the noticing after a swollen haze

+ an official welcome to my messy studio

In the midst of last week’s magical travels, my body let me know that it wasn’t okay with a serum I was slathering on my face. An eye swollen shut, another puffed up, and a tender, irritated face. Suddenly my aunt’s sunny poolside was far from my mind; I was focused on healing, on being okay again.

As I emerge from the haze (I’m blurry on what day it is, how long it’s been) and settle back into my cozy home in Brooklyn, I think back on my mini health scare. I think about how it could have been my throat swelled shut instead of my left eye. I think about how fortunate and privileged I am to have access to care even when I’m far from home, to have a loving brother who is also a doctor. I think of how very grateful I am for my face to be healed and for the chance to reflect on it at all.

As I walked down a sandy street in Miami earlier this week, my face well on its way to normalcy and safely tucked beneath an oversized sun hat, I felt myself coming out of my hazy daze. I was beginning to notice again. I noticed the goofy chicken pecking at a taco on the curb; the pretty mural of a pink vase, whimsically painted on a brick wall; the gentle cyan shaded beneath stark white apartment porches, contrasted against a crisp blue sky. I noticed the teeny tiny, pure white sea shells scattered in the sand and even began to wonder how I could incorporate them into my pottery.

Humbling gratitude for the noticing returning to my internal world, and an acute awareness that, if I don’t care for myself, I don’t have the capacity to pay attention to the beauty and wonder and delight and silliness of the world around me.
Of course my swollen face was out of my control, but the blur of the past week was a reminder to tune into my needs and meet them as best I can. To create a system so I can check in with myself and make sure I’m caring for my own well-being (more on this in my paid studio space, below!). When I’m cared for, I can continue to pay attention to my world, to find inspiration in the darkest corners, and to nurture my relationships, my work, my community. 

May we all take gentle care of ourselves, and have a loving net to catch us when we can’t.

Welcome to my messy studio (!!) where I share inspiration for mindfulness, well-being, healing, and creative unblocking. A space to encourage embracing the imperfect and inspire a creative, whole life.

This week I dive into my system of self-nurturing, sharing how I check in with myself to ensure my needs are being met, so I can continue to connect with and care for my loved ones and my community around me.

If you’re not already a paid subscriber, I hope you consider joining and building some peace and inspiration into your life with me <3