Life Update Blog🌳 (End of June) (Patreon)

Hello lovelies, how are y'all doing out there in these crazy times? I hope you're doing well! 🌸

In the past, when this Patreon was much smaller, I used to share longer blog-style updates on how things are going in my life, both on the art front and generally. Over time, I got the idea that people weren't interested in long blog posts from me.

I also feel a bit guilty about talking about myself too much. To grow online and be a "social media" person, you sometimes have to lean into narcissistic tendencies, and personally, I really hate that thought. So, I started withdrawing more and more of this personal content, like blog posts, and tried to focus more on providing art, tutorials, and resources instead. I shifted the focus away from me personally and more onto my work, and trying to help you guys.  I guess I didn't and still kind of don't feel very worthy to talk about myself, which sounds a little sad. (a bit of imposter syndrome, maybe?)

But now, I worry that it has made me a bit less approachable and impersonal here, which is the opposite of what I want. Maybe I'm overthinking all of this, but that's my train of thought! 🤔

There are things that happen throughout the months that I want to update you guys on. So, I would like to try returning to doing some monthly blog updates like this, covering stuff on the art front and my personal life story. I'll do my best to include pictures and take you along on this journey with me. 📸✨

(and of course if blogs like this aren't your thing, feel free to ignore these posts and enjoy all of the other rewards available here!  This is just for those that are interested)

So anyway, with that intro out of the way, let's get into some of the big updates that happened in June!

The biggest update that happened, I already mentioned in the Rewards Index, and that is that I finally quit my dayjob! 🥳 It has been a long journey to get here!  For those of you that don't know, over the past 4.5 years, I have been working at a small game studio doing  2D art and Animations.

When we first moved here, I had been planning to do the independent art thing, but that all changed when my husband's company suddenly filed for bankruptcy only 2 weeks after we moved here!  Talk about a terrifying shakeup after uprooting our whole life and moving across an ocean!!  😱So, I panicked and started applying for jobs so that we could have a little more stability.

But then...

even when I got an offer, I actually turned them down for various reasons.  But they convinced me to join for "just one game/6 months."  In fact, I think there are even posts here on patreon from that time where I say "oh, I have this temporary job so I might be a little quiet here, but once it's over, I'll get back to full-time arting".  HAH!  nearly 5 years later....  That tends to be how it happens isn't it?  We get comfortable and stay in a situation for "just a little bit longer" until nearly 5 years go by.  

Has that kind of thing happened to you?  I'd love to hear about it so I don't feel like the only one!  lol

So when I say "FINALLY", It is because my relationship with this studio has been a continuous "I'll be quitting soon" but then I still hang on for "just a bit longer".

I don't regret hanging on for so long at all.  I made some of the best friends at this studio, was able to maintain some security while I built up my independent art on the side, and got to work on some frustrating projects and some really fun projects. So I am very grateful for my time there.

This spring/summer was finally time to leave though and it feels right, although scary being untethered.

So that is probably the biggest update!

What does that mean for the future here on patreon?

WELL, I am hoping it will mean a bit more quality work that I can do here.  Although I was already working every waking moment, so I'm also hoping to give myself a bit more balance, self-care, and downtime in my life.  Maybe a day off every once and a while but I haven't managed that yet in the past couple weeks.

Another update from leaving my day-job is that I no longer need to be tied to the city, so I am starting to look around at properties in the Swedish countryside to potentially move.  I'm sure that will be a bit of a bumpy process once it gets going, but I'll try my best to document it.  🏡🌳

🌟My dream is multifaceted and if you tune into streams, you may have heard me talk about it.

I want to find a house that is in the countryside, close to nature, maybe at the edge of a forest, that has enough land for a small homestead.   🏡🌳

It would have a large garden/food forest, a few chickens, a couple cats, AND enough space to convert something like a barn into an art studio and have either a guest cottage or extra rooms in the main house so that I could eventually host artist residency programs a couple times a year to a couple artists that wish to come, stay and work on their art projects in a peaceful environment, with studio space, close to nature.  🎨🌿

With the digitization of our world, I have been feeling more and more a craving to connect with tangible experiences, and I would love to live in a place that feels a little like stepping back into "real" life close to nature where you can focus on the tangible experience of creating.  And I once that place is created, I would love to be able to share it with other creatives who want to come and experience it too.🌻🌈

It feels like a big dream that will take a lot of work to get there but it also feels achievable.  Maybe not in the short term, but in the long term.  The first steps on my end are to finish a couple renovations in my current flat so that it will hopefully sell for a bit more and that money can go into a countryside property.  I would love to have a much smaller mortgage so that I don't have to stress out as much about the high cost of living that I currently feel right now in the city.  💰

Just  a couple years ago I would have classified myself as preferring the city, but now I think I'm a bit worn out of the hustle and bustle of it all.  What about you guys?  Are you a city or a countryside type of person?🏙️🌄

Anyway, it will all be a big journey and I'm not yet sure when it will kick off fully, but I'm excited to bring you along for the ride.  Maybe I will finally start doing vlogs!  Maybe! 🎥🤔

Until then, I have been enjoying growing potted plants on my balcony and of course  there's always a lot to do on the art business front.  I had planned to not take on any client work this summer so that I could dedicate myself fully to patreon and having some downtime to recover after wrapping up some big projects, but that's not really how things tend to work out.  I got a couple client offers that were so up my alley that I couldn't say no. 🎨💼 So as usual I am juggling some client work with independent art and resources that I make for here on patreon.

ANYHOO, there's always more to say, but this is already so long that I'll save it for another update.  😅

🌈✨I want to encourage you all to not be afraid to DREAM BIG and then TAKE LITTLE STEPS CONSISTANTLY towards that dream.  I truly think that the key to "manifesting" dreaming is CONSISTANCY.  Take action towards it every day, even if it is just a little something.  A small step is already 100 percent more progress towards that dream then if you hadn't taken any step at all!!

Alright, love you guys to bits and thank you so much for keeping me company on this wild journey!  If you made it this far, I commend you!!  I would say that future blogs will be more concise, but I am a long winded person, and I make no promises on that front!  lol  
Hugs hugs everyone and we'll speak more soon!

Chrissa XOXO