The ‘Free’ Gremlin

Y E S . M O D E . O R . N O . M O D E

I’ve got two modes. Yes mode. And no mode. I’m either fully committed to ‘get shit done’ and I appear almost rude, or, I’m totally in ‘open heart adventure’ mode and I appear almost delusional. Sometimes I feel dizzy, not because I’m the one moving, but because I’m aware of how uncomfortable people around me feel simply at watching me move.

So this year, I decided. Fuck it. Move. Move Karimah and run and run and run, until eventually I run into who I need to become in order to create the work that I need to make. In order to feel the aliveness that I am here to feel.

So that finally, when all is said and done, I can return in peace knowing that I haven’t betrayed my own wild heart.

It sounds romantic but it’s disgusting, because this solo journey is filled with monsters and ugly truths that fill me with shame. And I know that my task is to look at it all so that I can paint, write and laugh it into something that I can share with you. That's my own unique lane - creative emotional alchemy.

Each Gremlin has their lane - their creative genius. We need to find it, claim it and SUPPORT other creatures who are TRYING to do the same. We need each other. And we need ourselves.

R O U N D . U P S

Favourite piece of advice given to me
To ask myself what I am afraid of, write, and then go back and review what I wrote as though I didn’t have that fear

Favourite poem I’ve written
Cosmic Glue

Favourite personality trait I’ve learned to integrate
The grace & confidence of being unapologetic

Favourite habit I’ve picked up
Painting every morning for 30 mins because it’s small enough to do consistently and big enough that I can see progress after every month

Favourite practice to gain energy
Using a nap, meditation or walk to transition into a new segment of the day. That way it lets me reset my mood if a meeting was stressful or a morning was tiring, and it’s like I get three days in one.

Favourite personal decision
To start sharing my words and getting more confident with writing and being consistent with the gremlins newsletter

Favourite painting I've made
Four Generations - image adjacent

T R U E . F R E E D O M

Because true freedom isn’t about saying everything we want, but feeling the need not to say these things because we trust who we are.

I’m not totally there yet, but that is my task this year - to drown out the noise and concentrate on going so deeply inside that I can see who I am and write/paint/live from that depth of knowing, with my own unique insecurities, experiences and contradictions.

Till next time you beautiful beast.

P.S Happy New Year and happy adventuring

K X