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How to Create A Life You Love

by Rebecca Schwieger | March 22 | @releaseyourcreativity 

In life, you are either growing or decaying.
Expansion is what our souls crave. Beware (be + aware): Clinging tightly only to your comfort zone leads to rapid decay.

When invited to lead a 2-day, 12-hour virtual art retreat for PS educators by the radiant

Adrienne Hecker Sapione

(who taught for years at

The Art Studio NY

, and who taught me the quote of growing or decaying in life), doubt was my first reaction. “That’s a lot of hours, I don’t usually work on the weekends, I’m not sure, my plate is full…”

I snapped myself out of my fog quickly, and chose to say yes to both a growth mindset and to Adrienne. Yes to the unknown, yes to
growth.
Entering as strangers on a zoom screen, we co-sculpted a shared brave space, feeding our hunger for authenticity, freeing our self-expression through art (beginner friendly), opening to vulnerability, unmasking fears, challenging false beliefs, letting go of control in order to make space for the joy of “the now”, and learning together as community.
The experience that I almost no’ed excites me so much that I’m giving birth this second to:
BRAVE SPACE: VIRTUAL ART RETREAT
Our Brave Creative Tribe
Dare to BE YOU, freely express all parts of yourself, and feel inspired to authentically play, deepen your joy, and express yourself in art while you learn to create a LIFE YOU LOVE.
Stay tuned for more info, and drop a line if this sparks joy in you. ❤️🙏🏾
May be art
May be art of nature and tree

by Kristen Andersen | March 18 | @theartstudiony

Grief, depression, anxiety, shame, anger… all unpleasant yet inescapable experiences. 

These negative emotions may become so intense, so debilitating that they get in the way of our daily functioning. It becomes very difficult to remember what happiness was like when all you are feeling is sadness. 

Once I learned that these feelings are almost universal, I felt comforted, in a way. I thought it was amazing how we all struggle with our own internal battles and hide it from each other so well. How do we manage to get out of bed and go to work on the days we feel like there’s nothing worth doing? 

I’ll tell you how we do it; we do it because we are stronger than our mind gives us credit for. Our minds are programmed for self-preservation. It doesn’t want us to go out into the world where we will be exposed to the possibility of getting hurt emotionally or physically. Our minds are like our overprotective and over-bearing mother. At a certain point, you will have to tell yourself “Hey, listen, I know you really love me and I appreciate it, I do… but if you really loved me, you would trust that I am strong enough to face the things that scare me”.

We have to remind ourselves that these tumultuous times will eventually pass. Allow ourselves the allotted time to feel sorry for ourselves, there is no shame in that. It is our job, before anyone else’s, to love ourselves. With love comes forgiveness. Forgive yourself for these negative emotions and the circumstances that preceded your visit from them. 

Remind yourself;

This too shall pass.

 

student artwork

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Sign up for a LIVE online art class today! We have classes for adults, teens, and kids. The Art Studio NY’s nurturing style of teaching is perfect for beginners. Engage with some of New York’s top rated artists and mingle with students who share a similar passion for art.

 

How To Create A Life You Love

by Rebecca Schwieger | March 16 | @releaseyourcreativity 

The only constant is change, and it’s up to you whether you flow and grow with life’s tough times or resist (and your troubles persist), all alone, in your defended brick-walled fortress.
At times, the Universe decks you when you least expect it. I call these “baseball-bat-to-the-head” (BBBTTH) moments, and they’re humbling.
Joined in our shared humanity, this COVID year has been a serious and devastating BBBTTH.
No matter WHAT life drops at my door, I’ve realized the most important question to ask of myself is:
What are you here to teach me? What can I learn from this, and how can I grow?
As we continue to endure this shared rollercoaster, consider carving out time for your own inner-accounting. Ask the questions that matter now before the world speeds back up.
PS. One big learning for me is how quickly change happens, and how time waits for no one. So, I’m cranking up the volume on maximizing JOY. Stay tuned, prerecorded art classes are on the way!
May be art
May be art

How to Create a Life You Love

by Rebecca Schwieger | March 4 | @relseaseyourcreativity

It was a girl friend crush at first site when

Yael

and I met over 15 years ago in NYC. I even still remember what I was wearing.

Recently, Ya-Ya asked in her fun-loving (yet serious) way, “Rebex, if you paint flowers in your next Sunday night class, can I have the painting?”
Translation: Rebecca, will you please paint a watercolor floral and gift it to me?
Last night in “The Art Class”, I created this watercolor painting. It now belongs to Yael. Today, she ordered a frame.
If you don’t ask? A guaranteed rejection from yourself to yourself, and disconnection from what you desire.
Ask for what you want and need. At worst, the answer will be no, and you’ll be better for it, knowing now to seek elsewhere. At best, you’ll flex your courage muscles, learn, grow, say yes to yourself and hear yes from another.
Either way, you win by asking.
May be a closeup of rose

by Kristen Andersen | March 5 | @theartstudiony

The weather is getting warmer, the sun is shining longer, and soon enough it’ll be time to trade our winter coats for denim jackets. Snow melts to reveal fertilized earth that will soon bear the fresh blooms of Spring. Following in nature’s footsteps, we can take this time to sow the perfect personal environment for new ideas, fresh energies, and soon-to-be memories.

 

1. Fresh air

Spread open those curtains and let the sun shine in! Humans need sunlight the same way plants do. There’s got to be a good reason why cats love to spend their time in the sunniest spot in the room. Crack open the windows to get some fresh air circulating. We learned in our earliest science classes; humans breathe in oxygen and out carbon dioxide. Make sure to take a few minutes a day to let the waste riddled air out and fresh, oxygen-rich air in. Taking care of little details like this really can make all the difference.

 

2. Organize

Categorize your items according to groups that make sense to you. Assign a spot for everything. Notice the items that you find constantly lying around everywhere, then create a spot for them. Only take them out of that spot when it is time to use it, once you are done using it, sacrifice an extra 30 seconds to put the item back in it’s assigned place- your future self will thank you! 

 

3. Take Inventory

Tidying up is the best time to take stock of everything you have and everything you don’t. Take a few moments to write on a note the items you’d like to pick up next time you’re at the store. This way, you won’t have to desperately wrack your brain in the store’s parking lot before going in.

 

4. Out with the old

Perhaps while taking inventory, you may even notice you have a surplus of a specific item. All of those extra items really do take up a lot of space! Take this time to donate your excessive, no longer used items. Make space for the things you actually do use. 

 

As a final thought, a rule of thumb I always go by, “if it takes under 2 minutes to do, do it now”

Hopefully these tips can be the little nudge you needed to do that thing you’ve been pushing off– finally mark it off your To-Do list so you don’t have to worry about it anymore!

May be art of bird and nature

This. Is. So. True. For. Me.

by Rebecca Schwieger | Feb 3 | @releaseyourcreativity

Create your life as a white glove fit for YOU, and free yourself from what everyone else thinks and expects. Because really, do you want to live someone else’s life… or your own?

Thank you

Stephanie Redlener, first class diva and truth teller, for your words below  (L❤️VE)
“For my whole life, my goal has been freedom.
To live a life where I feel free to be me. To live the way I desire. To own my choices. To set up structures, systems and situations that allow me to move as freely as I please. To work on things I care about and get paid for it. To wear and do whatever the f* I want.
This has been my guiding force in life.
Every choice I make is ultimately about freedom.
Who I want to be in the world.
Who I want to be with.
What kind of relationship dynamic I need to support me.
How I need to parent so that I still feel free.
What kind of work I want to do that will inspire me and won’t FEEL like work.
How much money I want to make so I can come and go as I please.
What kind of beliefs I need to fill my mind with to support my desire for freedom.
How I need to take care of myself to stay fueled up.
What kinds of things truly turn me on.
Who I need to surround myself with to support the life I want to live.
These questions have required me to look hard at the places that have scared me in order to find where I’m out of alignment.
They’ve asked me to tell myself the truth about what I truly desire—not what I think I should do or what other people want for me.
They’ve forced me to take brave steps even in the face of fear—actually, especially in the face of fear.
They’ve asked me to have hard conversations with people I love who might not want the same things as me.
And in turn…
I’ve freed myself from my own inner shackles.
I’ve learned to share my voice and my gifts freely in the world—and make a ton of money because of it.
I’ve created a life that’s designed perfectly for me and my desires—not what the world wants me to be.
And my life is so good, it brings me to my knees.
Because I believe when a woman is free, she is inspired, embodied, powerful, and alive. And the whole world feels the difference.
Gimme a 🙋🏽‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️ if you’re ready to set yourself free.”
-Stephanie Redlener
May be art

by Kristen Andersen | Feb 26 | #practicemakesperfect

 

I don’t believe anyone is born with talent. Maybe one can be born with inclination, but talent is something one strives for. Talent is something achieved, not given.  Renowned psychologist and professor from Florida State University, K. Anders Ericsson, pioneered the concept that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert. Here are four tips to help encourage a consistent practice:

 

1. Routine

Routine is critical to a sustainable schedule. If you cannot carve out a set time to practice your skill, create a “ritual”, an action or habit that will separate “regular time” from “practice time”. Maybe wear special slippers while you paint, or take a bath before every session, maybe play a special musical playlist dedicated specifically for your practice. Anything to help your brain make the connection “Now is the time to focus on my practice”.

 

2. A place for everything and everything in its place

An organized work space is a productive workspace, a messy room is a messy mind! These are some of my favorite mantras to keep me motivated to keep a tidy environment. The best way to keep a place organized is to literally have a designated place for everything so that you know when something is out of place. For example, before I had my coin jar, all of my loose change was just spattered all over my room. In old purses, pockets, drawers, dressers, etc. Now that I have a designated place for my coins, anytime I see a coin, I instinctively place it in the jar. If you are an artist, an organized work space will lead for a productive practice. You don’t have to waste 15 minutes finding your pencils when you know where they are. Also, it will be easier to clean up after your practice because you also know where to place all of your pencils. 

 

3. Accountability

Have a system in place to hold yourself accountable for your practice. Find a buddy who will help keep you motivated. Whether it’s for working out, practicing an instrument, learning a new language– having a buddy helps keep the flames alive. Maybe tell your friend that every Friday you two will meet to discuss the progress you’ve independently made during the week. Perhaps even a little competition can even be healthy!

4. Passion

Find your passion by asking yourself “Why?”; why is it important to you to master this particular skill? When you lose sight of the “why”, the practice becomes a chore– and chores are no fun! Perhaps upon asking yourself “why?”,  you may find that what you once did for enjoyment no longer brings you joy. And that’s okay! If it doesn’t bring you joy anymore, then why keep doing it? Knowing when to quit is also part of succeeding. One of my favorite C. S. Lewis quote is “We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”

 

I hope this helps whoever needs a little bit of encouragement… you are not “untalented”, you just need more practice! 

 

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Sign up for a LIVE online art class today! We have classes for adults, teens, and kids. The Art Studio NY’s nurturing style of teaching is perfect for beginners. Engage with some of New York’s top rated artists and mingle with students who share a similar passion for art.

 

by Kristen Andersen | Feb 19 | #meow

 

“I can’t paint, I’m not creative” WRONG. Anyone can paint, even your cat!

I saw this painting technique in a Tiktok video over the weekend and I just had to share it with anyone and everyone. Here’s how you can teach your cat how to paint:

1. Grab your blank canvas, put globs of paint on it.

2. Gently slide the canvas with paint globs into a plastic bag.

3. Place catnip and/or cat treats on top of bag. 

4.  Step aside, and let the artist do their thing!

 

And voila, you have your beautiful abstract painting, even more special because it was done by your beloved furry friend. 

Now, if a cat can do it, you don’t have any excuse! Start painting today.

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Sign up for a LIVE online art class today! We have classes for adults, teens, and kids. The Art Studio NY’s nurturing style of teaching is perfect for beginners. Engage with some of New York’s top rated artists and mingle with students who share a similar passion for art.

by Rebecca Schweiger | Jan 5 | @releaseyourcreativity


How to Create The Life You Love

Everything you do- and I mean everything-has built in benefits. Otherwise, you just wouldn’t do it.

Skipping daily workouts, even though you “really want” to be healthier? You gain more time lounging in PJs and texting with friends.

Repeating the same relationship pattern after you promised yourself you’d “never” date someone unavailable again? You gain self-protection, control and avoid getting hurt.

We create convincing stories why our choices are healthy (even when they’re not)because we are terrified of the unknown. The best option? Embrace discomfort as if your life depends on it… because your life really does depend on it.

Every behavior has its gain, and by clinging to the comfort of familiarity, there is also a huge cost.

WHAT DO YOU LOSE?

The cost is higher than the gain.

#bebrave #createthelifeyoulove #feelthefearanddoitanyway #creativepower #bebrave #narratives #choosestrength #abstractpainters #commissionedart #befreebeyou

 

Photo by Rebecca Schweiger in Manhattan, New York. May be art.

by Kristen Andersen | Feb 12 | #varietyisthespiceoflife

For the last 11 months, most of us have hardly seen a thing besides the inside of our homes. Many of us sit on the computer, watching from our windows as the Sun and Moon relentlessly chase each other.  The days blend together, the weeks go by quickly, and before we know it, an entire year has passed us by and we have almost nothing to show for it. 

How can we overcome this feeling of… time lost?

To tell you the truth, I don’t know! I don’t really think anyone knows right now…

But I do know that I have found one basic principle that has helped combat the monotony:

Do at least one “new” thing a day 

Whether it is to listen to a song I’ve never heard before, practice a yoga pose I’ve yet to try, or even call a friend I haven’t spoken to in a while… having one unusual experience per day has been so helpful in keeping the days separate. 

I started getting into videogames over the last few months despite being a lifelong videogame-hater. A few months ago, I found myself already over the day by 2 pm. I wanted to just go to sleep already so that I could “fast forward” time. Fate had it that my little brother caught me just before my depression nap. He asked if I wanted to watch him play the new videogame he just downloaded. I wanted to saw “Ew, no” but I was so out-of-my-mind bored that I agreed because there’s no way it could be worse than refreshing my Twitter timeline for the 467th time that day.

To make a long story short, my brief open mindedness led to a a completely new hobby. I’ve since purchased a few videogames of my own. I even found an online community of people who also love the same videogames as I do. I have something to look forward to after work, I have a new group of online friends to talk to, and I have a lot less free time (which is a good thing nowadays, isn’t it?)

New, new, new. The brain grows stronger when it turns the unfamiliar into routine. 

Pay attention to how you feel physically. I’ve noticed when my mind craves fresh stimulation, it sends me signals in the form of my physical well-being. I notice I feel more antsy, my legs get restless, my shoulders tight, my eyes strained. That general malaise is almost always cured by a change of scenery– a walk to the window, a walk to the mailbox, even just a simple room change. 

Let’s all challenge ourselves to try one new thing this weekend. One thing we haven’t yet done. Whether it is to saunter down the street you usually walk past or to watch a movie you’ve never seen before; Let’s satiate the mind’s craving for novelty and defeat those feelings of apathy!

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Sign up for a LIVE online art class today! We have classes for adults, teens, and kids. The Art Studio NY’s nurturing style of teaching is perfect for beginners. Engage with some of New York’s top rated artists and mingle with students who share a similar passion for art.

 

 

 

How to Create a Life You Love

by Rebecca Schweiger | Feb 10 | @releaseyourcreativity

The healing journey of self-development and personal growth is a winding pathway to home. Home within yourself.

At times a steep climb and at others a gentle summer’s rain, you learn to get out of your own way. You strip away the layers that were not ever yours to begin with. False beliefs handed down from generations, traumas acted out onto you that were never about you, all of the times you were told no when your soul needed a yes.

Like an onion, peel them away. Bless and thank each layer of intelligent self-protection, and then let it go. With each release, you become lighter. Freer. You’re one step closer to home.

The parts of you that need changing often get so loud that denial is no longer an option; they’re (you’re) ready for alchemy. The parts of you that have known home get clearer, truer.

10 years ago, I posted this poem. It speaks to me even more today than it did then. It’s home.

“We are not valuable because we are a member of a certain group or because
we call God by a certain name. We are not valuable because we follow a
guru or observe a certain diet. We are valuable because we are a spark of
the divine. And the only thing Gurus, priests, rabbis and elders can do
for us is point us back in the direction of home, and home is, of course, within.”
~Darren John Main

#homewithin #healyourlife #createalifeyoulove #colorfullife #beyourself #truecolors #healingjourney #gohome #createalifeyoulove #abstractpainting

 

May be art

May be art

May be art

 

Fake it Till you Make it

by Kristen Andersen | Feb 5 | #muse

“I’m not an artist”, we tell ourselves, because we can’t draw a realistic portrait. 

“I’m not that creative”, we convince ourselves because we’ve never bothered to push our limits. 

We create a self fulfilling prophecy when we allow our preconceptions to hinder our drive to try something new. 

 

Your art doesn’t have to look like a Monet to consider yourself an artist.

You don’t have to be the best, you just have to do your best. 

 

I implore you to find your muse. Sometimes I look at my cat and I think “Holy moly you are so cute, I’m filled with so much love, I just want to squish you, squeeze you, never let you go”.

 

Anyone who’s ever been around a baby knows the conflict between needing to be delicate but also needing to ‘squish’ because the cuteness is just so out of control. That conflict can be your muse. 

Put pen to paper and write about how cute your baby/fur baby is. 

Put brush to canvas and express through color the feelings your cute baby/fur baby evoke out of you. 

 

You don’t have to “be an artist” to create art. You just have to do it. Don’t let your fear of creating something unsightly hold you back. Let your guard down, tell the critical voice in the back of your mind to take a hike, and just be. 

As they say, “the only wasted paint is paint still in the tube”

 

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Sign up for a LIVE online art class today! We have classes for adults, teens, and kids. The Art Studio NY’s nurturing style of teaching is perfect for beginners. Engage with some of New York’s top rated artists and mingle with students who share a similar passion for art.

 

How to Create a Life You Love

by Rebecca Schweiger | Feb 1 | @releaseyourcreativity

Everything starts and ends at home.
Home isn’t just an address. Rather, it’s the world inside of me, of you and of every human being.

YOU are your HOME. Create the home you long for inside of your own skin.

Want more LOVE? Learn how to love yourself more.

Want to TRUST life more? Begin by learning how to become the person you yourself can trust.

Want more SUCCESS? Learn how to let go of limiting beliefs and replace them with beliefs (and then action) that inspire you.

What you want the most in life starts as an inside job. You are a creation of the Universe, and the entire Universe lives inside of you. Get clear on what you want, and then do whatever it takes to become the person who creates and attracts every last drop of the full life you desire and deserve.

Create it within. You’re worth it. I believe in you.

#BEDOHAVE #kravet #yestokravet #insidejob #rebeccaschweiger #modernartist #homewithin #betruetoyou #textilearts #createalifeyoulove #artstudiolife #nycarts

 

May be art

 

 

by Kristen Andersen | Jan 29 |#awakenyourcreativity 

Art has proven stress- relieving properties. There are many published studies on the correlation between colors and moods. There are so many benefits to exercising your creative muscle, below are some suggestions on how you can awaken your inner-artist!

1.Hang some on your walls

This may seem like the most obvious one, but of course I have to mention it! Create a space for yourself that you find pleasant to look at. Hang up posters with stimulating colors. Find some throw blankets in your favorite color and use them to add another layer of color and coziness to the space. Don’t be afraid to change things up. Maybe rearrange things once every few months to keep the energy flowing and fresh. After all, the brain craves novelty. 

2. Print out your photos

In the age of the smartphone, many of us have seemingly transformed into amateur photographers. Sometimes we will share those photos on social media, but most of the time the pictures just sit in the cloud, never to be looked at again. I encourage you to spend some time and a few bucks printing them out! You can frame them and hang them on your wall, turn them into a beautiful mixed media art piece, or even make a scrapbook! I always think of photography as a way to immortalize time. Hold on to your pictures, you never know where they may end up 100 years from now…

 

3. Cook a beautiful meal

Food is a way to nourish your body. In today’s era of convenience, all too often we eat food for pleasure rather than fuel. A rule of thumb I keep in mind when it comes to eating a balanced diet is; your plate should feature an array of colors (Natural colors! Not food dye/artificial flavoring). I like to challenge myself to make color coordinated food dishes. Red tomato sauces, orange turmeric spiced, yummy yellow polenta, leafy greens, blueberry smoothies, and pretty purple cabbage slaws… the possibilities are endless! It is especially fun when you visit your local market and try to cook with the seasonal produce. Cooking is more than a chore, it is a form of art. 

No photo description available.

4. Express yourself through fashion

Fashion can seem like an intimidating niche. Too often we let our own insecurities get in the way of wearing the clothes we admire. And sometimes, it’s our budget that gets in the way. Well, like anything in this world, if you want it bad enough, you can make it happen. It’s the beginning of a new year, now is the perfect time to start revamping your wardrobe. There are so many great resources online on ways to upcycle old clothes. Thrift stores and secondhand shops are wonderful places to find great quality clothes for a fraction of the price. Draping your body in colors that are pleasing to you, textures that feel stimulating to your skin will certainly boost your mood and your confidence.  

5. Discover your creative hobby

Everyone who isn’t an artist claims they have no creative bone in their body. That is just not true! You just haven’t found your creative outlet yet. Not everyone is a painter, but everyone is an artist. Perhaps your art is in the form of woodworking, model making, Lego building, sewing, etc! The best thing you can do is try it all and see what sticks. If you find that you are at a point in your life where you are very unstimulated, bored with your regular routine, social media no longer gives you that sweet, sweet dopamine release, then you probably should be doing some self discovery. Explore yourself, figure out what you are interested in. Embark on a creative endeavor. It can be anything from building a fort for your cat out of cardboard to filming and editing TikTok videos. At the end of it, you will have something tangible to show for your time spent. 

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Bored of life and want to try something new? Sign up for an online art class today! The Art Studio USA has just added new one-time workshop classes for the month of February. Sign up today by visiting our Adult Class Calendar . Questions? Email us at info@theartstudiony.com

 

How to Create A Life You Love

by Rebecca Schwieger | Jan 27 | @releaseyourcreativity

During this COVID time, I’ve identified life goals- from work priorities to community to relationships to living in nature- where I’ve been hungry to grow, evolve and change for MANY years…. and either fear, old false beliefs (which seem so convincing!) or lack of time (excuses!) kept getting in my way (aka, I was getting in MY own way!).

So, I decided it was time to call in the troops and upgrade my team. It takes a village, and you’ll benefit by creating your very own personalized team of cheerleaders, healers, helpers, coaches, mentors, truth tellers, family, friends, and lovers. Only you know who gets to be on your team. Remember that you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely.

This team is your tribe, and every member is devoted to you being YOUR BEST YOU. They tell you the truth (especially when it’s hard to hear), believe in you, accept and love you (and call you out on your BS), hold the bar high when you’re thriving, and catch your tears when you’re slogging through the messy, hard stuff.

In a conversation with one of my “teammates” yesterday, I voiced my desire for more time and space. To be. To listen. To make space for “new” that desires to birth through me. And to focus my time doing and being what brings me fulfillment and joy.

Talk can be cheap, action seals the deal.

 

I ended Tuesday and began today enveloped by a 5’ x 9’ canvas, adding the finishing brushstrokes to this colorful commission. I went to bed with a hot cup of tea while bonding with @michelleobama (highly recommend “Becoming”), and I enter this morning sharing what life keeps teaching me- that leading and living with vulnerability, radical honesty (with yourself first), authenticity and openness is where the magic is.

So go, BE YOU, and compile your team.

#teamworkmakesthedreamwork #bettertogether #bestself #MichelleObama #createalifeyoulove #acrylicpainting #authenticself #radicalhonesty #openhearted #yourteam #buildyourteam #rebeccaschweiger #mixedmediaartist #theartstudiony

 

May be art

May be art

May be art

Enjoy creative fulfillment in this relaxing and self-expressive art journaling class!

Learn how to make a meditative art journal that captures your unique voice. You’ll learn how to layer and intuitively collage, express yourself with paint and meditative marks, use watercolor to channel your mood, then add quotes, pictures and other details to personalize your journal pages. This Beginner’s Art Journaling Class  provides the perfect place to explore your feelings through words and art.

Join in creativity, connection and community in this LIVE, engaging ONLINE art class.

Open to all levels, for beginners and seasoned artists alike, in this art class YOU will: 

Express yourself through endless artistic techniques in painting, mixed-media, and a wide variety of art supplies. Have social engagement with a community of like-minded people. During this time of COVID-19, we need community more than ever. Learn new weekly techniques with hands-on demonstrations. Receive customized, one-on-one expert art instruction based on your personal needs and interests. Learn in our encouraging, intimidation-free, non-judgmental online art class. Explore and improve on foundational techniques, including: color, tone/value, texture usage, traditional and non-traditional materials usage, composition, glazing, brushwork, personal imagery, paint application, the art of combining art mediums, and more! Feel inspired by subject matter, such as: abstraction, realism, landscape, the human figure, art history, and personally chosen subject matter. Create a finished piece of artwork, and experience a sense of accomplishment. Receive the scientifically proven health benefits of engaging in art, including stress relief, anxiety and depression reduction, increased focus, boosts self-esteem and enhances problem-solving skills.

 


Use the links below to sign up for an art journaling class today!

4 WEEK ADULT SESSION:ART JOURNALING CLASS ONLINE – The Art Studio NY

Adult Classes – The Art Studio NY

 

 

How To Create a Life You Love

by Rebecca Schwieger | Jan 20 | @releaseyourcreativity

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” -Carl Jung

Contrast. Light and dark, living in harmony, is what brings a painting to life. Many of us, however, will spend our entire lives suppressing and denying our own contrasting shadows that live inside of ourselves.

Beware. The more you reject your darker side, the bigger and stronger these internal forces grow. Denial feeds the monster.

The challenge. Our shadows are not easy to see. They’re often blind spots! We deny, block and defend against seeing the truth, because shadows feel threatening… and antithetical to what and who we imagine ourselves to be.

What shocked me when I “got” it. Every judgement, finger pointing moment, blame, frustration, and anger I have towards another, or a feeling I have that is “of course” someone else’s fault (aka inner-blamer), is simply a mirror or projection of something that exists within me. We are reflections to and for each other. If you’re wise, you’ll take a deep look in your own mirror.

Go deep or go home. Lately, I’ve been dancing, crying, talking, giggling and cuddling with my shadows. Meet my shadow cast: I have parts of me that are controlling, judgemental blamer, teenage-tough as nails, people-pleasing, a rebel, defensive and defenseless, to name just a few.

Psychologist Carl Jung, “the shadow” superhero, warns that repressing you’re shadows will prevent you from reaching your full potential. When you fail to examine your own shadow, you become a slave to false beliefs, psychic injuries, and the opinions of others- and worst of all, you lack real awareness and acceptance of your true self.

Get to know your shadow. Often, underneath the shadow armor is a part of you that is yearning to be loved, accepted and cared for… by YOU. It may be a bumpy ride at first, and don’t go it alone. Eventually, expect to encounter your greatest teacher, healer, best friend, lover and truth teller. Your own self.

#shadowwork #meandmyshadow #carljung #mixedmediaart #artstudiolife #theartstudiony #trueself #lightandshadow #selfacceptance #psychology

 

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by Kristen Andersen | Jan 15 | #mindfulness

Art is a vessel for self expression. Sometimes, we have a lot to say and words just aren’t enough. Too many people feel repelled by art because they believe they “can’t even draw a stick figure!” I suppose that means we feel art is supposed to look a certain way. For something to be considered ‘art’, it has to be held to a ‘certain standard’.

Okay well, who is setting the standard? Seriously, is there an HR handbook that outlines what art is supposed to look like? And who is enforcing these guidelines? Is there an Art Police Force that goes around writing tickets to those who create repulsive art? 

Remember, no one is going to create a Kahlo-level painting on their first try. Why would you compare your first month of work to someone who is years into their practice?  Our aversion to try new things because we are afraid to fail is what keeps us complacent. With that complacency, we start to crave novelty.

We want to escape our reality while remaining in place. 

Aldous Huxley writes about the human race seeking mind-altering substances before it even discovered farming! It is innate to want to escape. Instead of trying to fight it, accept it. Go with it. Pay attention to your current routine; how do you cope with the desire to escape?

We may find that some of our habits, while they serve their purpose in the moment, may have some unsavory effects on our physical and mental well being– and that is okay! You are only human and you are trying to keep yourself and your family alive while trying to understand this mysterious existence that is Life. 

Begin thinking about how we can replace our negative habits with something that can serve a similar purpose but provide us with a healthier being. Remind yourself that you want to make this transition because you love yourself. 

The reason I like art so much is because at the end of a practice, I have something tangible that will  represent that particular thought journey. 

What keeps my performance anxiety at bay is reminding myself “It is not important to be liked by others, it is only important that I can live with myself”.

 

I don’t need everyone to like my art because I like it. 

 

 

This painting of my cats may not be realistic enough to win me an award, but it brings a smile to my face because it reminds me of my four furry friends. Twenty years from now, my cats won’t be here anymore, but I will always have this painting to remind me of how much I loved them. That is motivation enough to keep me painting. Even when I’m at that stage where the painting is so hideous I start to doubt my entire existence. “Push through it,” I remind myself. Even when I’m at the stage where I’ve been working on it for days but it looks like nothing has changed yet I still feel like it’s not done. “Just keep pushing through it.” 

Just keep pushing until you get to the part where you can look at your painting and think “Yep, I can live with this”. 


Take an online art class today with some of New York City’s top rated artists. Exercise your self-acceptance muscle by creating and sharing your art in a safe and nurturing environment. New winter 2021 virtual art classes have been added for Kids, Teens, and Adults. Questions, comments, art work? Send it to info@theartstudiony.com ATTN Kristen

 

How to Create A Life You Love

by Rebecca Schweiger | Jan 12 |#livingandloving

Some lessons are timeless.

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it,” said the 13th century mystical poet, Rumi.

The realest, hardest and most epic journey of love occurs between you and you.

If you long for the love story, become your deepest lover and most compassionate friend. Embrace and stand naked with all of your pieces. Kiss your wounds with compassion. Belong first to yourself. Set yourself free.

When you feel triggered by someone or something outside of yourself, bless the messenger and ask, “How is this a mirror of what exists inside of me? What part of me do I need to see, accept and love?” For everything you feel and notice in another, you are that, too. We are all made of the same stuff.

Discover the barriers you’ve built against being and living as your most authentic self. Hug, kiss and heal the shame, fear, rage, trauma and the shadowy layers of yourself that you’ve refused and rejected. It’s time to come home to you. Welcome it all.

The depth of loving connection that you feel with another is directly connected to just how much you can love every part of your perfectly imperfect self.

Confucius said it perfectly. “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.” That’s what true love is.

#truetoyou #loveyourselffirst #acrylicpaintings #abstractartist #commissionedart

 

by Kristen Andersen | Jan 8 | #newyearsresolutions

It’s the beginning of a new year- a time filled with optimism, renewal, and resolutions. 

 

Yet, we all know how this goes… by March, that ambition will have turned into self-reproach. Statistics show that at least 50% of people who make New Year’s resolutions lose motivation after just a few weeks. There are the go-getters of society who are able to create goals for themselves and actually stick to them. However, I believe the majority is like myself– a go-getter in spirit but a loafer in practice. 

I set myself up with great expectations which only leads me down a spiral of disappointment when I inevitably don’t meet them. Then I feel ashamed of myself so I give up completely because I am afraid to face failure yet again.

If you find that you follow a similar pattern, I think I have found a solution: 

 

Lower Your Expectations. 

 

You will be disappointed when you try to imagine how the future should look, how the world should be, how the people around you should behave. You will never be satisfied with the outcome when you’ve already imagined what it should look like. 

 

The same sentient can be applied to your art practice. Before sitting down to begin a painting, I already have an idea of what the end result should look like. As it turns out, my motor skills are not as aligned with my imagination as I thought and my painting never looks quite how I envision it. I get so lost trying to perfect the strokes that I can’t even see that my painting is beautiful just as it is!

 

In short, give yourself goals, goals are good. They give you something to look forward to, something to work for, a reason to get out of bed every morning. But, be easy on yourself! Go with the flow, listen to your body. And most importantly, stay present.

 

Focus on what you can do today, not what you should be doing tomorrow. 

 

I’ll tell you what you can do today– and that is to check out The Art Studio NY 2021 winter class schedule! Keep an eye out for the new virtual art classes and maybe make “take an online art class” one of your 2021 resolutions!

How to Create A Life You Love

by Rebecca Schwieger | Dec 30 | #LiveToday

Imagine if the sun purposely withheld its rays out of fear, and clouds clung to their raindrops while worrying what fellow moisture-holders thought. Odd, right?

So, why do humans do it? Withhold, fear, cling, worry, people please, hold back from sharing our inner-essence. When you do that, you make the flowers of your life droop and die.

Express every little drop of your you-ness. Let us see you, feel you, be with you in your state of perfect imperfection. You were born for this.

You may not see it with your eyes, yet much of what matters most is experienced not by sight but by the human heart. When you live life with all you’ve got, you share your light, your truth, your you-ness…. and that special magic that only you have echoes and ripples and reaches into every crack and crevice, seen and unseen alike.

You being you, me being me and we being we changes the world. Step by step. Day by day. It’s where the healing happens. It’s not always easy, yet it’s always worth it.

Don’t hold back. Take the risk. Paint. Sing. Howl. Have those hard conversations. Stop tiptoeing through life. Cry. Kick like The Rockettes. And please, have some FUN! Wear a tutu and twirl your pretty self away. Go dance your pants off, unedited.

Life is now. There is NO tomorrow. It doesn’t yet exist.

Time waits for no one.

Inspiring art classes to kick of 2021 while connecting to ALL OF YOU:
@theartstudiony www.theartstudiony.com

#LiveToday #creativeliving #createthelifeyoulove #liveyourtruth #authenticity #freespirits #loveyourself #liveandlove #mixedmediaart #mixedmediaartists

 

How to Create A Life You Love

by Rebecca Schwieger | Dec 29 | #createthelifeyoulove

 

Imagine if the sun purposely withheld its rays out of fear, and clouds clung to their raindrops while worrying what fellow moisture-holders thought. Odd, right?
So, why do humans do it? Withhold, fear, cling, worry, people please, hold back from sharing our inner-essence. When you do that, you make the flowers of your life droop and die.
Express every little drop of your you-ness. Let us see you, feel you, be with you in your state of perfect imperfection. You were born for this. To be and express all of you.
You may not see it with your eyes, yet much of what matters most is experienced by the human heart. When you live life with all you’ve got, you share your light, your truth, your you-ness…. and that special magic that only you have echoes and ripples and reaches into every crack and crevice, seen and unseen alike.
You being you, me being me and we being we changes the world. Step by step. Day by day. Dance by dance. Brushstroke by brushstroke. It’s where the healing happens. It’s not always easy, yet it’s always worth it.
Don’t hold back. Take the risk. Paint. Sing. Howl. Have those hard conversations. Stop tiptoeing through life. Cry. Kick like The Rockettes. And please, have some FUN! Wear non-matching striped socks (like me!) if that does it for you. Go dance your pants off, unedited.
Life is now. There is NO tomorrow. It doesn’t yet exist.
Time waits for no one.
Inspiring art classes to kick off 2021 while connecting to ALL OF YOU:
The Art Studio NY www.theartstudiony.com
by Kristen Andersen | Dec 18 | #createappreciate

 

Here in NYC, it’s starting to get dark around 4 pm. Between the remote living and the early moonrise, I’m beginning to feel a sense of disconnect to my state of being. I feel uninspired, unmotivated, and unengaged. 

The brain craves novelty. Research shows that exposing yourself to new stimuli and challenging yourself to create new habits will develop new neural pathways in the brain. To be alive is to be stimulated.  Anything that engages your sensory faculty will connect you to your sense of self. Experiencing the world through your senses will remind you that you are, indeed, alive. Keeping this in mind, there are many exercises you can do each day to fully emerge yourself into the present. 

 

Taste:

This is arguably my most indulgent sense. Rummage through your kitchen and savor the different spices and flavors that are special to you. Spend an evening creating a dish that you find comforting. Mindfully snack on a fruit, chew it slowly, pay attention to the splash of stimulation on your taste buds. 

Smell:

Sniff your favorite perfume. I keep sachets of lavender in every room of the house. Lavender is among many other herbs that are clinically proven to reduce feelings of stress. Brew your favorite tea, fill your home with the aroma of coffee, light a delicious candle. 

Listen:

To your favorite music. Listen to the vibrations of Tibetan healing bowls. My favorite sound lately has been didgeridoo music. The Polynesian vibrations evoke an interesting sensation from within. Listen to the cars drive past your window. Play an audio of a babbling brook or the white noise of a thunder storm. 

Feel:

Experience the sensation of a warm bath. Pet your furry kitten or pup. Give your roommate a gorgeous hug. Run your hands across a satin robe. 

See:

Give your sore eyes something pleasant to look at. Create a stunning art piece. Stimulate your brain with bright yellows, moody blues, passionate reds. Learn how to turn a blank piece of paper into a visual masterpiece. 

 

Art is created through perception.

In times of isolation, your imagination can be your best friend. Keep yourself surrounded by brightness in these dark, winter months. Better yet, now with the power of Zoom online art classes, you can feel inspired by creating alongside others with a similar passion as you. Create art under the instruction of one of NYC’s top rated art professionals. 

The Art Studio USA’s virtual art classes will awaken the fire within you to keep your creativity blazing all throughout these winter months. 


Please visit our winter 2021 class calendar for adults, teens, and kids to see what we have available for you.

How to Create A Life You Love

by Rebecca Schweiger| Dec 15 | #theartstudiony

Be nice. Be kind. Give to others. Save the world. Don’t be selfish.

Virtuous?
No.
While you strive to be good, make others happy, and be well-liked, what appears “spiritual” might just be martyrdom in a “nice guy/nice gal” suit.
If it requires self-abandonment and self-deprivation, caring for others is not so caring after all. We have learned that nurturing ourselves, identifying our true needs and honoring our true nature is selfish. How wrong this is.
Remember the mantra of every flight attendant. Place your own oxygen mask on yourself first before assisting others.

In Julia Cameron’s bestseller The Artist’s Way (my personal pandemic highlight), she shares, “Afraid to appear selfish, we lose our self. Many people, caught in the virtue trap, do not appear to be self-destructive to the casual eye. Bent on being good husbands, fathers, mothers, wives, teachers, whatevers, they have constructed a false self that looks good to the world and meets with a lot of worldly approval. We refuse to ask ourselves, ‘What are my needs? What would I do if it weren’t too selfish?’”

 

Saying yes to yourself isn’t selfish. It’s self-loving. Fill your cup, let it overflow, and only then can you generously pour into the glasses of others.

What would you do if it wasn’t “selfish”? Carve out time to do those things that nourish your true self. The world will thank you for it.

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“How to” classes…

We are happy to announce we have added new “How To” art classes to our Winter 2021 line up. Our class schedule now offers “How to” classes for artists with a specific goal in mind! 

 

The Art Studio NY and USA’s online art classes will provide live technique demonstrations. Our virtual art studio provides a safe space to develop your skill alongside your peers. In these relaxed and encouraging online art classes, you will receive step-by-step guidance and nurturing art instruction by a professional New York City artist.

 

For Adults

All of our offered online watercolor classes will deepen your knowledge of color mixing and how to create color palettes that are expressive and beautiful. Our live watercolor classes online will teach you how to create and build texture, composition, both abstract and realistic painting techniques, layering of paint, expressive mark making, and more!

 

Watercolor class: How to Paint Flowers

Create beautiful bouquets, daisies, roses, and everything in between.

This class is available as a one time workshop or an eight-week series. 

Watercolor class: How to Paint Birds

Learn the foundational techniques needed to paint the birds you see in your own backyard. You will leave this class with the resources and confidence to create a bird painting of any kind.

Perfect for those who want to begin painting at home, but don’t know how to start!

 

Portraits and Figure Drawing

This class will nurture your inner-artist and you will feel inspired as you deepen your practice of portrait and figure drawing. Drawing techniques including quality lines, identifying form and big planes, contrasts and counterpoints, line of gravity, gesture drawing, mark making, drapery and textures,  light and shadow, blending and edge control. Create a variety of artworks, including specific features like eyes, hands, lips, arms, and selected subject matter of your choice.

“How to” classes For Kids

How to Draw Animals 

Ages 9-12 

In this class, students will learn artistic techniques through drawing,  including how to draw animal faces, bodies, proportions, textures for fur, scales and wings, shading and shadowing, making things 3-dimensional, colored pencil color mixing, color layering, and more!

Students will receive step by step instruction on how to draw a wide range of animals, such as pandas, penguins, cats, koala bears, parrots, foxes, unicorns, dolphins, snow leopards, and more! 

How to Draw Portraits 

Ages 9-12

In this interactive and upbeat drawing class, kids will learn how to draw everything as they master drawing techniques such as shading, composition, detail, 3D effect, contrast, mark making, personal expression, and more.

 

How to Draw Comics

This is a class for all comic book, manga, and cartoon lovers who are eager to express themselves creatively AND have FUN in the process! This engaging and inspiring cartoon drawing art class will teach your child specific comic, cartoon, and manga drawing techniques combined with the encouragement for personal self-expression. Specifically, students will develop their own unique, personal drawing style while learning how to draw faces, living figures in motion, develop comics, cartoons, and manga characters

 

 

Check out our adult art class calendar and kids art class calendar to see all available classes!
Don’t see anything that quite covers your goal? Contact us at info@theartstudiony.com to inquire about setting up a private online painting lesson or online drawing lesson.

 

How to Create a Life that You Love

by Rebecca Schweiger | Nov 27 | #gratitudeattitude

‘Tis the season of giving thanks, but what does that really mean? We all have challenges and problems, and let’s face it. Pandemic time isn’t a field day. At the very worst, people you care about are suffering, without jobs, mourning loved ones. What’s so good about that?
Light and shadow. Good and bad. Up and down. Happy and depressed. Bliss and horror. No one gets a free pass from experiencing the full range that life hands to humans. And yet, what you always do have is a choice, and that is the true ticket to freedom.
In his famous book, “A Man’s Search For Meaning”, Viktor Frankl shares, “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.”
In the short video below, learn a free 5-minute exercise that is an instant mood booster. Learn about this easy creative practice that will reconnect you to the gifts that fill your life. Through gratitude, transport yourself into a bubble bath of the blessings that exist and surround you, today, in the here and now.

#gratitudeattitude #createalifeyoulove

by Kristen Andersen | Dec 4th 2020

Online watercolor classes 

Enjoy this inspiring journey of watercolor painting classes with NYC’s #1-Rated art studio, The Art Studio NY. In this class, you will learn a wide variety of watercolor painting techniques that will send your creative spirit soaring. In our beginner virtual watercolor lessons you will learn how to combine watercolor painting techniques with your own authentic self-expression in watercolor painting classes.

 

Online acrylic class 

Painting is meditative, relaxing, and inspiring. Our instructors’ nurturing style of teaching encourages you to learn the artistic techniques of painting and self-expression. In our acrylic lessons on zoom, you will receive one-on-one expert art instruction as you enjoy our nurturing and non-judgmental art studio. At the end of it all, you will create many finished paintings to celebrate and hang in your home!

Online oil painting class

Oil paints are sumptuous, exciting, and one of the most popular painting mediums used by artists throughout the world. When you learn oils online in our Zoom oil painting lessons, you will relax, de-stress, and get inspired with encouraging art instruction. We will teach you how to master the most important oil painting class techniquesLearn to express yourself through oil painting. All levels welcome, but perfect for total beginners! 

Online drawing class

 Drawing is one of the most popular modes of artistic expression since the beginning of time… just think of cavemen! Learn to express yourself through this encouraging and relaxing virtual drawing lesson. Learn our fear-free art approach as you learn to draw in our intimidation-free, non-judgmental art studio.Hundreds of past students have been completely amazed at how quickly they learned how to draw in our #1-rated NYC art classes!

If you’re not ready to commit to a multiple week class, check out one of our many one-time workshops. I will warn you, though, once you start creating art, you’ll never want to stop!

How to Create a Life You Love

by Rebecca Schweiger | Oct 16 | #authenticself

Pandemic life has thrown us hard and far from the security we were accustomed to.
When life pulls all of the roots out from below your feet, you are left with an open field. With anchors lifted, feeling lost, ungrounded, and destabilized are all part of the new normal.
Covid life has been hard. And, with every breakdown, breakthrough is there for the taking.
The longer covid times go on, the more I am questioning my life. How do I spend my most critical, non-renewable resource- my time? What fears hold me back, and will I now do something everyday that scares me to break through? What makes me feel alive, what drains my energy? How have I been abandoning the small still voice inside of me that is my true North Star, and how will I listen, in action? It’s time to live the entirety of my life by design, not default. The same opportunity is beckoning you.
Humanity needs an upgrade. Politically. Socially. Interpersonally. We have been sleepwalking, and a worldwide pandemic is our clear wake-up-shake-up call.
Change is pounding on your door, begging for you to answer. You are standing in your own open field. Tend to it. Plant and grow anew.

How to Create a Life that You Love

by Rebecca Schweiger | Nov 11 | #control

Control. You want it. You want to know what you’re doing, where you’re going, how you’ll get there and by when you’ll arrive. In other words, the comfort of control makes you feel safe. You aim to tell yourself and those you love, “Honey, it’s going to be OK, I’ve got the answer.”
The problem is, you’re lying. No one is always in control, life isn’t always safe, and there’s no promise that everything will always be okay. In fact, life promises the opposite.
The spiritual practice of painting requires letting go of control. In art, and life, when things aren’t OK, we learn how to be resilient. When we make mistakes, we learn how to bounce back and create richness. Messes lead to clarity, hurts lead to forgiveness, and tears water the soil for our own growth.

When you accept that you don’t know, a freedom is born.

Suddenly, every possibility is available to you. Not knowing and
not-OK-ness build inner strength, self trust, and the ability to surrender to, and to make meaning from, what life delivers to your doorstep.
“Life is not safe, and so our task is not to promise our kids there will be no turbulence. It’s to assure them that when the turbulence comes, we will all hold hands and get through it together. We do not promise them a heartache-free life, but we do assure them that the slings and arrows won’t kill them— in fact, they will make them kinder, wiser, more resilient. We look them right in the eye, point them to their pain, and say: “Don’t be afraid, baby. You were born to do this.” -Glennon Doyle
Whether you know or don’t, whether you’re OK or you’re not, life has brought you to this very moment. Surrender to it and let it become your wisest teacher and deepest gift. #theartclass #selfexpression

…and other Unproductive Emotions are keeping you stagnant.

By Kristen Andersen | Nov 20 | #selfhealing

 

When I first moved to NYC, I was 19 and living in a one bedroom apartment with two other women. Anna had lived in the apartment the longest. She lived in NYC for the last ten years, and I was living on my own for the first time. I am so grateful for Anna because she took care of me like an older sister. She taught me how to keep a clean apartment, she gave me dating advice, and for a while, she was my only friend. She moved out only a few months later, while our time together was brief, I owe a lot of who I am to that fleeting friendship. 

One night we were having one of our nightly tea talks before bed and without realizing it, she said something that transformed me forever. She said,

“Guilt is an unnecessary emotion. You should try to release guilt as it does absolutely nothing productive.”

I don’t quite remember what brought this conversation up, but it was exactly what I needed to hear at the time. Perhaps Anna could feel the potent air of guilt that I carried with me everywhere like a pet chihuahua.

At the time, I felt guilty for everything!

I felt guilty when I didn’t give a subway beggar money. 

I felt guilty for eating sweets after dinner. 

I felt guilty for my thoughts, I felt guilty for my actions, I felt guilty for the way I look, I felt guilty for owning things– I never allowed myself to actually enjoy anything! The sad part is, I didn’t even realize that I was feeling this way. 

Well, that night, Anna planted a seed in my psyche. It didn’t mean much to me at the time, but that seed was propagated a few months later when my mom gave me $60 to help me out with groceries…

Instead of getting groceries, I went straight to Smith St and spent all of my mom’s money at the bar. The next morning, I felt so guilty I couldn’t think about anything except how disappointed I was in myself. I called my mom to tell her that her daughter is a degenerate and she’s better off never giving me money again. My mom’s initial reaction was to laugh and to say “Oh well!”

I said, “No, Mami, I’m serious! You have to yell at me because it’s what I deserve.” 

She saw how distraught I was, so instead of lecturing, she got serious and said, “Don’t feel bad, just do better next time.” 

Don’t feel bad? Don’t feel bad… You mean I can just forgive myself and move on?

Writing this out now seems so silly that such a benign notion was so foreign to me. Not for nothing, but this goes to show how fragile a subconscious mind can really be. We do not realize how detrimental our thoughts can be to our livelihood. 

When you are feeling guilty for something, you are dwelling on it, lamenting, wishing you could go back and do things over again. Well, I hate to break it to you, but Elon Musk hasn’t invented a Time Traveling Tesla yet. All the worry about what you “shoulda, coulda, woulda” is an exercise in futility.

Please, honor your thoughts as they arise. When your brain is focusing on a memory that causes you to cringe, think further; why does it make you feel this way? Is this thought productive? 

Instead of feeling guilty, tell yourself “I did the best I could at that moment. The only thing I can do is to remember this feeling next time a similar situation arises, and to do better next time.” Then, release the thought. If it comes back again, that’s okay. Examine it again, and then release it again.

I know it is easier said than done, but like anything else, practice makes perfect. In the meantime, there are other things you can do when your brain’s Guilt Gear gets stuck. 

Talk to a good friend. 

Go for a walk in your neighborhood.

Cook a meal for you and your loved ones. (Do not underestimate the meditative nature of chopping veggies!)

Put pen to paper and write down your thoughts in a journal.
Or maybe sit down and make some art.

The Art Studio NY‘s nurturing style of teaching is the perfect way to connect with your intuition to really create a tangible piece of your own self expression. The virtual art journaling class is the perfect way for beginners, seasoned artists, and everyone in between to come together from anywhere in the world. You can enjoy creative fulfillment in this relaxing and self-expressive online art class! Learn how to make a meditative art journal that captures your unique voice. This Beginner’s Art Journaling Class  provides the perfect place to explore your feelings through words and art.

Check out our adult class calendar to see what classes are available for you today!