Self Portrait Diaries: June 2023

This week I turned 27 years old.

This year I’ve found myself in the middle of a steady healing journey, and I’ve felt all of the beauty (and chaos) that comes with it.

I’ve felt my heart break and my heart filled with love. I’ve new lifelong soul connections, and I’ve lost people close to me. I’ve had the best days of my life, and dark days where it felt like I couldn’t breathe. I’ve cried more than I ever have (in a good way!). I continue to break myself open and soften into myself, very slowly.

I’ve embraced my identity as an artist, photographer, and creative. I believe we’re all artists if we let ourselves be.

I land on my Yoga mat every single day. I’ve spent thousands of hours studying, practicing, and teaching. The goal is freedom from suffering and from the bounds of our egos and minds. This doesn’t mean absence of suffering, it means finding peace with the darkness, realizing that beauty and suffering can always coexist.

A lesson I keep learning is that when you show love, you get love back. And if you don’t get love back, it’s time to move forward and spend that energy where it’s appreciated and reciprocated. I’m far from perfect, and I’ll probably make mistakes for as long as I live. Knowing this, I’m committed to my growth and making a positive impact on my friends, family, and community. It all starts with trying to remain present.

In the end, I just want to be real. I want to be seen. I want to look my people in the eyes and tell them that they are seen, they are loved. I want to follow my heart without fear. I’m grateful for life, imperfections and all.

Cheers.