What I learned from painting a Mandala

I don't know about you, but for me, I've never considered myself a creative person, really sucking at anything artsy, specially painting!  Hence my reluctance to any of that.

Here in Panama, the whole adult painting, wether it is a Mandala, a paiting party (you know, those with Sangria and everyone painting the same picture) is a big thing.  And in general, all over the internet I get messages of how great it is for you and your creativity and all sorts of benefits.

I was really reluctant to give it a go, but decided to try it anyway.  I was really surprised at what I learned about myself by painting a Mandala.

"Find happiness in yourself by broadening your horizons and learning new things.  The more you learn about the world around you the more you learn about yourself"

- Anonymous 

1. First and most importantly, I learned to open up to new things.  In this case it was painting a Mandala, obviously.  We sometimes are so closed in our own beliefs and what we think it is our reality, that we don't let ourselves be open to new posibilities, new ideas, other perspectives, different things and activities, etc.  What is really the worst it could hapen?  That you don't like it and don't do it again!  But maybe, just maybe, you end up loving it and discover a new passion or a new tool to take you closer to your dreams.  We have nothing to lose and a lot to gain from just trying!
2. Stay present and be patient.  Since I consider myself not creative and artsy, I kept thinking "OMG how do I know what colors to use? Ugh it has so many things that needs to be painted, I'm never gonna finish this!!".  Being a very anxious person, this was giving me a panic attack right there!!! And the more I thought about it, specially considering that people say it is therapeutic, the more frustrated I felt.  Until I chose to come back to the present, take just one blanck space at a time, letting things flow and allowing the space for just think about this momient, this blank space, and nothing else.  Doing this I was able to relieve the anxiety, and just PAINT without even thinking about the colors or how much time it was going to take me; because really, who cares?! 
3. Be more mindfull and carefull.  Againg, being limitted by my own believes around myself, I started getting so frustrated because of how horrible I painted, going outside the lines or maybe choosing a wrong collor, I was ready once more to quit.  And I learned that it was probably because I wasn't really being mindful and careful with my actions, I wasn't really paying attention because I felt kinda like forced to do it.  I once again took a deep breath, came back to the present moment and started paying more attention and being more careful with my small actions.  This also led me to think in what other areas of my life I also give my minimum effort and do things just because.
4. Persistance.  For all the things I mentioned above, believe me I was ready to quit since before I had started!  Every time I encounterd an issue (like the anxiety, etc) I wanted to just leave it like that and quit.  But I decided to focus on just one blank space more, until I finished the whole thing.  Again it got me asking "where in my life have I quit when things got hard or just not the way I wanted.  Was I alwasy finishing what I started? 

It quickly became obvious these things were a pattern in my life.  And you know what it actually made total sense!  I am anxious and get panicked when thinking too far in the future, I do get easily bored and distracted, I do tend to be careless and give my minimum effort to tasks and chores I don't like or don't want to do, etc, etc, etc.   I also saw how much I've been limiting myself!  Wow since even before trying already affirming I couln't do it because I wasn't any good at artsy things!  This could not only translate to creat art, it could also translate as feeling not "creative" when coming up with topics to talk about with you!! Or to what I cook for myself and friends; you get the point.  It is amazing how we tend to underestimate our abilities and capacity, sometimes becuase of previous experiences or just based on asupmtions and comparisons to others.

I share with you my experience with Mandalas, not because I want you to now start painting (though I would recoment it if you ask me...), but because, when paying attention, we can learn so much about ourselves and the patterns and habits we need to break in order to achieve our dream life.  Everything we encounter in life is mirroring what we are, the good and yes also the improvement areas.  It is by developing awareness and being more concious about our actions that we can learn and improve ourselves, make the evolution needed to be our best version yet!

"Often, it's not about becoming a new person, but becoming the person you were meant to be, and already are, but don't know how to be"

- Heath Buckmaster