Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow.
—Dolly Levi, “Hello Dolly”
In The Vortex. Acrylic on 12 x 12 Cotton Canvas, $650. This vibrant colored painting will lift your spirits and mesmerize you with swirling golden motion.
It's confirmed! We are going to be receiving another stimulus check. The odds are it's not going to change your life. It's not meant to pay your mortgage or your student loan. It's meant to stimulate the economy. Since this new year has not brought more ease, how about spending it on making yourself feel better? My advice, as always, is to cultivate joy. You probably can't take a bucket list trip or go out to a special restaurant, and who needs fancy new clothes to sit at home? Your options are limited right now. Here are some ideas of how to spend that check that can help you to cultivate joy:
My studio is always filled with fresh flowers and vibrant artwork. All of which help me to cultivate joy. Left, DaVinci’s Dahlia Pink #3 30 x 30 inches $1975. Right , DaVinci’s Dahlia With Ant #1 30 x 30 inches $1975.
• Spruce up your home. A beautiful piece of art infused with positive, loving energy can shift your state of being to wonder and joy. What you see in your field of vision will affect your mood and your mindset. Clean up any clutter and replace it with a few choice pieces. Get some fresh flowers or an indoor plant. If you fill your home with things that are uplifting and make you feel happy and hopeful your quality of life will improve.
• Learn something new. Learning a language or taking an online cooking class can boost your confidence, give you some new skills to connect better now, and set you up to entertain or travel better in the future. Learning anything helps to boost confidence so maybe try something new. If you are interested in learning how to paint, I’ll be offering classes outside, in my backyard, this Spring!
• Give back. Supporting your local food bank or homeless shelter will boost your oxytocin levels and provide much-needed assistance for those in need. I have four charities that I support and writing those checks or sending those payments fills me with delight and gratitude. It makes my work and the money I earn feel meaningful and more valuable.
• Pamper yourself. Get yourself some cozy slippers, a luxurious robe, an aromatherapy candle, and some lavender bath salts. Fill the tub, light the candle, put on some Enya or something similar and soak till you your muscles melt and your worries evaporate. Invest in some gooey creams and scrubs and exfoliate your cares away. Then moisturize from head to toe till you feel like a newborn baby.
Celebrate the good times with a Quarantinii! Left: Rosé Colored Glasses, Center: Lemonade Parade, Right: Margarita Musings, $650. each, 10 x 10 inches on 2.5 inches deep gallery wrapped canvas. With every Quarantini painting sold I make a $100. donation to the Rent Party Pantry. A 501(c)(3) organization that helps fight hunger in my community.
Get out there, spread that money around, and make yourself feel better for a moment. Those moments tend to lead to other moments, and before you know it, you'll have cultivated some joy. That will lead to more. We all need more joy right now. Practicing gratitude for that joy will lead to more too!
With love and appreciation,
Leslie