PERMISSION TO Paint
A blog about giving ourselves permission to create and be joyful in a world that is hurting.
You are an artist and you know art is healing to others and yourself. You know doing your art and sharing it are important. But you forget.
Let me remind you.
Hi, I’m Mary Brutsaert. I am a healer and an artist. It took me a long time to find a way to take care of myself that is simple and nurturing while at the same time radically different from anything I have been told to try. I have applied it to my life and my art and I want to share what I’ve learned with you.
You can sign up below to read about the ways I cultivate joy through radical self-acceptance and permission to do my art. Permission to Paint goes out every 2 weeks.
You’ll also hear about opportunities to work with me.
All You Ever Have to Know Is the Next Step
Painting has shown me that there is a bold, fearless, confident, trusting, and accepting person inside of me who can handle anything.
She’s the one I’m inviting to be in charge of my life.
She sticks up for my needs. She’s not afraid to say no. And she talks me through uncertainty.
She’s the one I nurture.
Pushing Through Is Out of Style
When we push through, we dip into our energy reserves. And we will deplete ourselves.
When we speak or act from the heart, our energy is there to meet us.
It’s not rocket science. But we need lots of reminders that the old ways of doing things are no longer viable.
Do You Feel Seen and Heard?
How you feel nurtured, and seen and heard, is by NOT leaving this important job to others, who may or may not have the wherewithal to give this to you.
To feel seen and heard, we need to start by giving this gift to ourselves.
Once we feel seen and heard, it’s easier to let go of our worries and start showing up in the world in a way that allows others to see and hear us, too.
It’s kind of miraculous. And there’s more.
What’s The Big Deal About a Daily Practice?
So, how can we be our own best friend? How can we build a daily practice that feels nurturing and sustainable - a practice that accounts for those difficult days?
What’s The Big Deal About Painting?
And, what everyone always says but no one believes, I found that what makes painting so joyful is not the final product. It’s… you guessed it, the process, and how it spills over into all other areas of my life.
Who Do You Think You Are?
Have you ever wondered why we have this critical voice, how come it’s so harsh for some of us, and what we can do to quiet it down?
Follow the Breadcrumbs
When we start showing up for ourselves, we send a message that we’re worth it, we matter. There’s an insecure part in each of us that needs to hear this, over and over. You are worthy of love and attention. Once we start believing that, the world becomes an entirely different place.
It Shouldn't Be This Hard
If life feels hard to you right now, it’s because it is. There are no “shoulds” when it comes to emotions (or anything else, for that matter). We can only feel how we feel, and be curious about what our emotions say about how the world is affecting us today.
Are You Ready To Do Something Radical?
Stepping out of our habitual ways of coping and rising above survival mode requires a radically different approach. One that takes each moment as it comes - without judging it against what it should be or what we would like it to be or what we could make it to be if we just tweaked it a little.
Messing Up Is The Right Thing To Do
Being human means making mistakes. We all know this. We know it’s how we learn. We know it, yet in the moment we forget.
Why 50 Joys?
“Clean sheets, the smell of spring in the air, a smile on my daughter’s face…” That’s how a grief group participant started their list of 50 joys.