1 Unexpected Way Art Helps With Uncertainty #25
Use love to visualize your way past the fog.
1 Unexpected Way Art Helps With Uncertainty #25
Use love to visualize your way past the fog.
The world has begun to embrace the term “anxiety“.
Nearly everyone knows the feeling of concern from uncertainties. From worrying about the future to what’s being served for dinner, there’s no end to the targets of our anxiety. It dulls our appreciation of the journey, like a constant fog on our senses.
With no way to see past the fog, a sailor looks to the stars.
Creative solutions are there to be discovered, and who better to ask for creative solutions than artists?
Perspective, form, shading, anatomy - these are just a few foundational pillars that make up a skilled painter. But if there’s one thing that master artists excel at, it’s their ability to visualize a composition. After forming a mental picture, they proceed to rotate, angle, and edit, often before touching ink to paper.
In 3 simple steps, here is how I use visualizations to meet life’s uncertainties.
First, realize that not all images are made equal.
Last week I hurt my neck… just from sleeping.
Even turning my head on the pillow sent jolts of pains down my spine.
I spent most of the day lying down, staring at the ceiling.
To distract myself, I visualized everything I planned to do after my neck recovers. I imagined completing that coding task for a research project, drawing for this newsletter, and doing stretches to avoid more neck injuries. But the more I pictured these future achievements, the more frustrated I became.
That is, until I swapped out those images.
Instead of setting expectations for a future that has yet to exist, I shut my eyes and imagined myself as I was - palms stacked on my belly, rising and falling with each breath.
As expectations sail towards reality, the fog reveals glimpses of happiness.
Next, use love to spark your imagination.
If you don’t know what to visualize, look to those you love.
Think of someone you love, in your position with the same uncertainties. What would you tell them? In a few moments, you will have formed a library of scenarios.
When in love, imperfections appear to sparkle, like diamonds under a lamp.
When in love, “why did they do that?” becomes “what were they going through?“
When in love, compassion is king.
As you navigate this exercise, do not neglect the previous step. Avoid lies in your visualizations. Draw what you see, in those you love.
You will find that love does not dictate right or wrong, only acceptance of what is true.
Finally, be the star of your visualizations.
This is often the hardest part.
Take all those scenarios directed at your loved one(s), and make yourself the star.
And since we’ve outlined all 3 steps, it is time for a demonstration:
I am constantly worried about my job security after completing graduate school.
In my current state, I’m sitting cross-legged while typing on my computer, alive and breathing. A little hungry.
Thinking of the friends I love who share my job anxiety, I visualize telling them how confident I am in their abilities, reassuring them that a job search is nothing more a dice roll. Then, I’d encourage them to keep reaching for the dice.
Switching stars, I realize my experience and abilities are major reasons why I’m near the finish line. And if they can keep grabbing the dice, so can I.
Although these steps are straightforward, following through with them can be challenging.
You might not feel better immediately. But the more we practice, the more easily we redirect compassion towards ourselves. Even artists with a vast collection of mental images must learn to choose the right visualizations for each work.
Before I go, I should tell you one last thing.
You may not know this, but we are already artists.
That wasn’t a typo - it includes you too. And if you find that hard to believe, here’s a quote from a more credible source. See you soon.
“There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” - Van Gogh