How to Nurture Your Creativity and Find Inspiration with Cristina Martinez

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Music.

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We are wrapping up our new life and creativity series and this is probably one of the most.

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Information packed series on the podcast to date if you haven't listened to the previous episodes I highly highly recommend you do.

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Even if you aren't a parent there are so many helpful takeaways for everyone in each episode

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we've covered everything from understanding reproductive Health which is especially important right now in the us as we don't know what's going to happen with our Reproductive Rights and choices so understanding how your body works is,

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more important now than ever we've talked about epigenetics and how we can change the ways our genes are expressed working with doulas supporting those in Our Lives who are new parents and how to go for your dreams when you're balancing a lot on your plate,

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and most recently we talked about how creativity is an important Catalyst for healing.

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So today we're going to close out the series by talking about the importance of nurturing creativity and giving ourselves space and Grace as we bloom.

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Our Guest today is Christina Martinez

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Cristina is a contemporary visual artist based in Seattle and her career actually started in fashion school before she explored self-expression through painting

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Christina's work is rooted in telling the often overlooked stories of black and brown people encouraging them to water themselves to bloom and grow in this journey called life.

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I'm such a fan of Christina's work and I'm also a really big fan of her as a person and how she shows up so authentically in all that she does,

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we talked about her experience fostering her own creativity what it's like to be an artist by profession the importance of community and collaboration when it comes to fostering creativity and how creativity has been helpful for her own healing,

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Cristina is also a mom of two and we talked about how creativity influences her parenting style and how she also supports her kids creativity,

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this episode is truly a master class in believing in yourself and believing in what you create and I'm so excited to share this conversation with you.

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I do want to give you a heads-up that we did have a few technical difficulties because technology be technology ying and mercury be retrograding

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whatever it's happening with that right now some points you may hear a few notification dings that we weren't able to fully edit out so I just want to give you a heads up there

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we're all doing our best here so but I just like to make you aware.

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Cristina welcome to balance flat girl I'm so excited to have you I've wanted to have you on the podcast for so so long I'm so happy to be here it's I remember like specifically talking to you about this

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I don't I don't even want to listen like 2019 yeah yeah I think it was I think so.

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Here we are yes and now it's here so context for everyone listening I actually have the opportunity to interview Christina live at a future for us event in Seattle I think in 2019 so.

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What felt like a lifetime ago because so much has happened yeah I don't like even longer ago than 2019 to me because it's just like that was a whole different world said.

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I mean it feels like a decade's worth of life has happened in a 3-year yeah frame sure

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but I'm so excited to have you here especially because you know over the past three years following your work it's been really beautiful to see all of the ways that it's grown and people now getting too

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enjoy and

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benefit from the amazing work you do has just been so beautiful to see yeah I definitely I feel very blessed it's happened really slow and really fast at the same time you know so much work like behind-the-scenes and years and years and years of just like

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continuing to like believe even when things weren't happening and now it's like okay it's all gonna happen at one time

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yeah yeah that's a beautiful sentiment of it happening fast and slow of just years of behind-the-scenes and building and then like when it happens it happens yeah it's like it starts to

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really make sense and you start to

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just learn so much about yourself and I think for me like working so hard for so long and really doing it when.

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It was very quiet for me

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I've learned that a part of me is like very much in love with the journey and like the grind of it and so it's like you still have to find ways to like tap into that when it does start happening for you.

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Even what you just said about loving the journey and the grind that's something that is so important I think for anyone to remember

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regardless of what Journey they're on or what they're pursuing because sometimes it can be so tempting to only see maybe the Milestones that you're working towards but to appreciate each step while you're doing it is so key,

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yeah I know I definitely I can feel that about myself now it's like.

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You know sometimes things will be going really really well and I'll be like wow I can actually just like sit and be with my art and have quiet time and then like.

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I'm like I'm going to take some time to myself and just paint and then after a while I'm like,

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I want to work again I need another project and it's like I like that feeling of like constantly reaching for more pushing yourself further and.

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I think you have to kind of be in love with that process to do something creative or to work for yourself you know.

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Oh absolutely absolutely so I'd love to like take it back a little bit to learn more about the journey that you've had with art what interested you in art how did you start expressing yourself creatively.

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I feel like art has always been inside of me I remember being little and like

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drawing on napkins or you know using nail polish as paint or just like different things it's like I knew that that was my comfortable

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form of expression definitely more than like verbal expression or even writing you know I've always kind of struggled with writing.

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As well but if I got to like.

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Visually make something that expressed how I was feeling it always felt like the safest space in the most comfortable space for me and.

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I think like as I got older I started to kind of fine tune like what my actual Outlet was and I thankful now in my 30s that you know I have painting and I know that that's like my passion but.

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I remember being really really little and like you know sometimes like I just wanted to like take photographs or I wanted to you know just try to make something and so it wasn't until I was like in college that I really started to understand that.

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This is what I wanted to do with my life I think as a younger child it just became more of it was like more of a place of Peace for me like

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my mom was a single mom and had me really young and so I spent a lot of time at home by myself which we can't really do anymore but I used to stay home by myself like

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her whole shift at work you know and so it was like you know I'm 7 years old at home and like

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that was what made me feel safe was making art and she would come home and I might have like nailed a bunch of stuff to the walls or like painted a bunch of pictures and you know I think I do

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this it started to evolve with time but it's always kind of been with me it just wasn't.

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When I was younger it didn't feel like it was possible to make that a career that kind of evolved as I started to get older yeah yeah.

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I really loved what you said about expressing yourself creatively like you found safety in that.

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Just think that that's a really beautiful sentiment and something that I've been exploring just in researching on the podcast is the intersection between creativity and wellness and a lot of what I have

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I learned about that is exactly what you're saying like open space to freely express yourself even if it's not in words like however you can to create that safe space

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definitely I always like I always tell people you know I try to do like I used to do these workshops I haven't been able to do them recently because of covid and everything but.

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I used to do these workshops where people would just come into my studio and.

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You know everybody would sit down with their canvas and there's so many people are like I'm not creative I'm not creative I can't do this and like starting is always the hardest part for people I think people really underestimate.

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What it takes to be vulnerable like with a blank canvas and what it takes to like really just open up yourself and just make something freely but.

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I really believe that there's a creative and everybody you just have to like be willing to tap into that space and most times

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like when you're done you do feel better and I always kind of looked at it like okay how is what I'm doing making the world a better place how am I contributing

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progress but I really believe that like encouraging people to tap into that space and then make art it just makes you feel better and if we feel better and we

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live our lives better you know and so I try to look at it that way with.

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Kind of like what's important to me and why it's important for me to share my journey is just it really does feel like self-care to make art.

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Oh absolutely and you really lead by example in that way when you're able to make art and be openly creative it helps other people like find their creativity as well

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yeah definitely

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I would also love to go back to what you mentioned earlier about you know when you were younger seeing creativity as something that was always in you something that made you feel safe,

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not even something that necessarily was going to be a career initially but

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overtime you said like around College being able to see like I could do this what was that shift like for you from seeing creativity as something that is within you to something you wanted to pursue for a career.

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I think it was you know it's just a journey of just kind of.

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With each project with each opportunity I mean even still now I'm like wow like you know will certain projects will come through and I'm like.

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That's crazy that this is where the world is at right now that I can collaborate and partner and this way and more and more and more you know I feel like the world is moving in that direction where it's like.

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People are using art as language and people are really connecting to it and so you know I always tell the story of Bob Ross like when I was younger.

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Seeing Bob Ross on TV like and painting and that was his job I just thought that was like the greatest,

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coolest thing I'd ever seen but I didn't necessarily like connect as far as like I knew I wanted to do that but because.

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He looks so different and you know he's an older white male I didn't.

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I feel like that was the possibility for me I knew that I wanted that but it was like as I continue to like keep pushing for myself and keep pushing for my art and really just.

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Follow what was already inside in me I've learned more and more and more that you know I can do this and as you know you get a little taste of like okay well.

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That works out so maybe if I try this now push a little bit bigger maybe that'll work out and you know and then.

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The root of like every project every partnership and just being able to survive off my art period is.

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This like desire to connect to people through.

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My work and that never really goes away so it's nice to have that inside of me and just be able to take that you know with each new.

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Journey one thing I wasn't prepared for though I will say that I like to be very honest about is.

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When you use art as a place of healing for so long and it's been a space of,

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safety and comfort and an outlet.

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Once you have to kind of put a value on that to now survive on it that was like a tricky thing for me that I.

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I really had to learn to navigate as it was happening.

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And so I like to just prepare people for that because it's like the dream is like you know quit your job go follow your dreams and all those things but.

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For people that are really really protective and really in tune with their work that is something that you have to,

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balanced and you have to be able to get into a

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State of Mind words like I need this to stay sane but like I also need it to pay my bills you know and like finding that happy medium

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is trickier than it seems at least it really was for me oh that totally makes sense and I think that that's such a good advice to give to people who are pursuing creative careers it's just thinking about.

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How do you put a dollar value on what you're creating and something that's such a big part of you and a tool for healing and

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sometimes that can also maybe put pressure on the creative process and and on what you're doing so how do you how do you balance that

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try to just like get out of my own head I try to look at every project.

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I try to separate it from any dollar amount you know and really just like think about like what is the story I'm trying to tell and try to keep as like locked in on.

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The purpose or the you know the meaning behind the work rather than like.

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The technical part of it you know shipping and selling and all of those things I try my best to separate them but it is I mean I know it's something that I'm still learning how to work through which is like.

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Like I said why I like to be so vocal about it because that was one thing that I really don't feel like I was prepared for its like.

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Sometimes you want to make a painting because you're having a hard day or you might be having the greatest day of your life but this like emotion is so attached to it.

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And people you know you might put it out in their world and people love it and.

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Connect to it but it's like oh now I have to tell you how much it cost for you to not take it into your home you know and it's just you know I just kind of take each situation like as they come and.

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At the root of everything I'm very very grateful that people connect and that I am able to pay my bills and the live of really comfortable happy life off of my work but.

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I think always having things that feel you creatively that don't have a price on them.

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Make it easier I like to take photos on film I like to build Legos I like to you know just draw just because I think always having those outlets on the side every time I'm like,

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working on a big painting I'm always like I needed to make another painting to take a break from my opinion you know because it's like I need that one that is just like.

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I don't have to think about it it's free it feels good and then I have the other one that maybe there's a little more pressure attached to it and just.

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Kind of work through that together but I'm learning I really am it's a constant.

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Learning process and I try to just like be a sponge and soak it all in and just understand it as I go love that process of having a project on the side that's always a fun and for you as such a good too.

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Yeah always people are always like what do you mean you needed to paint a painting to take a break from your painting I like it's a thing and make it feel better it totally makes sense

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something there's a big difference between something that is going to be shared with the world versus something that you can do yeah to do

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exactly
how has your relationship with creativity evolved over time.

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I have learned to turn or tap into my creativeness regardless of how I'm feeling I think that.

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For so long I used it as an outlet to overcome challenges to process emotions that I didn't really have words for I you know use my art through grief and just hard times and

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my life has.

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Been a lot of ups and downs and you know I've learned that the happy times in the blessings are like.

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Equally as important you know and I.

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I have learned how to make art when I'm not inspired when I am inspired when I'm very happy when I'm tired when I'm sad and I think that.

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As I've done that I've become more of who I am because art is like truly me you know this is like it's in me it's

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it's what I do it's what makes me feel good and so I've learned to kind of incorporate it really in every part of my life and so.

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It's like there's no real separation anymore you know even with mother being a mother it's like my art

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is like a language that I speak with my kids my art is a language that I speak with my partner it's how I it's what I give to people to show them that I love them

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you know I think just really learning to use my creativity as a tool and and also accept that like,

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it is a part of my everyday life and as I grow my art grows.

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Oh my gosh I feel like even like that answer was just like

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masterclass and in like working with your creativity despite how you're feeling thank you actually just filmed a workshop with my partner who is also a painter not that long ago and it's funny

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we both are very very passionate people and when we were filming you know it's an art class like we're teaching a class but care about it so much and.

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The people that were helping with the production side of it they're all like oh my God like wiping their eyes and you know this is so emotional and I'm like it's just you know when you talk about something you love so much I think that.

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It's really cool that people can connect and feel that absolutely it is

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absolutely felt and so beautiful thank you thank you I also love that you

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mentioned motherhood and how creativity is also a language that you use to communicate with your kids as well because in the series we've talked a lot about motherhood you're a mom of

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to have like the coolest kids your kids are just so cool the little bits that you share of them I'm like there,

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just like the dopest little people so much I love them so so much,

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absolutely how has creativity also impacted you as a mother and impacted how you parent them.

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One thing that stands out right away is just.

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You know my mom worked so hard and had me very young and I kind of because of that I really.

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Navigated my creative side like by myself and

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I know that if my mom could go back and we had all the resources she would just feel the side of me you know the way that she does now but that was my process is I knew that I loved

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our I just didn't really you know we don't have canvases and paint and things like laying around the house so with my kids.

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You know I always think like God what if I would have realized that this was going to be something for me you know early on what if I would have been able to like.

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You know take some art classes or paint with somebody or you know things like that so I think with my kids I always have that at the front of my mind that.

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You know I have the I have the resources to help them out with my son is like wow that that drawing on that t-shirt is really cool I'm like do you want to make t-shirts of your own drawing on like it's just like,

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even my son was talking about at my last art show me and my partner did together called diptych here in Seattle my

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son was talking to us afterwards and he's like I want to do an art show but I want all the paintings in there like just to be mine you know because he's like not a great crowd just mine.

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And right away we're like do you want to have an art show for your birthday and we can find a venue no just trying to like.

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Really help them understand that it doesn't have to just be a hobby it doesn't have to be something you do at school if you love it and it feels good no matter what it is it can be anything basketball are swimming whatever.

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Not like you have me here I believe in you and I'm going to give you as many tools as I can to help you with it I'm going to do it with you.

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That's kind of been

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our thing you know my daughter she'll be like come to the studio today or I just like we just draw with me and it's like no question like yes you know let's do it when she was younger maybe like three

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she knew that I would never say no to making art with her so like it would be like 10:30 at night she's like I want to paint you know so she doesn't have to go to bed and she would like always kind of use that against me but.

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I think just like making them feel like the things that they create are important when my kids do like a little Doodle on it

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paper and like here's a canvas you know like let make it on a canvas now let's go get it framed I wish so much art here that's like frame do you know and.

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They see their art framed and it just makes a difference it's like finding these subtle ways to show them that I believe in them and.

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I really admire how self-aware both of my kids are creatively at such a young age so.

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I just try to show them how inspiring that is to me and.

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Yeah when it comes to my own art like being able to see the world through their eyes has helped.

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You know me on my creative Journey so much because you know I'm 35 now I'm like my vision of things since like.

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You know affected by life and experience and then hears them that are like well like look at that cloud it's so you know it's this it's that and it's like oh that's a painting I'm going to make that a painting now you know so.

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It's really pretty effortless I feel like.

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Having two kids that are both creative I'm feel so blessed and it's just kind of like the language that we speak now.

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So so good.

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When you said that you're teaching them that creativity is important for a second I was like an internal gasp because

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I just think for so many people they receive messaging that's the opposite you know that creativity is something that's like.

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It's a hobby but you know be realistic and it's like well what is realistic what does realistic mean why isn't

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thinking outside the box and using your brain in different ways considered realistic it totally is so let's encourage that yeah definitely and now like.

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You know when I was younger it's like.

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Jobs when you think of like a job or like career day was like the firefighter the policeman the nurse and

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I just think that these kids now are so blessed to be able to see so many people doing so many creative things and living.

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Really amazing lives off of you know something they made like they created and I try to make sure that they understand that because it hasn't always been like that you know and.

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These kids like they can do anything they want to and I think that that's just like the coolest thing ever and so

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yeah I just try to make sure they understand that that everything you make is important you felt like you needed to express that there's a reason for it it's sick I have

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probably every drawing they've ever made in their life you know because it's well this is amazing and like you just.

00:25:40.606 --> 00:25:51.060
Sometimes all it takes is like one person that just like this is really cool what you did like and to make you want to keep doing it and to explore it even further and so

00:25:50.958 --> 00:25:56.678
you know if that one person could be me their mom then I'm going to make sure they feel that every time.

00:25:56.837 --> 00:26:09.335
Absolutely has it been rewarding to see them in body creativity in their own unique ways and have their own views yeah yeah definitely my son he.

00:26:09.818 --> 00:26:12.450
You know creativity is like him.

00:26:12.636 --> 00:26:22.955
Asking if he can have green hair I'm like why do you want green hair and like you know he explains and I'm like well your grades are good you're an amazing kid your

00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:24.864
as smart and

00:26:24.744 --> 00:26:35.882
kind like of course you can have green hair you know it's it's like you know that or he's playing the guitar for a while lately he's just been really just drawing non-stop but.

00:26:36.195 --> 00:26:42.886
Feels cool to see them find ourselves creatively my daughter a lot of times she'll,

00:26:42.919 --> 00:26:55.859
like make like exact like replicas of my pieces you know and I think that that is like to see her make it I'm like well yours is even better it's here sir it's just such a.

00:26:55.928 --> 00:26:59.450
It's like the highest compliment you know because.

00:26:59.628 --> 00:27:08.201
I'm just so blessed to be able to affect them in that way and to be you know so close and showing them that.

00:27:08.576 --> 00:27:15.861
You know you can do this too can do whatever you want to do my gosh yes that's so beautiful.

00:27:15.994 --> 00:27:25.548
So a major theme that's that's been in your work has been the idea of blooming and I would love to talk about that a little bit about.

00:27:25.716 --> 00:27:33.407
What blooming means to you and perhaps ways that creativity has helped you bloom,

00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:39.483
it's funny when I never like intentionally went out.

00:27:39.562 --> 00:27:49.674
You know to have this thought of like I'm going to tell my story through flowers or nature any like it never really was

00:27:49.545 --> 00:27:53.293
I thought process I do know that I would like

00:27:53.218 --> 00:28:01.287
look at gardening books or books that had flowers in them and feel really connected to like just the ways that.

00:28:01.401 --> 00:28:08.381
Flowers and trees Cactus you know the way that they like.

00:28:09.008 --> 00:28:15.330
Naturally protect themselves the way that they grow the way that they you know are able.

00:28:15.859 --> 00:28:20.102
Be like on the verge of death and then come back to life again.

00:28:20.369 --> 00:28:28.978
I always was really inspired by that but it never was something that I was like oh I'm just gonna use flowers to tell my story it just happened.

00:28:29.209 --> 00:28:38.079
And one of the first self-portraits that I ever did was a flower face from my water me series and I think that,

00:28:38.085 --> 00:28:50.907
just being so connected to that piece and then putting it out there into the world and seeing that okay people are connecting to this man understand it and and seeing how many people were affected by the meaning behind it

00:28:50.896 --> 00:29:03.394
it just like became really just I'm like okay this is something that I can speak in this language and people understand this and it's just kind of stuck with me and I think that when I look at my life.

00:29:04.210 --> 00:29:09.029
It truly has been like seasons of like.

00:29:09.782 --> 00:29:23.109
Blooming and sometimes you think you're blooming and then you're like oh wait no this is now I'm really good at making how yeah sometimes I have to stop and just like quiet myself and water myself

00:29:22.899 --> 00:29:28.681
figure out how I get myself to place where I'm like going to bloom again and

00:29:28.489 --> 00:29:39.421
wilting I've been kind of focusing on wilting lately and what that feels like and what it means for me and you know that's a reality of part of life as well and so it's really just.

00:29:40.210 --> 00:29:45.362
It's like a mental way for me to remind myself that like.

00:29:45.692 --> 00:29:53.743
It's going to get better you will bloom again even when you are blooming you might Bloom even bigger it's kind of been just.

00:29:54.218 --> 00:29:58.497
A way for me to be really in touch with what I'm feeling.

00:29:58.575 --> 00:30:05.239
And express it in a way that's understood and like I said I didn't set out for it to be that way but.

00:30:05.803 --> 00:30:19.157
And then I thought like oh the flower thing will kind of go away after a while who knows maybe they'll paint birds or something and like here I am painting flowers every single damn plan flour right now actually,

00:30:19.181 --> 00:30:28.393
you know not my flowers have like full heads and eyelashes and everything else and it just it keeps evolving but you know as long as it's like.

00:30:28.813 --> 00:30:32.300
In me continue to tell my story in that way and.

00:30:32.711 --> 00:30:41.797
Like I said I really appreciate that people are able to connect to it and take the time to let me know how it makes them feel.

00:30:41.894 --> 00:30:51.592
What I loved about what you just said was that embodiment of Seasons that you can have seasons where you're blooming Seasons when you're wilting Seasons where.

00:30:51.724 --> 00:31:03.376
Maybe it's feeling a little dormant because good and flowers do that too and leaning into that and not seeing that that stage or That season as the absolute and knowing that

00:31:03.274 --> 00:31:08.534
that connection to Nature is regenerative and that we do the same thing it's beautiful.

00:31:08.711 --> 00:31:14.719
Yeah we do and I think like having that at the front of your mind and just knowing that.

00:31:15.364 --> 00:31:19.211
You know you might have to do a little bit more work as some,

00:31:19.217 --> 00:31:29.816
you know different points and other points might feel like things are happening really naturally and effortlessly for you and just embracing those moments and

00:31:29.795 --> 00:31:41.320
something I learned from my partner he always says like stay very even kill like not too high not too low and like when I think about blooming I really tried to like say in this space or it's like

00:31:41.308 --> 00:31:48.135
maybe I'm blooming now but you know wilting is not too far away like you just don't know and just being prepared and knowing that like

00:31:48.114 --> 00:31:54.716
it's ups and downs and all we can do is like continue to push through those moments that's really what it means for me it's like.

00:31:55.136 --> 00:32:00.414
Just keep pushing and like the bloom is on the other side.

00:32:00.906 --> 00:32:09.740
That's such a good reminder and it's kind of like what we talked about at the beginning about enjoying the journey as much as Milestone or that destination.

00:32:09.792 --> 00:32:19.877
Yep definitely so when you are in a season where you're like I need I need some watering what water is you how do you feel water.

00:32:19.982 --> 00:32:30.140
Vacations in Mexico usually do the trick yes I love to travel with my kids and see them experience new places.

00:32:30.614 --> 00:32:36.099
I read a lot of people are always surprised by how much I read because I just.

00:32:36.231 --> 00:32:45.353
I read and then if I have to drive I put it on audiobook and then you know like all my flights and stuff I love to just like be reading.

00:32:45.846 --> 00:33:00.531
Music is tricky for me depending on if I feel like I'm wilting or blue me music is like a big trigger for me for some reason so sometimes music helps me stay in a good space mentally sometimes it doesn't I kind of just,

00:33:00.555 --> 00:33:03.115
do a body check and see how I'm feeling.

00:33:03.553 --> 00:33:12.792
Being with my family always I'm thankful to be you know here in Washington where my a lot of my family is odd.

00:33:13.024 --> 00:33:18.464
But really just painting still I mean I just kind of keep.

00:33:18.641 --> 00:33:27.709
I push through it it's rare that I just like won't create for like long periods of time because as much as that it can be really.

00:33:28.084 --> 00:33:29.645
Difficult.

00:33:30.524 --> 00:33:39.610
Not only express emotion and emotion that's tougher but also be aware of it you know accept it and then like,

00:33:39.634 --> 00:33:46.884
be willing to share it with people it can be really hard but it always makes me feel better.

00:33:46.971 --> 00:33:56.381
Those are all beautiful beautiful practices so you're reminding me I'm like I think I need a vacation to Mexico yeah me too.

00:33:57.621 --> 00:34:05.483
So it's also been really amazing to see some of the collaborations that you've done either with other artists other creators and credible brands

00:34:05.264 --> 00:34:14.107
and I would love to hear more about how collaboration and connection and Community have also fed your creativity.

00:34:14.185 --> 00:34:22.137
I mean collaborating is such a big part of my process and I think my favorite

00:34:22.053 --> 00:34:32.264
collaborations are my most effortless collaborations are definitely with my kids and with my partner like I mentioned earlier Alba sister Holly who's also

00:34:32.163 --> 00:34:36.630
very very talented artist just those ones that come

00:34:36.439 --> 00:34:47.559
directly from like a love language that we speak you know just we all did a collaboration together in my partner has daughter and both my kids and.

00:34:47.962 --> 00:34:52.483
It's like just this euphoric feeling that is just like.

00:34:52.733 --> 00:35:01.279
You know you're all yours so much love and you're all creating and everybody's just like locked in on this one piece and bringing their own their own parts

00:35:01.051 --> 00:35:10.983
themselves to it and that feeling of like making art with somebody you love is like next-level just there's nothing that compares to that really for me

00:35:10.881 --> 00:35:16.510
and I think that is probably one of the places that like truly inspires me the most

00:35:16.436 --> 00:35:26.584
you know when my daughter's like not in the mood to collaborate with me at always like almost like counting on that today and then my son you know he wants to draw like

00:35:26.563 --> 00:35:33.561
dragons and monsters and like doesn't really want me putting flowers on them kind of like off of it but

00:35:33.450 --> 00:35:45.948
the times that like it does happen naturally and effortlessly I will say my favorite favorite collaborations are 100% with my partner and my kids and you know outside of that I

00:35:45.900 --> 00:35:49.963
I think just being able to.

00:35:50.311 --> 00:35:59.037
Speak that language with somebody else and you know see the way that art feels another artist is always just really.

00:35:59.170 --> 00:36:01.378
Powerful like you're putting them.

00:36:01.447 --> 00:36:15.115
Most intimate parts of you you know into these this work and to be able to do that with somebody else I hope that people understand like how beautiful that is and how powerful it can be.

00:36:15.185 --> 00:36:23.848
Back to collaborating with my partner what I love about that so much and it's opened up my eyes so much is that because he's a male.

00:36:24.169 --> 00:36:34.308
And I'm female like we're able to like just speak to so many different people when we come together in one piece of art which is really different from me you know like I.

00:36:34.476 --> 00:36:47.596
I love that it's like a wider range of people that can see the peace and feel seen and understood and I think outside of that like business collaborations or Partnerships like.

00:36:48.178 --> 00:36:50.287
I love those because.

00:36:51.185 --> 00:36:59.541
Of the messaging behind the art that I make and you know allowing for space for me too.

00:37:01.276 --> 00:37:07.239
Highlight and put the spotlight on my very creative.

00:37:08.037 --> 00:37:12.631
Black and brown friends that I'm just like,

00:37:12.673 --> 00:37:26.431
everybody needs to know who these people are you know being able to do that and being able to like work with people that you know are just so so talented and see what everybody else can bring to the table it's just I never take that for granted.

00:37:26.672 --> 00:37:33.264
I think that that is like one of the most powerful exchanges of love like being able to really like.

00:37:33.405 --> 00:37:42.717
Come together and tell the story with all types of different people being on set for the Nordstrom partnership that I recently finished.

00:37:43.605 --> 00:37:44.787
On the last.

00:37:44.937 --> 00:37:54.743
Collection that dropped I was blessed to be able to kind of put together a whole team of people and just seeing like everybody come together to like tell this

00:37:54.642 --> 00:38:01.684
unified story but still very much bring their individual selves to.

00:38:01.753 --> 00:38:09.948
The project was so inspiring like something I will never forget what I love about how you described.

00:38:10.216 --> 00:38:14.341
All of these collaborations whether it's like with your family or with

00:38:14.267 --> 00:38:28.025
other artists are brands or whatever is just the words that you use of art is a language and how everything is telling a story and collaborations are an opportunity for different perspectives to come add to that story just really really

00:38:27.842 --> 00:38:35.830
like struck me just now and has encouraged me to even think about art that I consume differently really happy in the story.

00:38:35.971 --> 00:38:45.750
Yeah definitely behind every project like there's real people that you know you just just don't know what drives someone to make art but I'm always like.

00:38:45.928 --> 00:39:00.685
Very touched by anything creative really because it's like there's a person behind that that made that that felt like they needed to get that out and express it in that way and I think that when we look at things that way and we cherish art

00:39:00.601 --> 00:39:09.849
in that way it just makes it that much more powerful like if we really stopped and we think about it like this is not just a painting like somebody

00:39:09.685 --> 00:39:20.067
took the time to sit here and really needed to get that our whether it's like a video or a song that they made you know it's just really having a quiet moment to.

00:39:20.190 --> 00:39:25.864
Understand why it's so valuable and important and just appreciate it in that way

00:39:25.772 --> 00:39:36.415
because of that lately oh yeah it gives you such a deeper appreciation for yeah yeah oh my goodness Christina this has been so so good

00:39:36.367 --> 00:39:47.074
just as we're kind of wrapping up here I would love to hear and how do you nurture new ideas that you want to bring into the world

00:39:47.026 --> 00:39:49.757
I really just

00:39:49.709 --> 00:40:00.595
marinate on them for sometimes extended period of time I don't know if you saw recently I had done like a.

00:40:00.718 --> 00:40:07.194
Very small illustration of Rihanna's like pregnancy looks and

00:40:07.083 --> 00:40:20.274
when I tell you I thought about it I saw the photo and also kind of this is so beautiful she looks so beautiful and I knew that it spoke to me I knew that I loved something about it and like.

00:40:20.343 --> 00:40:22.075
The idea of doing that

00:40:22.045 --> 00:40:35.947
stayed with me and I went to San Francisco I went all these different places and I had the paint with me I had the paper with me and I just kept sitting on it sitting on it until it felt like it was supposed to come out and then it did and it was

00:40:35.890 --> 00:40:39.458
effortless and I made it and it was done and I loved it,

00:40:39.509 --> 00:40:51.602
but it's not always like that you know it's like just kind of taking each thing and being really weren't really aware of how it makes me feel I have been very intentional lately of.

00:40:51.959 --> 00:40:56.058
Not letting the internet rush me at all that was like a big,

00:40:56.091 --> 00:41:04.007
thing that was affecting me for a while that I don't think I was fully aware of and it can get really tricky like feeling like,

00:41:04.049 --> 00:41:09.462
you know I used to love them and I couldn't wait for it to come on I wanted to watch I wanted to see all the dresses and.

00:41:09.874 --> 00:41:23.101
It's like there was this pressure of like if you like something and I want to illustrate it I need to do it like right that night and post the next day or it does it's not valuable anymore you know just getting out of that space because.

00:41:23.359 --> 00:41:33.328
It's not that's not what it's about you know and just like allowing myself to sit with an idea for as long as I need to and when it feels right.

00:41:33.685 --> 00:41:47.704
It just see now it just I don't know when it's supposed to come out and that's kind of how I've always been I just kind of trust I just have to trust myself and you know kind of quiet any outside.

00:41:48.178 --> 00:41:54.609
Influence when it comes to like your process and the way that you make your work and.

00:41:54.840 --> 00:42:03.908
I think when you can do that it's not definitely not always easy especially when you see all kinds of other people making all kinds of stuff and you just feel like well I need to get this out

00:42:03.860 --> 00:42:09.985
but if you can quiet that and just let it sit and do it when it feels right that's when you get your best work.

00:42:10.909 --> 00:42:19.959
That's so good they're not letting the internet Russia yes yeah so I think that that's just such a valuable valuable takeaway for.

00:42:20.245 --> 00:42:31.860
Everybody because it can be so easy to get caught up in that and that kind of false sense of urgency that it creates definitely and it's like as a creative there's already an urgency to create

00:42:31.731 --> 00:42:38.648
and that's already like a weight on your chest but not everyone feels you know not everyone has this crazy like.

00:42:38.852 --> 00:42:52.097
Urgency to express themselves in that way and then share it with the world some people you know they go and they clock in and clock out and they're happy and so it's like already like caring that.

00:42:52.761 --> 00:43:02.027
And then on top of that feeling like you have to do it fast it's not it's not it a great I think

00:43:01.844 --> 00:43:13.883
the approach that you described of being comfortable sitting with things and letting them come when they're ready to come to sounds like a good practice and self kindness and so compassion for sure,

00:43:13.907 --> 00:43:17.880
definitely yeah Christina this was so good,

00:43:17.886 --> 00:43:32.077
I cannot think of like a better way to close the new life and creativity series which were doing thank you so much for joining me yes of course thank you for having me so good to see you again finally but

00:43:31.975 --> 00:43:39.440
I loved it yes so for people in our audience who are just meeting you today how can they find you how can they find your work.

00:43:39.545 --> 00:43:50.549
I have a lot of my work on my website which is just June and Mars.com and then I share a lot on Instagram at so Trill and then

00:43:50.411 --> 00:43:52.998
outside of that and trying to be more

00:43:52.905 --> 00:44:03.305
proactive with my mailing list when I do this break from Instagram so yeah on my website as a mailing list which I'm like I said being more active with but yeah

00:44:03.158 --> 00:44:04.755
that's where I'm at.

00:44:17.130 --> 00:44:25.982
So I don't know about you but that conversation with Christina left me feeling super inspired she just embodies her gifts and being in flow

00:44:25.889 --> 00:44:27.197
so beautifully,

00:44:27.230 --> 00:44:41.835
I've linked to your website June and Mars in the show notes so that you can purchase her artwork and she's also had some incredible collaborations with Brands like Nordstrom and ugh that you'll want to check out as well so huge thanks to Christina for joining me on today's episode,

00:44:41.868 --> 00:44:43.644
head to the show notes for more.

00:44:43.714 --> 00:44:57.724
So again thank you to our sponsors for this episode make sure you show our sponsors some love and each episode show notes we have the discount codes and links provided and when you use our codes that signals to brands that you learned about them from balanced black girl and that's,

00:44:57.766 --> 00:45:02.945
keeps them wanting to work with us so huge thanks for your support there.

00:45:03.294 --> 00:45:15.450
Next week we're kicking off a brand new series called modalities of healing and we're examining what it means to heal in a non-commercial non corny non-social media saturated way,

00:45:15.483 --> 00:45:18.915
and we're exploring the different ways that we can heal and listen

00:45:18.904 --> 00:45:26.666
if there is a series that you do not want to sleep on it is that one so get your subscriptions ready make sure your phone is charged.

00:45:26.871 --> 00:45:34.390
So that you are there when the first episode drops next Tuesday thanks again for listening and I'll talk to you next week.