the Resistance to work on what I feel has a deep purpose (Silent Story Book 2), has led me to produce some really beautiful paintings – the Seed & Sky Collection and the Quiet Potential Collection. 

 

Both collections wrung from me deep desires to tell stories and strive for more than just close up mom and baby paintings. I am grateful.

 

 

 

But the fact is, I AM NOT working ENOUGH on SS2… what are YOU NOT working on, that you know you need to be?

 

My son moved out 5 months ago, 2000 miles away, which was the final piece of the puzzle for the gist of SS2: LETTING GO. I have bawled my eyes out, processed those emotions of loss, sketched them, written about them, and now I need to create the paintings to represent that transition: 

 

...from my child being close to my heart physically, to my child being fully in my heart but close only emotionally, mentally and spiritually. 

 

Not being able to touch his scruffy chin and his thick spiky hair, to hug his broad shoulders and hold his smooth strong hand… was so hard at first, but it’s gotten easier as I realize how happy he is with his new career, his new home and city, his new friends and life.

 

The Seeker WANTS to share it all with you through the next Silent Story book. She’s waiting for me to get my act in gear and buckle down. More on her/the book later.

The Tender Light Collection was born in April and May of 2024. A couple months before, I had finished the WellBeing Collection which was rich and monochromatic with depth and texture on canvas (and butterflies!!).

 

My flitting brain wanted something FREE and OPEN and EXPERIMENTAL! 

 

So I cut watercolor paper into interesting sizes and plopped down on my studio floor with an intention to be brave and gutsy. I spent days experimenting with dripping water paints and the way light can glow through when you don’t feel the need to touch EVERY surface with your brush. 

 

From there, I created a body of work that felt fresh and new and lit up my soul!