A blank canvas.
Both literally and figuratively, a blank canvas is one of the most wonderful things in the world! There is so much potential! Today is a blank canvas. So is tomorrow. How will you fill it?
Allow me to preface this by saying that the impending snow storm had most people flocking to the grocery store. Sure, I went to pick up a couple groceries for a stew and some tea (half of which the store was out of, anyway), but I made a more important stop, first! Last night, I walked into an art supply store intending to pick up one or two canvases. Who doesn't make sure they have what they need for their favorite hobby before a storm? They were on sale if you bought in bulk, and I took that as a sign from the universe encouraging me to follow through on my intent to "paint more." I walked out with about a dozen (for less than $25)! I reckon I'll be doing quite a bit of painting over the next few months, and I couldn't be happier!
Painting on a tangible blank canvas feels amazing, but there is also something to be said for a figurative one. The figurative meaning of a "blank canvas" can, like many things in life, be positive or negative. Day to day, you can wake up and say "I have no clue what to do/how to act today," or you might say "I can't wait to see what today brings me!" Creating a bright feeling every day can change your life for the better, believe me.
A more long-term definition of a "blank canvas" is slightly different, though. One who can say that they have a "fresh start" or a "clean slate" has most likely closed a previous chapter of their lives. This often creates a reason to fear the blank canvas, because it means leaving something behind. A few of the scariest examples of new chapters include marriage, a brand new business venture, a change in career, a move to a new city or a new country, and a small person growing inside you whom you're expected to care for until the end of time! In the past year, I have either done or seen all of the above examples happen to myself and/or the people around me and do you know what I have found out? The potentially "scariest" new beginnings often turn into the most exciting, rewarding experiences!
It is sometimes difficult to be optimistic when you don't see the whole picture at first, but once you embrace the creative spirit that comes along with staring at the blank canvas in front of you, magical things can happen. If you don't believe me, ask my Kundalini yoga instructor (I'll call him "M").
M had a 9 to 5 job. He had been working hard there for a long while, so it was stable and comfortable. M couldn't understand why, but he began to feel unhappy and stressed. His job was a little stressful, but mostly he felt as though he needed a time-traveling device to accomplish everything he wanted to accomplish in his day. This feeling persisted day after day, week after week, and began to affect his mood. M was on the path to becoming a serious yogi, but he felt as though he didn't have enough time to practice because of his 9-5 schedule. He felt stuck, and wished for change. As soon as he put that wish out into the Universe, he got fired! If M was telling this story, he would say "...and it was the best thing that ever happened to me!" Imagine getting fired from a job that you generally enjoy, are good at, and have had for years. Naturally, M was very upset and made he it known. Shortly afterwards, M decided to use his newfound free time to become a yoga instructor. He also set goals to change his lifestyle, rearrange his house to promote healing, and meditate twice a day. I met M years later; by that time he had accomplished all of those things and more! M is one of the healthiest men I know, spiritually and physically. If you ever ask him about it, he will tell you it is all because he got fired from his office job!
Months, maybe years after he lost his job, M went back to his old office, shook his boss' hand (the same man who fired him), and said "Thank you! I don't think I would have had the guts to quit by myself. I am in such a great place right now and I am doing what I love. I was unhappy. You noticed, and set me free."
M likes telling this story to his yogis because it is about embracing the unknown, wonderful things that are ahead of us in this life. No matter how young or how old you are, every one of your days is a blank canvas. I have come to know that unknown to be synonymous with: full of endless potential!
Message of the day: Every day is a blank canvas; fill it with some color!
...Or don't. But know that it will get filled with or without your conscious intent. You might as well hold the brush! Cheers!
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