Mind Matters
Mind Matters is about the many quirks of the human mind and the challenges our consciousness brings us as we persevere through modern life.
Filtered
We live in a filtered world. So often the photos we see online are edited in many ways, from warped bodies that are curved and slimmed to fit an unattainable ideal, to fake travel pictures with copy-pasted backgrounds, to selfies claiming to have no filters but secretly ridden with many subtle ones. And it's not only our photos that are filtered — social media gives us all a platform to filter our lives by selectively sharing pieces of ourselves to craft a perception we hope others will approve of and validate. It becomes a self-perpetuating cycle — the photos we see define our expectations of what's normal and make us feel the need to post images that are similar.
Filters aren't necessarily a bad thing. I see them as an art form, helping us create a story or character usually based on reality but not completely accurate in its context or scope. They help us feel more confident in sharing our lives and connecting with others online. However, the lack of acknowledgment that they may exist in a photo or feed, and our tendency to compare our realities to someone's carefully constructed image are big issues. So as you travel on your online adventures today, I want you to remember that the photos someone shares are only what they want you to see. I want you to remember that social media feeds are simply storyboards for a movie trailer to someone's life or a highlight reel of the moments they want the world to remember them for. I want you to remember that your reality is enough. You are enough. Don't let this filtered perception ever convince you otherwise. ♡
「♫ Music: @kenaiiiofficial - Mixed Emotions」
This is my belated contribution to the #angie100k challenge. Elements of this work were inspired by @artbyangie.jpg.
Perfection Paralysis
I used to be a serial perfectionist. In school, there were times I handed in assignments late because I couldn't bring myself to submit a project I thought wasn't A+ material. When drawing, I would transform into my own worst critic and focus on every little detail that wasn't perfect, whatever perfect meant at that particular moment. And in life, the pursuit of being perfect would stop me from trying new things I was sure I would be terrible at, holding my head in shame as a certified failure. The paralysis of perfection had run deep into my neural networks, a self-imposed freeze on my own growth.
I know now that perfection is a trap created by our anxious minds. A shapeshifting ghost that has a different appearance in each of our imaginations; and even then it can change its identity in seconds depending on the situation or time. A concept with no true definition, a goal post that is forever unattainable. Perfection is a vampire of time, an enemy of progress, and a thief of opportunity. It destroys our productivity and suppresses our ability to move forward to the next thing.
So, it's time to free ourselves from the shackles of perfection. Make the most of your time. Aim for progress. Chase those opportunities. Let's move forward on this journey together, one wonderfully imperfect step at a time. ♡
Morning Moods
In the mornings, when the hazy clouds of sleep still cling to my mind, nothing wakes me up like a warm cup of coffee. As I've grown older, it's less the caffeine that wakes my senses and more the habit of making and drinking that cup that rouses my mind to the new day. It's become part of a comforting routine, a familiar friend I can greet in the morning, a stable fixture in the volatile atmosphere of life. There are many days when I just want to go back to the warmth of my bed, not ready to face the day that must come. But that little cup of coffee, black and bitter and comfortingly familiar, makes it a little easier to move forward.
「♫ Music: Pokémon OST - Goldenrod City Theme (B.C. Slumber / Furlong remix) + the sultry tones of Ryan Reynolds」
Feeling Overwhelmed
There are many days when the pressures and responsibilites of life feel like an inescapable heat wave, slowly melting away my energy and motivation into a liquid mess that's impossible to hold onto. Everything starts to feel overwhelming as anxiety and stress reach their peaks. In those times, I try to remind myself to stop. Breathe. Know that the heat and the melt won't last, and eventually a sense of chill will return. You have survived through the turmoil of every day before this. You'll survive this one too.
「♫ Music: @citygirlmusic - soft static sky on early mornings」