I'm probably going to be using Photoshop for these prompts. I started on paper, but for some reason nothing at all was coming to me. I felt really hesitant to put anything on paper. Going into a digital artboard I was able to find fun brushes to play with and blot down ideas while being able to quickly erase or start over.

Self-Care Practice - image 1 - student project

10.14.20 Name a Feeling

I choose hollow, because that's how I sort of felt for the day. While I had a pretty standard day, and nothing really eventful happened, I just felt a bit empty. It's hard to express without making it sound worse.

Self-Care Practice - image 2 - student project

10.14.20 A Message in One Word

I chose grow as my word. Lately I've been reinvigorated to really better myself personally. I've started to try and take care of my body, take some time to really discover what relaxes me. I attempted to do a pretty abstract representation but ended up adding more and more to it.

Self-Care Practice - image 3 - student project

10.15.20 Respond to Your Day

Today someone I work with asked how I was doing. I replied that I was just doing ok, it's been better recently. He gave me advice that I should fine someone or something to talk to to let out my emotions because it's not good to keep everything inside all the time. I've been considering going to talk to a therapist so it's already in line with what I have been having inner conversations.

Self-Care Practice - image 4 - student project

10.15.20 Addressing Unkind Thoughts

To put it simply, we are our own worst enemies—no one judges us quite like we do ourselves. I know this rings so true to me. I am always second guessing or playing myself down. But for what reason? I have to keep in mind to be much kinder to myself.

Self-Care Practice - image 5 - student project

10.16.20 Active Listening Throughout the Day

Today my mantra at work was "Keep Pushing." I had a lot of things on my plate to prepare for next week, which is going to be even busier. Whenever I got distracted, I put my headphones back and kept trying to put focus back on my work.

Self-Care Practice - image 6 - student project

10.19.20 Active Listening Throughout the Day

With everything being so busy at work, I have to keep in mind that I'm only one person, and can't do everything myself. I don't always hold all the cards and or have control, and that's ok. It doesn't make me any less capable to ask for help when needed, especially to meet goals.

Self-Care Practice - image 7 - student project

10.19.20 Giving Yourself Permission

This piece was centered around peace of mind from intruding thoughts and taking care of myself. I know I don't get enough beauty rest, I often think too much about negative things by the end of the day it can take a toll on the quality of sleep I have. I want to get better at letting things go around bedtime. (And yes, my face does get smushed and I sometimes drool in my sleep!)

Self-Care Practice - image 8 - student project

10.20.20 It's Okay ....

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I've been thinking about food a lot. Food is one of the things that I go to for happiness, satisfaction, to fill a void, etc ... needless to say I don't always have a healthy relationship with it. Since I'm on a get healthy kick, I want to remind myself that it's okay to indulge in the things that give me comfort (once in a while). It won't be the end of the world. It's not going to set me off track unless I let it.

Self-Care Practice - image 9 - student project

10.21.20 What Would a Best Friend Tell You?

Since I was so unsure about what a best friend would say to me, I decided to try use the prompt as an inner voice. I typically think to myself "stick to my gut," mostly in reaction to things that make me uncomfortable or doesn't feel right to me. It's not always the best way to go about things, especially if you never test your boundaries. For the most part my intuition is pretty good when making decisions for myself.

Self-Care Practice - image 10 - student project

10.22.20 Reframe with an Affirmation

Drawing inspiration from one of my favorite songs by Erykah Baduh (Bag Lady) I made this prompt about not carrying too much baggage. Today was a bad day at work, and I came home feeling really bad. I thought about that song and thought it worked perfect for this prompt because I immediately tried to leave my bad day behind.

Self-Care Practice - image 11 - student project

10.25.20 Change Your Tone

This one digs into a lot of things that have cut to my bones through my life. Things said to me or about me that I'll never forget. I wish I could go back in time and stand up for myself.

Self-Care Practice - image 12 - student project

10.25.20 Cheer Yourself On

I've never been one to accept compliments or feel good about myself. My self image is something that's always been really horrible. There are brief moments though, when I see myself, and think there are some qualities I like. I just need to tell myself I am cute since I've never heard it from anyone (besides family lol).

Self-Care Practice - image 13 - student project

10.25.20 Use Your Wounds

Thinking about the things that have hurt me in the past, I feel like it's a wall that I'm never going to climb. I'm someone that has a hard time letting go of things, but I hope I can learn to chip away at the imaginary wall that I've put up. My past doesn't define the future.

Self-Care Practice - image 14 - student project

10.25.20 You Get To ...

Create. It truly is an outlet that makes you feel good and wholesome, no matter your skill level, no matter if it's scribbles or an involved piece. Your canvas is whatever you make of it.

Well I made it through this challenge! I really can't believe how hard it was sometimes to put something into an image. I spent a lot of time thinking of concepts but didn't really interpret them as well as I wanted to. But I still had fun. It made me think a lot about my own personal issues that I want to work on and through. And best of all I got to relate to a lot of people through their own work.

Brianna Johnson

Graphic Designer

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