So glad you shared this and that I popped over to catch up. I love that you're taking stock of how daily practice + movement impacts you mentally each day. It's easy to forget why I need them, and I solemnly swear I will not skip yoga this afternoon! ❤️
Thank you Beth! I know you are really mindful of this, and I have heard you talk about your yoga practice with passion! I’m looking forward to hearing more when I see you! CAN’ WAIT!
Raj, I dearly appreciated reading this vulnerable post and how you've committed to movement and sketching practices. Health is everything, I say especially as I have just recovered from a two week covid stint 😹 My workouts, like all things, change with the seasons. I usually love yoga but practice less in the summertime in favor of weight workouts, dance cardio, and long walks. Meanwhile in the winter you will not find me lifting a dumbbell, hah. But I really believe in the mind body connection to soothe the nerves and even out the mental chatter. Getting into the body and having a meditative stretch helps SO much when I'm feeling spiral-y and anxious!
Oh I'm sorry to hear Covid took you out of action for 2 weeks - that's always there lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike! Recovering from illness always takes so much longer than we expect, and when we come out the other side it feels like being reborn! Health really is everything. You make a great point about changing the workouts to suit the seasons. We are such seasonal beings, and its so great that you honour how your body needs to adapt through the year. I always make the mistake of feeling as though I have to be consistent all year, but changing is good for the body and mind! Thanks so much for sharing your practice and what works for you. I hope you are back to full health now!
I completely resonate with the connection you made with physical movement. I've been working out in different ways over the years for my mental and emotional wellbeing - especially because it affects everything I make and do. The creative life is a whole body and being experience. Thank you for this honest reminder, Raj.
Thank you for sharing Bally! It really does affect everything we make and do. It's a practice of deep daily awareness and I find it requires a deep effort every day! But the effects are profound, and I hope I reach a point where its instinctive to maintain, rather than effort-full! I love that line 'a creative life is a whole body and being experience'. So good!
Echoing everyone’s comments here, thank you Raj for sharing such an honest post about your emotional and mental health! ❤️
It’s taken me a long time to learn how to prioritize my body over everything else. I learned the hard way many times, from getting tendonitis in my finger to bouts of vertigo and eye spasms from overwork and stress…and a full-on burn out that prevented me from doing any creative work for 8 months.
I’ve been there before, and what I’ve learned is listening to your body and nurturing positive habits help! Also making them small commitments, so that you’re more likely to follow through without added overwhelm. For me, it’s meditating and light stretching, drawing in my sketchbook, a walk around the park, and reading at night. If I’m able to do all of these things, even if it’s just 10 minutes here and there throughout the day, I’m generally in better shape. Also staying hydrated! And yes, cooking everyday is hard, and I experience kitchen rage at least twice a week 😅
Thank you for sharing Anny! I'm so sorry your experienced burn out in such a big way. If I recall from your podcast with Adam, you were a designer for the tech industry? 8 months is a long time to be out of action creatively, that must have felt so hard. It just goes to show how easily we can burn out and how extreme the effects are! I can relate - my time in London agencies also led to a extreme over working and all sorts of health conditions. I'm on a quest to find the ideal way to work that is sustainable - another ongoing challenge!
I agree about the small daily commitments - its the key to everything! Thanks for the reminder to stay hydrated - that's another one I often forget!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment with your own experience. x
Thank you Raj! Yes, I used to work in tech as a designer, though I have to say the burn out was more tied to becoming a new parent and moving to a foreign country during a pandemic, on top of trying to navigate a career change 😅 After two years of nearly zero help with childcare and trying to work at the same time, my body just quit on me. So yes, finding that balance is tough, but in a way, I’m glad I went through that experience of total burn out. I’ve come out of it a lot stronger and wiser. It’s also why I’d like to help out other creatives who have a tough time juggling both family and work. It’s important to know that you’re not alone!
I couldn't agree more. (I honestly felt like this was myself talking - right down to eating chocolate spread from the jar!!😂). Coincidentally am reading this after my first session of strength training after too long a break. I also find long, solo walks in nature essential for my creativity (& state of mind). Perhaps one of us could start a 'strength/ fitness' accountability thread for artists? 😍🥰xxx
Thanks for sharing this! Much like your words, I see strength in the last self portrait. And thank you for the reminder that a workout isn’t just for our bodies. I’ve been skipping too many of them lately and I can feel it in my energy levels and mood. I often think of this line, and maybe I need to write it where I can see it all the time: How I treat my body today is a direct reflection on how I’ll feel tomorrow
This post, like most of your sharing, hits home so hard, Raj. Thank you so much for sharing. I feel the same way about movement. It is for my mental health and sanity. Although June was super duper difficult and I didn't draw much... The dry spell in my sketchbooks continues.. the helplessness, the frustration, anxiety still there... But I guess I'm letting it run its course. This post is so inspiring. You have been such an inspiration! 💕 Thank you..
I'm so sorry that you had a difficult month in June. Sometimes we also need to step away from the sketchbooks if there is a dry spell and thats ok. I hope you are not giving yourself a hard time about that - just know that the dry spell WILL pass and your sketchbook will be waiting for you and won't be upset about it! It's so hard to let the anxiety runs its course, but it will, and the main thing is to be kind to yourself. I'm sometimes shocked at the negative self talk that I am able to generate, so if you're like me, you might need to find some nice words to say to yourself! Sending you lots of positive energy!
I can see why this was a hard post for you to put out in the world but I'm so glad you did! Well done on sharing these raw feelings and your vulnerabilty 💕 So much of what you have experienced resonates with me Raj (tearyness, anxiety, overwhelm, rage) but reading your techniques for coping and your ability to work through it has given me hope and I'm sure it'll help others too.
I'm so inspired by your determination to show up for your workouts! I've been trying to schedule mine during the evening but often make an excuse for not doing it and before I know it it's 10pm and time for bed. Although, somehow, there's always time for doomscrollling on my phone.. 🙄
I love your self portraits and the idea of using them as a form of journalling. I don't see a death stare in the last portrait, I see the face of a powerful woman, full of grit and determination 💪
My coping techniques involve meditation, solitude, slow movements, nature journalling and walks. Although trashy TV and chocolate helps too! x
Thank you for your kind words Emma! The rollercoaster of anxiety and emotions is WILD - and I know its a classic symptom of being perimenopausal which just makes me angrier - women never get a break!! Just knowing we are not alone really helps, and the fact is we often feel we can't share, and we have to push through, and stay strong - which usually means shut up about the struggle and 'get on with it.' I hate that phrase - we can't ignore that this is hard. We have to find ways to support ourselves. It's a daily effort!
Your coping mechanisms sound great - walking in nature seems to be a fundamental gamechanger for everyone - its just pure magic! And I'm here for trashy TV and chocolate, they are essential ingredients for well being. xx Sending hugs!!
I remember lot long ago the menopause being referred to as 'women's problems', and its a phrase still used by my parents generation. It wasn't something to be openly talked about, even at home it would be talked about in hushed tones. The stigma and shame was insane!
So thankful that there's more conversation around perimenopause and menopause now, it's so important to share these experiences and not dismiss what is a huge struggle for millions of women. Thank you for contributing to this conversation Raj 💕
Yup I'm SO glad we have access to more information! And also that as women, we feel more able to be honest and open about what we are experiencing, so we can support each other. I sometime wish I could just create a woman-cave where we could all just go to hang out, drink tea, eat cake and cry together - hahahaha. One can dream!
So glad you shared this and that I popped over to catch up. I love that you're taking stock of how daily practice + movement impacts you mentally each day. It's easy to forget why I need them, and I solemnly swear I will not skip yoga this afternoon! ❤️
Thank you Beth! I know you are really mindful of this, and I have heard you talk about your yoga practice with passion! I’m looking forward to hearing more when I see you! CAN’ WAIT!
Raj, I dearly appreciated reading this vulnerable post and how you've committed to movement and sketching practices. Health is everything, I say especially as I have just recovered from a two week covid stint 😹 My workouts, like all things, change with the seasons. I usually love yoga but practice less in the summertime in favor of weight workouts, dance cardio, and long walks. Meanwhile in the winter you will not find me lifting a dumbbell, hah. But I really believe in the mind body connection to soothe the nerves and even out the mental chatter. Getting into the body and having a meditative stretch helps SO much when I'm feeling spiral-y and anxious!
Oh I'm sorry to hear Covid took you out of action for 2 weeks - that's always there lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike! Recovering from illness always takes so much longer than we expect, and when we come out the other side it feels like being reborn! Health really is everything. You make a great point about changing the workouts to suit the seasons. We are such seasonal beings, and its so great that you honour how your body needs to adapt through the year. I always make the mistake of feeling as though I have to be consistent all year, but changing is good for the body and mind! Thanks so much for sharing your practice and what works for you. I hope you are back to full health now!
I completely resonate with the connection you made with physical movement. I've been working out in different ways over the years for my mental and emotional wellbeing - especially because it affects everything I make and do. The creative life is a whole body and being experience. Thank you for this honest reminder, Raj.
Thank you for sharing Bally! It really does affect everything we make and do. It's a practice of deep daily awareness and I find it requires a deep effort every day! But the effects are profound, and I hope I reach a point where its instinctive to maintain, rather than effort-full! I love that line 'a creative life is a whole body and being experience'. So good!
Echoing everyone’s comments here, thank you Raj for sharing such an honest post about your emotional and mental health! ❤️
It’s taken me a long time to learn how to prioritize my body over everything else. I learned the hard way many times, from getting tendonitis in my finger to bouts of vertigo and eye spasms from overwork and stress…and a full-on burn out that prevented me from doing any creative work for 8 months.
I’ve been there before, and what I’ve learned is listening to your body and nurturing positive habits help! Also making them small commitments, so that you’re more likely to follow through without added overwhelm. For me, it’s meditating and light stretching, drawing in my sketchbook, a walk around the park, and reading at night. If I’m able to do all of these things, even if it’s just 10 minutes here and there throughout the day, I’m generally in better shape. Also staying hydrated! And yes, cooking everyday is hard, and I experience kitchen rage at least twice a week 😅
Thank you for sharing Anny! I'm so sorry your experienced burn out in such a big way. If I recall from your podcast with Adam, you were a designer for the tech industry? 8 months is a long time to be out of action creatively, that must have felt so hard. It just goes to show how easily we can burn out and how extreme the effects are! I can relate - my time in London agencies also led to a extreme over working and all sorts of health conditions. I'm on a quest to find the ideal way to work that is sustainable - another ongoing challenge!
I agree about the small daily commitments - its the key to everything! Thanks for the reminder to stay hydrated - that's another one I often forget!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment with your own experience. x
As for kitchen rage - glad I'm not the only one!!
Thank you Raj! Yes, I used to work in tech as a designer, though I have to say the burn out was more tied to becoming a new parent and moving to a foreign country during a pandemic, on top of trying to navigate a career change 😅 After two years of nearly zero help with childcare and trying to work at the same time, my body just quit on me. So yes, finding that balance is tough, but in a way, I’m glad I went through that experience of total burn out. I’ve come out of it a lot stronger and wiser. It’s also why I’d like to help out other creatives who have a tough time juggling both family and work. It’s important to know that you’re not alone!
I couldn't agree more. (I honestly felt like this was myself talking - right down to eating chocolate spread from the jar!!😂). Coincidentally am reading this after my first session of strength training after too long a break. I also find long, solo walks in nature essential for my creativity (& state of mind). Perhaps one of us could start a 'strength/ fitness' accountability thread for artists? 😍🥰xxx
Yes! Maybe we should call the accountability group 'Artists who workout and eat Chocolate spread' or something...(bit of a mouthful)🤣
Well done on your workout session! Solo walks in nature are also essential - the brain can finally relax and release all those great ideas!
😂That could mean we get to be accountable when we eat chocolate spread too😂. I'm in! 🩷
Thanks for sharing this! Much like your words, I see strength in the last self portrait. And thank you for the reminder that a workout isn’t just for our bodies. I’ve been skipping too many of them lately and I can feel it in my energy levels and mood. I often think of this line, and maybe I need to write it where I can see it all the time: How I treat my body today is a direct reflection on how I’ll feel tomorrow
YES I LOVE THAT LINE! I am going to write that down and pin it next to my workspace! Thanks Melissa!
🤗💖✨
This post, like most of your sharing, hits home so hard, Raj. Thank you so much for sharing. I feel the same way about movement. It is for my mental health and sanity. Although June was super duper difficult and I didn't draw much... The dry spell in my sketchbooks continues.. the helplessness, the frustration, anxiety still there... But I guess I'm letting it run its course. This post is so inspiring. You have been such an inspiration! 💕 Thank you..
I'm so sorry that you had a difficult month in June. Sometimes we also need to step away from the sketchbooks if there is a dry spell and thats ok. I hope you are not giving yourself a hard time about that - just know that the dry spell WILL pass and your sketchbook will be waiting for you and won't be upset about it! It's so hard to let the anxiety runs its course, but it will, and the main thing is to be kind to yourself. I'm sometimes shocked at the negative self talk that I am able to generate, so if you're like me, you might need to find some nice words to say to yourself! Sending you lots of positive energy!
I can see why this was a hard post for you to put out in the world but I'm so glad you did! Well done on sharing these raw feelings and your vulnerabilty 💕 So much of what you have experienced resonates with me Raj (tearyness, anxiety, overwhelm, rage) but reading your techniques for coping and your ability to work through it has given me hope and I'm sure it'll help others too.
I'm so inspired by your determination to show up for your workouts! I've been trying to schedule mine during the evening but often make an excuse for not doing it and before I know it it's 10pm and time for bed. Although, somehow, there's always time for doomscrollling on my phone.. 🙄
I love your self portraits and the idea of using them as a form of journalling. I don't see a death stare in the last portrait, I see the face of a powerful woman, full of grit and determination 💪
My coping techniques involve meditation, solitude, slow movements, nature journalling and walks. Although trashy TV and chocolate helps too! x
Thank you for your kind words Emma! The rollercoaster of anxiety and emotions is WILD - and I know its a classic symptom of being perimenopausal which just makes me angrier - women never get a break!! Just knowing we are not alone really helps, and the fact is we often feel we can't share, and we have to push through, and stay strong - which usually means shut up about the struggle and 'get on with it.' I hate that phrase - we can't ignore that this is hard. We have to find ways to support ourselves. It's a daily effort!
Your coping mechanisms sound great - walking in nature seems to be a fundamental gamechanger for everyone - its just pure magic! And I'm here for trashy TV and chocolate, they are essential ingredients for well being. xx Sending hugs!!
I remember lot long ago the menopause being referred to as 'women's problems', and its a phrase still used by my parents generation. It wasn't something to be openly talked about, even at home it would be talked about in hushed tones. The stigma and shame was insane!
So thankful that there's more conversation around perimenopause and menopause now, it's so important to share these experiences and not dismiss what is a huge struggle for millions of women. Thank you for contributing to this conversation Raj 💕
Yup I'm SO glad we have access to more information! And also that as women, we feel more able to be honest and open about what we are experiencing, so we can support each other. I sometime wish I could just create a woman-cave where we could all just go to hang out, drink tea, eat cake and cry together - hahahaha. One can dream!
Yes! If that's not already a thing, it should be! How about adding a soundproofed room where we can take it in turns to have a good, long scream? 😆