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April 16, 2018

Simple Steps to Self Empathy <3 Love note #17

By Tamara Laporte  |   in love notes  | Tags: steps to self empathy , love notes , willowing  


♥ Willowing Love Notes to Inspire Self Love & Self Care ♥


Hello sweet friends,

I hope you know how much you matter. How important you are. That I know how much you can sometimes struggle and try your hardest, your bestest to ‘do it right’. I see you. I hear you. I understand.

Today, I wanted to share some Simple Self Empathy Steps with you that I hope might help you when you feel upset, overwhelmed or stressed.

In times of upset, we often try to ‘push through’ and ‘get on with our lives’ instead of paying attention to what our body is trying to tell us. Feelings need your attention and love. Unmet needs, need your attention and love.

It’s absolutely important, if not imperative, to make space and time for feeling/ hearing/ understanding your feelings and needs and be with them, if only for a moment, in a compassionate, empathic way.

Bonus: when you actually pay attention to your feelings, even the negative ones (especially the negative ones!) they dissipate more quickly! An interesting paradox for sure. Pushing them down keeps them firmly sitting stubbornly inside your body waiting to be heard!

So, ready? Here are some simple steps you can take when you’re feeling stressed, upset or overwhelmed. Hope it helps you. I have a high res version of this poster too, you can print it out and hang up to remind you of the steps if you want to.

When you look for feelings, look for ‘sensations’ & ‘feelings’ in the body, they are different from thoughts (though it’s fine to notice those too!) Sensations could be: tingling/ heaviness/ emptiness/ tired. Feelings could be: sad/ scared/ frustrated/ worried/ weary/ panicked/ angry etc. (Check out a comprehensive feelings list here).

When looking for needs, go deeper and look for needs that are essential to life such as: to be understood, love, connection, belonging, for your intention to be seen, respect, care, consideration, rest, freedom, play, beauty, spaciousness, etc. (Check out a comprehensive needs list here).

Download the high resolution version of this poster here. You can print out for personal use. Feel free to forward to friends. <3

Much love,
xoox
Tam x


PS. If you want to work more on self love & self acceptance AND develop your creative skills whilst having tons of fun, please consider joining Life Book 2018. We started in January but you can absolutely still join us!

Life Book has been joined by over 19,500+ people since it first began in 2012. It’s had roaring success through teaching participants creativity and personal development skills.

People send us daily message expressing their gratitude and how much Life Book has helped them both creatively and personally. :) I  feel so blessed to be able to host such a powerful and life-enriching course each year! This year has started with an incredible BANG and YOU can still join now problem. :) It’s not too late, you get access to all previous content, get life long access AND you can download everything too, so you have the content for year to come! :) Hope to see you there!
xoox

The Willowing Love Notes Series aims to send you a love note every 1 – 2 weeks.
Its mission is to support you on your self love and self care journey.
I hope you enjoy it. <3

From my heart to yours:
you are truly loved.

Big hugs!


You may also like:

  • 💜 Free resources for staying home.

  • Free Spirit – Painterly Play

  • You are doing the best you can. <3 Love note #16

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Tamara Laporte

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Mixed media artist, teacher and author. I don’t see all IG msgs. For enq pls email hello@willowing.org - Join Creating Cuties:

In and amongst all the admin work and all the prep there is little to no time for art but managed to grab a small hour to create a quick sweet thing. 😊 🐱 🐈‍⬛ 😍😍😍

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In and amongst all the admin work and all the prep there is little to no time for art but managed to grab a small hour to create a quick sweet thing. 😊 🐱 🐈‍⬛ 😍😍😍

Frensies! I’m SO MEGA excited because it’s nearly time! On 1st September, A Year of Magic & Fairy Tales will open for enrolment, and for the first 1,000 magical souls, you can join at the lowest price available (these always go fast, so keep an eye out!).

If you’ve been longing for a year of creativity, comfort, and everyday enchantment, this is your gentle nudge. We’ll wander through glowing forests, meet enchanted creatures, and rediscover the magic hidden in the ordinary, with a sparkling taster event to start our adventure! 🧚✨🦄

We are deep in the trenches of prepping this magical event, I can’t wait to share it with you! 😍😍😍

If your heart needs a warm, creative hug and a sprinkle of fairy dust, this is for you. Full details, teacher line-up, and taster info are coming very soon; watch your inbox!

If you`re not on the newsletter, now is the time to join! Join the newsletter here: https://bit.ly/WillowingNews to be the first to get all the deets!! 😍😍😍 (or link in my bio/ linktree/ stories)

Open
Frensies! I’m SO MEGA excited because it’s nearly time! On 1st September, A Year of Magic & Fairy Tales will open for enrolment, and for the first 1,000 magical souls, you can join at the lowest price available (these always go fast, so keep an eye out!).

If you’ve been longing for a year of creativity, comfort, and everyday enchantment, this is your gentle nudge. We’ll wander through glowing forests, meet enchanted creatures, and rediscover the magic hidden in the ordinary, with a sparkling taster event to start our adventure! 🧚✨🦄

We are deep in the trenches of prepping this magical event, I can’t wait to share it with you! 😍😍😍 

If your heart needs a warm, creative hug and a sprinkle of fairy dust, this is for you. Full details, teacher line-up, and taster info are coming very soon; watch your inbox!

If you're not on the newsletter, now is the time to join! Join the newsletter here: https://bit.ly/WillowingNews to be the first to get all the deets!! 😍😍😍 (or link in my bio/ linktree/ stories)

Celebrate Joy. In 2014, I went on a retreat in Bali with the wonderful Flora Bowley, and for some time afterwards, I found myself playing with the techniques and ideas I learned from her in my own art. I loved discovering all the luminous colours and acrylic brands Flora used; Quinacridone Magenta, Cobalt Teal, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold (sadly discontinued, I think), and Turquoise Phthalo have all become favourites over the years!

This painting is one of those where I experimented with methods and ideas from Flora, but you can definitely still see the ‘Tamness’ shining through. The whimsy and quirkiness are classic Tam! I love learning from other artists and weaving little pieces of their style into my own. Over time, this process gradually transforms into something that’s uniquely yours.

That’s why I always reassure my students not to worry about ‘copying’ a teacher’s style too much. In the beginning, you might follow closely; eventually, you’ll drop the bits that don’t resonate, and keep the things that do, putting your own spin on them until, voilà, a whole new style emerges! It’s such a beautiful thing, because we’re all interconnected as humans; we learn from each other in so many ways, and it’s lovely to have a legacy of teachers leaving gentle traces within the art you create.

For me, it speaks to a kind of spiritual oneness. It reminds me how connected we all are to the whole. ✨🙌✨

Have you ever noticed little hints of your favourite artists peeking through in your own work, or a moment when something you learned from someone else transformed into something uniquely yours? I’d love to hear your stories!

This is day 17 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱

Open
Celebrate Joy. In 2014, I went on a retreat in Bali with the wonderful Flora Bowley, and for some time afterwards, I found myself playing with the techniques and ideas I learned from her in my own art. I loved discovering all the luminous colours and acrylic brands Flora used; Quinacridone Magenta, Cobalt Teal, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold (sadly discontinued, I think), and Turquoise Phthalo have all become favourites over the years!

This painting is one of those where I experimented with methods and ideas from Flora, but you can definitely still see the ‘Tamness’ shining through. The whimsy and quirkiness are classic Tam! I love learning from other artists and weaving little pieces of their style into my own. Over time, this process gradually transforms into something that’s uniquely yours.

That’s why I always reassure my students not to worry about ‘copying’ a teacher’s style too much. In the beginning, you might follow closely; eventually, you’ll drop the bits that don’t resonate, and keep the things that do, putting your own spin on them until, voilà, a whole new style emerges! It’s such a beautiful thing, because we’re all interconnected as humans; we learn from each other in so many ways, and it’s lovely to have a legacy of teachers leaving gentle traces within the art you create.

For me, it speaks to a kind of spiritual oneness. It reminds me how connected we all are to the whole. ✨🙌✨ 

Have you ever noticed little hints of your favourite artists peeking through in your own work, or a moment when something you learned from someone else transformed into something uniquely yours? I’d love to hear your stories!

This is day 17 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱

When I was a teenager, I collected elephant statues; by the time I was 18, I must’ve had hundreds. I’ve always adored elephants. There`s something about their grounded presence and quiet wisdom that feels profoundly comforting. I love that they’re matriarchal, that they mourn their dead, that they move through the world with a seeming intelligence and heart.

When Andy and I lived in Sri Lanka for three years, we visited an elephant sanctuary and it was honestly one of the most magical experiences of my life. Watching the gentle connection between carers and elephants moved me deeply. They had a beautiful closeness I silently envied!

So it’s no surprise that elephants have wandered their way into my art again and again. I love painting them both whimsically and realistically. Their shapes are so satisfying to work with: cute chonky feet, soulful eyes, those expressive trunks and giant ears; it’s like they’re built for art! 🎨🖌️

This piece, painted back in 2014, is a special one. I was exploring how to bring more “grunge” and texture into my work; layering deeply, playing with contrasts. The rough, earthy background felt like the perfect contrast to the milky-white skin of the elephant, who gazes out with such a soft, knowing expression. Even here, she seems to whisper: be gentle. be wise. be still.

I hope she brings some of that same quiet comfort to your day, too. 🤍 🐘

This is day 16 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱

Open
When I was a teenager, I collected elephant statues; by the time I was 18, I must’ve had hundreds. I’ve always adored elephants. There's something about their grounded presence and quiet wisdom that feels profoundly comforting. I love that they’re matriarchal, that they mourn their dead, that they move through the world with a seeming intelligence and heart.

When Andy and I lived in Sri Lanka for three years, we visited an elephant sanctuary and it was honestly one of the most magical experiences of my life. Watching the gentle connection between carers and elephants moved me deeply. They had a beautiful closeness I silently envied! 

So it’s no surprise that elephants have wandered their way into my art again and again. I love painting them both whimsically and realistically. Their shapes are so satisfying to work with: cute chonky feet, soulful eyes, those expressive trunks and giant ears; it’s like they’re built for art! 🎨🖌️ 

This piece, painted back in 2014, is a special one. I was exploring how to bring more “grunge” and texture into my work; layering deeply, playing with contrasts. The rough, earthy background felt like the perfect contrast to the milky-white skin of the elephant, who gazes out with such a soft, knowing expression. Even here, she seems to whisper: be gentle. be wise. be still.

I hope she brings some of that same quiet comfort to your day, too. 🤍 🐘

This is day 16 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱

You are the light. ✨⭐️🌟💫

Open
You are the light. ✨⭐️🌟💫
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