Mindful Art Monthly Challenge

Each month Transformart Studio hosts a self-guided Mindful art challenge designed to assist you in building a habit of creating and experimenting while caring for yourself and your loved ones. 

The prompts for the challenge of the month are posted here. The instructions are a guide to kickstart the idea of the project, but you are encouraged to input as much as you want. 

Start anywhere, join for as many days or challenges as you like, and tag me @transformart.studio with your work on Instagram with the hashtag #mindfulartchallenge 

This month’s Mindful Art Challenge 

FEBRUARY 10th to 14th

Day 1: THINGS THAT ARE GREAT ABOUT ME…

We usually are pretty good at finding great things to say about other people, but when it comes to us, we get shy or don't know what to say. The idea of today's prompt is to name positive characteristics that make us who we are. Don't be shy to brag about how wonderful you are!

To make it easier... Think about someone else sayings these great things about you. Imagine you are someone that loves you very much, and you have to introduce (and recommend) yourself to another person. What are your best attributes? Now you will list them in your art journal. You can get as creative as you like or (if you don't have the time) write them down on paper. Share your artwork with us, and we will join in the positive bragging with you!

Day 2:  YOU ARE MORE BEAUTIFUL THANK YOU THINK!

I was not too fond of pictures of myself when I was younger. If I saw one, I would start criticizing every little detail I could find on it. My teeth were too big, or my eyes seemed crossed. My nose was not pretty, my ears this, my whatever that, etc. Today I look back on those pictures and see that I look young and beautiful.  

I am happy with myself today. I have wrinkles, my hair is getting whiter, and I look aged, but I am pleased because I know that I can endure many things and have magic within me. Confidence is making me look at my pictures in a different light.  

Today's prompt is to use a picture of you, print it on paper, and decorate it with stickers or drawings that highlight the things you like the most about yourself (you can also do it on your computer). Look at the picture confidently, knowing that you are uniquely wonderful and bring extraordinary beauty (inside and out) to this world.  

Day 3:  TAKE THOSE COMPLIMENTS WITH PRIDE AND CERTAINTY! 

It used to be a time when I would minimize or disregard someone thanking or complimenting me. It wasn't just that I was raised to be humble, but I didn't believe I was anything special or deserved the appreciation I was getting.  

Of course, I have changed, and now I take any compliment I can get and agree with the acknowledgement. If you have done it before, it is time to pat yourself on the back and tell yourself that you deserve the appreciation. If someone notices you for something you have done or an attribute they admire, they are usually being honest. When you receive a compliment, believe it! Take it! You have done a great job, and the honour that comes with it! 

Compliments improve the mood of the receiver but also the person giving it. 

Today's prompt has two parts: 

  1. Remember when you were offered a compliment, and think about how that made you feel. How did you answer back?

  2. Now, please write down the compliment or compliments given to you and below them, write down in colourful letters an answer that agrees with the idea that you are worth it! 

Side note: (Don't feel obligated to reciprocate, and never put yourself down. 

Day 4:  FORGIVE YOURSELF.

Throughout our lives, we have done things we are not proud of or might regret not doing. We keep those remorses and carry them as heavy as elephants on our souls and bodies. We feel the pressure for years, and we don't even realize the damage we are causing to ourselves.  

FORGIVENESS is a beautiful gift we offer others, but it gets more complicated to forgive ourselves, and that is why we leave it for last. It is an act of love that can help you become a better person, move forward, and create a better place for your loved ones. 

Today's prompt :  I invite you to think of a regret you have been carrying and consciously decide to forgive yourself. Make a drawing, cut out a collage or paint an image that symbolizes that forgiveness. This act of self-love towards yourself can be represented in a single image or steps to acknowledge your feelings in a healthy way. 

Remember to tag @transformart.studio with your work on Instagram with the hashtag #mindfulartchallenge 

Day 5:  CELEBRATE LOVE STARTING WITH YOU!

LOVE is expressed in various forms. Many books have been written, movies made, and songs played about this beautiful feeling, but what doesn't it mean to you?

How do you feel loved? How do others make you feel loved, and what do you do to take care of yourself? 

To love others well, you first have to love yourself. And practice makes perfect!!  

Today's prompt:   Write a list of things that you enjoy doing for yourself and people that make you feel loved. (I hope you have a long list; don't worry if this exercise is challenging. It is just a matter of practice). Now pick an item from your list and make a drawing with it. While drawing, visualize and feel all that love towards you. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!  

Remember to tag @transformart.studio with your work on Instagram with the hashtag #mindfulartchallenge