Creating Your New Normal

Creating Your New Normal With Art

Creating your New Normal shifts your world view from sadness, frustration, and blame, to happiness, discovery, and acceptance. Society has changed, possibly never to return to the old ‘normal’ again. So what will you create in your new normal? Change your perception of life, and you change your journey.

First of all, let’s face the fact that we are grieving our old, familiar, easy way of life. Grief begins in denial. Many get stuck there. But quickly the second stage of grief, anger sets in. We see people projecting anger all over the place. They feel helpless, disrespected, or overlooked and throw their frustration and blame on anyone in their path.

We can’t change the people or circumstances out there. But the good news is that healing is an inside job. And doing art can get you there.

See the above painting? That happened 2 days ago while I was on hold for a half hour, waiting for a tech guy to get my website back online. Doing art, quickly took me away from frustration and anger, to a beautiful place. Art does that.

Healing with art begins with having an art station set up. Art supplies out, this becomes an immediate sanctuary to escape the ‘out of control’ world. I go there whenever I get a chance. For many years, my ‘space’ was one end of the dining room table. But it was essential.

As soon as I was put on hold, I opened a new set of Gallery Oil Pastels. I just started to scribble. To all you scribblers out there, you really should try oil pastels!

As the phone played terrible music, I colored layer upon layer. Oil pastels are earthy, scrubbing into the grain of the paper. I started with the center bouquet and worked with tip and side of these luscious colors, ending with the yellow background. I had oil in a small dish from a previous project and blended parts while letting others stand out.

By the time my call went through, I was surprisingly pleased with the results. But best of all, my anger/frustration disappeared. I talked with the guy like a human being, empathizing with how busy he must be. A total shift happened in me, all for the better.

Art in any form, whether you’re doing it or watching someone else, releases the good hormone endorphins into your system. Quickly, stress melts away. You transform into a positive healthy state of mind.

Plus, art is the great escape. As you focus on the colors, placement, movement and form, you forget all about your problems. You fall right into the Now moment of time.

Actually, this place is timeless. You’re no longer counting the minutes, resenting being put on hold with every one of them. You truly enter an altered state of being.

In addition, creating your new normal lets you put aside schedules and follow your natural body clock. You work at your own speed and have choice in your direction. Doing art is always either winning or learning.

So choose the healthy way to move forward. Accept the situation of the world, and create a new life for yourself. Allow new opportunities to come your way as you create beautiful art as your souvenir of this artist’s journey. Join us at Dragonfly Art Program to get new lessons each week, be in an artistic supportive community, and escape the world to the land of the imagination. Be an Artist. Create Magic. The world needs every one of us now.