Self Love Cultivated Through The Process of Art, The Practice Of Self Care, & An Attitude of Gratitude .

I have always been quite transparent about the fact that this Blog (& the corresponding Shop) were started as a way to over come Anxiety, & Depression, replacing those feelings with something beautiful & tangible that would leave me feeling accomplished even if it meant doing it from the comfort and safety of my bed, which I may or may not still do...sometimes!  The First Blog I ever Published on here was entitled, My Never Ending Journey to Self Love & that's truly all Upcy ever was, & since I decided over two years ago to share it with you all as a way of holding myself accountable...I have decided to embrace it! It's time to break the silence once and for all, to break down the walls & shine a light on Mental Illness - The Good & The Bad.
We Can End the stigma by Embracing Each-other!

Cultivated Through The Process of Art.. meaning the practice of being present in the moment & embracing your creative side, Not obsessing over perfection. The Name Upcy came from Up-Cycle; up·cy·cle
ˈəpˌsīkəl/
verb
reuse (discarded objects or material) in such a way as to create a product of a higher quality or value than the original.
I truly believe that it is not just materials that can be 'reused to create a product of higher quality,' but also our Mood, lifting the spirit to a higher happier level!

The Practice Of Self Care, to nurture and care for ones self! To be honest with yourself about what it is you NEED to be happy and to Give that to yourself! Selena Gomez was quoted as saying "But I kept it together too much, too where I let myself down " this is something I have related to at different times in my life & the truth is, the only one who was able to do anything about it was me! It is easy to fall into a pattern for ourselves of thinking 'I have to do This, This, & This before I can focus on caring for myself'. - It may sound backwards but this is actually a very ego-lead mindset. I know those of us who are guilty of it do it with the best of intentions, but the truth is - taking care of yourself  FIRST will actually make you stronger mentally and physically to tackle whatever is next on your list!
I went into this subject much further in a previous post and shared some of the ways I practice Self Care which you can read * if you wish!

An Attitude Of Gratitude. attracts more to be Grateful for than obsessive thoughts ever will!
Positivity is something that I think we all aim for - I find it hard to believe anyone is intentionally negative. I think the reality is that, it's not always easy or even possible in a given moment to 'Put A Smile On' or 'Cheer Up' & the flooding of 'Be Positive' can sometimes be daunting especially in moments or years of anxiety, fear, sickness or depression. An Attitude of Gratitude is more attainable & maybe even more realistic... It has also become something of a Tool for me in overcoming those moments. Rather than entertaining the 'negative' feelings - Focus on something - anything you are thankful for, like, or love!
This was the thought process that is also behind the Gratitude Bracelet.

Self Love ... 

Cultivated Through The Process of Art,       NOT  The Immediate Result 

The Practice Of Self Care,                             NOT The Idolization Of Busy

& An Attitude of Gratitude         NOT Comparison

[Photos By: my beautiful and incredibly talented best friend Kristen McNish - owner and photographer behind KM Photography.
she always does such a stunning job bringing my visions to life!
Inspired by the following artwork & quote.]

Gratitude Truly Is The Best Attitude