I was recently involved in a group art project. Watching the process, it was clear that how we approached the painting was how we approach life. Let’s look at each one of us.
First, the woman with the loudest voice and the boldest personality was painting with dark, heavy, broad strokes. She used thick paint, making an opaque area.
Second, the shyest woman used only pastels and used a light stroke. She created very translucent areas.
Some women worked in darker shades that others had reactions to. Others worked in red, adding vibrancy. While some were making broad strokes, others were working with detail or small areas.
I found myself working in light, translucent colors, mostly pinks. Also, I was focused on the details. I was adding the finishing touches, making the other areas either prettier, more polished, or more complete. This struck me as what I do with my work. I polish. I correct. I make nicer. I fine-tune. Someone comes to me with the majority of their painting done, sometimes by their hand and sometimes by others, and I help them make it nicer.
One woman kept reacting to her own work. She said things like, “I keep messing this up,” “I’m doing this wrong,” and “I tried to fix this area but I couldn’t.” Is this how she approaches other areas of her life? In the end, she was unhappy with her finished product. Does she feel like she keeps messing up her life? Is she trying to fix something and can’t quite?
Meanwhile, a different woman was painting more whimsically. She kept us all laughing. This is a direct reflection of how she lives her life.
Watch yourself as you work on a project. What’s your style? Are you a big stroke person? Or are you into the details? Is your hand heavy or light? How do you feel as you work on it? Are you pleased or unhappy with your work? Then consider how these relate to your life. This can be a fascinating and insightful way to know more about who you are.
