When Was the Last Time You Chose Yourself?
- Char Heaman
- Mar 1, 2025
- 3 min read
As I prepare for the week ahead I am thinking about my Social Media content strategy, why? Because what I share and how I share it matters to me; its not about vanity metrics, algorithms and the like, no no no, the vision I have is to make a difference to enrich peoples lives not only with my art, but also my content, this blog is no exception.
What did you think when you initially read the title of this post? I would be curious to know...reply to this once you are done reading, I would love to hear from you. The title is a mirror of where I have been at in my creative journey and personal life, #ChoosingYourself. This isn't about being self-fish and closed off to the world and those around you but rather an awakening to the deep seeded need we have to live life authentically and in alignment with our values and beliefs. Here is a bit of my story.
Too much of my life has been spent trying to please others, living life to fit into a mold and the endless expectations of others. I morphed into someone I barely recognized, lost in confusion, uncertainty, insecurity and with a increasing feeling of imposter syndrome. Does this sound at all familiar? My art practice has not only made space for me to express myself creatively it has become my therapist, a trusted friend and a truth teller. Everything that I have been experiencing; the joys and successes, the failures and battles have all been instrumental in reflecting back to me what is truly important. This may come as a surprise to you but its only been in the last 10 months or so that I started to focus on creating art that brings ME joy! You might think that this would be an obvious motivator, how can I only just now be concentrating on this? Well like many others I have had to silence the people pleasing voices in my head, get the cobwebs off my eyes, hike through the brambles so I could actually KNOW what my soul was crying out for. I hadn't been choosing myself! I allowed my mentor to push his ideas onto me, I gave precedence to what "other" people said I was good at, and I listened far too often to the accolades associated with an art style that just didn't feel as authentic as I desired. I am not proud of myself for giving so much of my power away...it is what it is.
Choosing yourself is about acknowledging and embracing what brings YOU joy, peace and enriches your sense of well being. Its about making intentional choices each day that bring you that feeling of "oneness".
My art isn't just about something beautiful you can hang on your wall, of course it is that, and it is so much more. It's a way for me to tell a story, to share my vulnerabilities, hopes and dreams, to connect with you in a profound way. Paintings are a reminder of beauty, they can be dreams and memories that connect us to ourselves in a more meaningful way. In fact the art you have in YOUR home is also telling a story, whether it is intentional or not.
In the weeks and month ahead it is my invitation and challenge to you that you would look for ways, each day, to choose yourself. It doesn't have to be anything big, it could be something simple like the nail colour you choose, your outfit, watching your favourite movie, sipping your favourite coffee, perhaps it's saying "no" to an invitation so you can go to bed early. Can you do it? Will you do it? Who is with me?
With much love and encouragement,
Char
P.S. here is a painting that my mentor didn't like but I do therefore I am sharing it with you;). More about that in the future. If you want to learn about my new creative direction, see a lot of behind the scenes content and understand the ancient practice of printmaking follow me at:
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