perpetual cycle of calligraphy limbo
With running a calligraphy hustle, the amount of clutter in my room piles up quick. REAL QUICK. No exaggeration!
Ask any friend who’s been in my room. Ask my family. They will describe for you, in all vividness, how MESSY my room is! Calligraphy has completely taken over my personal space—I’m not complaining. It’s my passion! I love being surrounded by beautiful letters, paper, supplies, and inventory that never seem to end. I love practicing, and I have aaaaaall the patience in the world when it comes to mixing inks, going slow doing my flourishing, and connecting my ligatures… but I seem to lose energy when it’s time clean up my post-practice, post-engraving mess. My room is in perpetual cycle of calligraphy limbo.
I’m usually okay with it, but lately, the anxiety attacks have been frequent and a part of me has been feeling claustrophobic. Maybe it’s the staying indoors for days on end—only stepping out when doing errands or Church.
Recently, I had a bad bout of anxiety attack, and I knew I had to do something. Anything that doesn’t require me looking at a screen, typing on a keyboard, or holding a mouse. Something simple and mechanical.
I looked around at my clutter and decided, yeah it’s about time I declutter my calligraphy space.
I needed to do something with my hands, so I put them to work.
It was meditative. Going through each item and deciding which ones to keep and which ones to throw away. With each item I’ve put in place, I felt my heart calm bit by bit.
It’s satisfying. And what’s even more satisfying was that my mind was able to breathe. For the whole time I was decluttering, my mind was shut off from everything else. I was zeroed in on one goal: to see new space.
Anxiety is like a rollercoaster I’m forced to ride. Kicking and screaming, I am forced to be on the front seat and to open my eyes the entire ride.
I find that what helps slow this unwilling rollercoaster ride is by doing something with my hands. By holding things, by making space.
Now whenever I look at my calligraphy display table, I smile not just because everything looks organized, but it’s a simple reminder that clarity is possible, very very possible.
Materials in photos:
storage containers from WalMart and Muji Canada (word “Engraving” customized by yours truly using gold deco paint pen)
dried flowers and leaves from Amazon (with recycled shredded crinkled paper inside)
Toppin air purifier from Amazon
assorted journals from Indigo and from friends
notepad and clipboard from Indigo
lavender mist from Loblaw
lens cleaner