A Bird Story:
30 birds in 30 days
Challenges, for better or worse, are part of life. In the midst of a pandemic, challenges were particularly exhausting because they seemed to come faster and from unexpected places with strong limitations to what solutions were available. Challenges were the enemy to safety and health and balance. Like most of us, especially those trying to parent small human beings, I had a serious case of decision fatigue the last couple of years. I thought all I would want to do once this pandemic was over would be to hide in a cocoon and not have to solve one more darn thing for, like, at least a decade.
However, now that the cloud of fear and stress has slowly begun to lift, I am rethinking my aversion to challenges. I have chosen to embrace them, not as a burden but in its other, more bad-ass form--as a chance to grow and push myself to try something new and unknown. Or as my friend Mary would say--to feel the butterflies.
So even though the school year was still in full swing, I shouted a challenge to myself out into the universe (AKA, via social media): I would paint 30 birds in 30 days. Had I ever painted a bird before in my life? Nope. But that was the point. I wanted something a bit scary and unknown.
So here I am. 30 days later. 30 birds later. They are not perfect. I like some more than others. It got really, really exhausting to do this during the school year, working full time, then coming home to paint for 4-5 hours while parenting and wifing and letting the house get even more cluttered than normal. I had expected to learn lessons on loosening my painting style. What I learned instead was that each bird has its own personality and deserves my attention and respect. I am so incredibly grateful for each of my avian companions.
However, now that the cloud of fear and stress has slowly begun to lift, I am rethinking my aversion to challenges. I have chosen to embrace them, not as a burden but in its other, more bad-ass form--as a chance to grow and push myself to try something new and unknown. Or as my friend Mary would say--to feel the butterflies.
So even though the school year was still in full swing, I shouted a challenge to myself out into the universe (AKA, via social media): I would paint 30 birds in 30 days. Had I ever painted a bird before in my life? Nope. But that was the point. I wanted something a bit scary and unknown.
So here I am. 30 days later. 30 birds later. They are not perfect. I like some more than others. It got really, really exhausting to do this during the school year, working full time, then coming home to paint for 4-5 hours while parenting and wifing and letting the house get even more cluttered than normal. I had expected to learn lessons on loosening my painting style. What I learned instead was that each bird has its own personality and deserves my attention and respect. I am so incredibly grateful for each of my avian companions.