painIf you are experiencing pain in this moment, be it towards someone else in your life, towards a loss, towards yourself, towards the past, or towards something you haven’t achieved or become, consider giving it a voice through art. As I’ve shared before, when I started writing Mending a Broken Heart: Lili’s Magic Journey, the goal was to help with my own healing process. I chose the written form as it is my way of expressing myself and healing. I decided to publish it because it would be great for its lessons to be a source of healing for its readers. Another motivation was to encourage people to create art from their pain.

The drawing in this post is my expression of a pain within that was brought up again yesterday. The pain of not fully expressing my needs, of allowing others to behave in a way that is not respectful or kind, of giving others chance after chance to change, while getting the same results. And then, having them make me wrong. No, I’m not wrong to say no more. No, I’m not wrong to set my boundaries and to respect myself. If I’m wrong is on the way I allowed myself to be in the same situation again. It’s a great reminder not to give people too many chances, and to keep repeating my needs, even if they’ve been expressed before. I didn’t feel hurt by the other person, it was to be expected somehow, but I felt disappointed with me that I allowed myself to be in that situation again. I decided to express it and release it through art. And let the drawing be a reminder to value, express and honor my needs.

How can you create art from your pain? What’s your favorite art form(s)? This blog is an invitation for you to create art from your pain:

  • Decide how you’d like to express it: painting, singing, dancing, drawing, writing, moving, performing, etc.
  • Get the tools you may need: pencils, crayons, paints, canvas, paper, pen, computer, music, a clear space to move, etc.
  • Sit with your pain for a moment.
  • Allow your body to feel the pain, without thinking too much about it, without sinking.
  • Then, let the pain lead your hands, your body, your voice, and your creativity.
  • What does it look/sound/feel like? Does it have movement? What emotions come up? What emotions does your art evoke?
  • Keep creating until you feel complete.
  • If you don’t feel complete, dedicate some time each day to working on your art/pain project. Does it help with your healing process?

Would you share it with a friend? Would you share it with the world? Would you share it here?

Cheers to creating art and transforming pain into beauty,

Elisa Balabram