Justice gives us so much to work with. The modern world paces us faster and frantic; trying to find a sense of balance can be so difficult. On Friday I organize and pack for my art market. On Saturday (sometimes Sunday as well), I leave before dawn and head out for a long day of selling art.
I try to keep a balance in my booth between being friendly and wanting to talk about my process but also hoping to encourage browsers to become buyers. My art pays my bills even though I find psychological and spiritual benefits every time I pick up a brush (digitally or physically).
I spend Sunday / Monday decompressing and orienting back to my everyday life. If you've met me, you've probably encountered my hardcore introversion and social awkwardness. Peopling does not come easily to me even though meeting a kindred spirit lights up my soul in so many magical ways. I love connecting. When you meet someone who just gets you and your work, nothing makes me happier or makes me feel like what I'm doing as an artist matters.
At home, I try to maintain a daily schedule of working on art, learning something new to try to keep my mind sharper (right now it's Spanish and calligraphy), and then some time on yoga and meditation (ideally but I don't always fit this in like I need to).
Through all this, I also need to play my mother role. My two youngest (both teenagers now) still live with me and still need varying degrees of mothering: food, talks, nurturing.
Most often, self care is what gets left by the wayside. I can't keep my head clear if I don't self care. You cannot serve from an empty vessel. Knowing this and acting it don't always happen though.
Justice reminds us that it's hard to keep those scales balanced. Life is always moving. Life is always making demands on us.
My takeaway is that all we can do is try. We may fail, but a new week will roll around and we can try again. Help the world where you can, but don't forget to be kind and merciful to you.