Maybe it isn’t a midlife crisis

Maybe it’s the beginning of who you’re meant to become next.

“Is it possible that I’m going through a midlife crisis? Is this what it looks like?”

I said this out loud to a friend recently.

I surprised myself.

Me, someone who values intentional language. Someone who cringes when I hear my younger neighbors say, “I’m just old,” as if getting older automatically means everything goes downhill.

So when those words came out of my mouth, I paused and wondered, “Am I putting a label on myself that I don’t want?”

The quiet unraveling of a life chapter

The truth is, I’ve been in a transitional phase since my son left home.
I left my career, built a business, left it. Now I’m doing it again.
My mother needs more care and help.
My body is changing in ways I don’t understand.
And I’ve chosen to leave my home of 20 years to step into complete uncertainty.

Would you call that a crisis?

I like to think of it as dreaming bigger than ever. A threshold

Maybe you get what I’m saying.
Maybe you’re between chapters. It’s like the old identity doesn’t fit anymore, but a new one is not fully formed yet.
Maybe you’re carrying more responsibility than ever while also hearing a quiet voice asking, “What about what I want?”

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Gratitude that looks forward, not backward

What keeps me from being cynical and grounds me is coming back to: Gratitude.

Not gratitude for what I have or what has been, but gratitude for what hasn’t arrived yet. The kind of gratitude that says “Thank you” for what’s not yet visible.

Dr. Joe Dispenza teaches that when you feel grateful for something before it happens, you’re signaling to your nervous system: this is real. This is mine. It’s already done.

Neville Goddard said it this way: “Gratitude is final. It says ‘I have received.’”

Gratitude is what helps us move through transitions without being consumed by them. It helps us create rather than just survive.

Our brains do not feel safe in the unknown. That’s biology. But when we practice gratitude for what’s coming, we give our nervous system a new story.

And this is where art becomes powerful.

Art has a special ability to influence and change our nervous system and brain in positive ways. When we draw it, color it, visualize it, we make the invisible visible.
We give ourselves the time to reflect, to imagine the life we want, and to believe in it.

Art becomes evidence. A kind of proof.

Picture above: Practicing gratitude at the Bruce Museum

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A new kind of gratitude for November

Now that we are in the month of gratitude, I invite you to practice a new kind of gratitude. The kind that puts a smile on your face because even though you can’t see it yet, you can feel it.

Join me for Cup and Color on November 25th. A conscious coloring workshop where we’ll practice gratitude for what is on its way. We’ll color our elevated emotions so we are reminded of what we want to feel more of.

Because everything starts from within.

I like you to think of: What is one thing you’re already grateful for, even though it only exists in your imagination right now?

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I’m Claudia, a portrait artist passionate about bringing joy and inspiration through creative expression. I facilitate painting events, coloring workshops, and drawing lessons designed to help you reconnect with yourself, find healing, and enjoy the process of making art.

I’m also available to design custom workshops and unique painting events tailored to your group’s needs. If you’d like to plan a creative experience for your community, workplace, or special occasion, please feel free to email me. I’d love to help you create a meaningful and inspiring event.

Let’s talk about unique painting events perfect for team bonding and programming.

Ready to create with me?

Email: claudia@marulandaart.com

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