When I started this painting, it was on a whim, painting orange and yellow, back and forth, almost meditatively. I didn’t know what I was painting but when I was finished, it looked like the sky.

Not just a sky, but I imagined wind, so I thought it would be cool to have the back of a girls head with her hair blowing in the wind.

There, a beautiful horizon with someone staring into it.

But why did I paint this? Was I trying to tell myself something? At that point, the painting was vague.

Then I asked myself, what is the person in the painting feeling? Are they stuck in life, lost not knowing which direction to go, or is the person in awe of all the opportunities out there.

I soon realized the painting was a metaphor for me, I was painting my reality, where I had felt stuck.

I finally discovered a truth.

I needed to look within myself but I needed a medium to bring the truth out.

That painting now provides as a visual aid for me, that anytime I feel stuck, I look at it and it reminds me again of my passions, my ideas, my goals, my purpose, and all the opportunities out there!

Looking within is hard, and it’s hard to know where to start.

In the Self Reflection section below, there are some simple prompts to help you get started.

These are some simple prompts to help you get started on self-reflection, on discovering more about yourself.

On your computer or paper, finish the sentences below as best you can, there is no right or wrong answer, and you can keep it private so don’t hold anything back.

_______

I feel most comfortable when…

I feel most stressed when…

I can be my authentic self when…

• Oil painting

• 11 x 14 inch cotton canvas panel board made with 100% recycled materials

• Set in a 16 x 13 inch white frame, 0.75 inch deep, hanging hooks in the back