Author: Impower You

Healing through art & therapy! I used to be depressed and codependent with very low self worth and many unhealthy habits. But several years ago I started the healing process and am sharing what I learned with gratitude and hope for each of us. Peace & hugs, Leah
Art

Flourishing With Self-Love

Impower You

“I am flourishing with a practice of self-love.” I have only felt this way the past few years. The rest of my life was a depression mindset filled with trauma, violence, grief and low self-worth. I felt certain that I was a permanently flawed, broken, useless excuse for a human. But through unexpected twists and turns I found my truth. I grounded into my own love, and I healed my pain. It wasn’t magic. I didn’t win the lottery or find a great job. Nobody saved me, but I did it. That’s why I believe in others. That’s why I believe in YOU and want you to know that you are not broken. You may be scarred and traumatized, but not inherently so. You deserve to be loved and you deserve to save yourself. Hugs, Leah

Illustration of peacock with words "I am valuing my creativity and time. I am flourishing with self-love" by artist Leah Oviedo at Patreon.com/Loviedo

Find more on Instagram.com/Loviedo & Patreon.com/Loviedo.

podcast

Podcast: Ep. 1: Seven Self Discovery Questions

Impower You

In my recovery from depression, violence, grief and low self-worth I spent a lot of time relearning my truth. after a lifetime of self-hate, I finally love myself. Some days I’m amazed that I truly feel like a strong and wise person. I never expected that! So, as I share my journey I hope to inspire others to start their own healing journey.

I’ve started recording mini-podcasts about healing tools and resources that helped me. I’m excited to share these and plan to publish one per week.  My first podcast (below) is about seven questions that repeatedly came up during the first few years of my recovery. These helped me define how I felt about myself, how I wanted to feel and who I wanted to be. Defining myself was a game changer for me. After years of always being the victim, I felt incapable of creating a life I would actually love. But recovery turned me into my own heroine. If you listen to it, I’d love to hear from you.

Seven Self-Discovery Questions for Reconnecting with Your Truth

I’m an artist and writer with an interest in art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Journey E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

D.I.Y. Therapy

Self-Care Win – What’s Yours?

Impower You

Self-care is the greatest idea, especially if you grew into a codependent adult like I did.  Wow has it been a struggle to place my needs first. It’s been one hell of a journey! These days, I succeed 90% of the time. 

For example: When a few of my friends moved away this summer, I was feeling sad and lonely. One of those friends didn’t say goodbye. I was hurt. For about two weeks I felt sorry for myself and wondered how soon I could make new friends. Then I remembered the quote “Just because you think you’re stuck, doesn’t mean you are.” (Coincidentally this was from a codependency group.) I meditated and set boundaries. I removed the phone number of the friend who didn’t feel the need to say goodbye and stopped following her on Instagram. The first week was rough. I wanted to reach out, but I knew that I had reached out enough. I knew deep in my bones that it was time to let them go on with their journey.

For the past two months, I haven’t feel codependent towards her or any of my friends. When I start feeling the need to reach out I look for other options, like going for a hike by myself, or stopping at a cafe for a drink and a book or language study session. It’s amazing because I never realized that I could feel this way. I didn’t know that I was codependent or that I needed to work on this issue, but I am feeling like a real winner about it.

What is one if your self-care wins?

How are you at setting boundaries?

How often do you place your needs first, second, third to others?

collage of hummingbird surrounded by

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Journey E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

Art

Rainy Daze -Nature Art

Impower You

I created this piece on a rainy day visiting a small forest in central Oklahoma. The blue bench surrounded by amber and gold leafs popped out, calling me to create something beautiful. Hence, this “sun” was born on that grey, chilly day and is still one of my favorite pieces. This print was mailed to my patrons on Patreon for their November reward. Some patrons received an 8×10 matted prints, others received a 4×6 postcard with a stamp!

Amber and golden leafs, soaked in rain water, arranged in a mandala on a bright blue bench. Art by Leah Oviedo
“Rainy Daze” by Leah Oviedo

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

Empowering Discussions

Wonderful, Powerful, Brave, Infallible….

Impower You

We are all POWERFUL beings of LOVE. Yea that’s sounds corny as hell, but in light of the hate that has been given permission to grow by the trump administration here in the USA(a nation built on stolen land) the past few years, it’s a message we need to embrace. We have a choice each day. We can believe that hate and violence is inevitable or we can believe that love and mediation is unstoppable and INFALLIBLE. I won’t tell you which to choose. Your life is your journey to discover, listen, and learn. But I HOPE, more than anything that you choose to be BRAVE, release hate, prejudices and biases, and embrace the truth that you are capable of being love to all, in all situations.

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

Empowering Discussions

An Open Letter to the Outcasts and Trend Setters, Lovers and Haters, Wild and Tame

Impower You

Dear World,
You are such beautiful souls. Life can be rough and you may sometimes feel tired, unappreciated, alone or worthless, but you are never alone and you have worth. You are a squishy mess of bones and muscles just like everyone else. I want you to feel accepted and feel connected.


You are such beautiful souls. Life can be rough and you may sometimes feel tired, unappreciated, alone or worthless, but you are never alone and you have worth. You are a squishy mess of bones and muscles just like everyone else. I want you to feel accepted and feel connected.

Some people may be full of too much fear and be cruel toward you, but remember that is their reflection, not yours. Hopefully one day they can unlearn their hate and prejudice, but until then we must keep on our own path, live our own truth, be the change we want.

I accept who you love, your heritage, your beliefs, your hopes and dreams and fears and doubts. I want you to know that I will never judge you, use you or be cruel to you. Nobody deserves that. We all have our own paths to walk, our own riddles to solve. We have to do it our own way even if we don’t understand why.

Your smile makes me smile. Your kindness lifts me up. Your laughter brings me joy. You are unique and I love that about you. Sometimes you will teach new lessons to others. Sometimes others will teach you lessons. You will learn and unlearn so much in your lifetime. Allow that to happen. Don’t fight change. Use change to grow and expand your compassion and knowledge. We all need these changes because life is a journey and there is so much to learn and unlearn.

All the different languages you speak and places you are from, the different causes you stand up for and passions that give you that special spark, the work you do, the places you volunteer, the art you create, the shared belief that we can create a healthier world for EVERYONE; all of that from YOU gives me hope and a sense of belonging.

You makes life interesting, happy, worthwhile.

When you want to give up, remember that you are capable. You are stronger than you think. You matter and so do your dreams. Without you the word would be a different place. It wouldn’t be as rich. You are an integral part of this world.

Your voice and vision are important.

You will bend, but never break. You will hurt, but you can heal.

As long as your intentions are to support everyone and everything with love and acceptance the world needs you. We need more acceptance, not tolerance, but flat out acceptance that we are all different, but equal. We are all important and our individual journeys are equally important.

I’m so grateful for the diversity of our world, for those who never stop believing and for those who tried, but gave up. Thank you for being you. I hope you continue trusting your true self and exploring new paths on your journey.

If you’re still discovering who you are and feeling lost, than know that you will find it one day soon. I don’t know how or what form it will take, but you will. Look inside and listen to your voice, only your voice. Just keep trying, keep believing in yourself, respect yourself and know that you have a friend who believes in you, wants you to be happy, wants you to be healthy.

You matter. You always have and you always will.

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

Social Action

Helping Handfuls for Thanksgiving

Impower You

Tired of all the trash? Join me on pollution patrol and pick up a helping handful. I pick up trash daily when I walk to work, to the park, the the grocery store. It’s never ending. I sure could use some help. Will you pick up a helping handful this Thanksgiving?

 Here are a few of my recent helping handfuls during my pollution patrol. I hope this inspires you to pick up trash, consume less, and think twice about how we treat nature. Remember, we are part of nature, not apart from nature.

You can support my pollution patrol project on Ko-fi.com/loviedo.

Have you picked up pollution in your neighborhood?

Poetry

“Wake Up” Poetry and Illustration

Impower You

Wake up

When that sliver of daybreak tugs at your eyes

Wake up to unexplored possibilities

Stretch your body in gratitude

Embrace the gift of a new day

Open your heart to a compassionate view

Welcome the sun as she rises for you

Ground into this world and listen for what you need

There is work to be done

In the streets and in your own heart

Start from the root

body illustration

This is the first poem in ‘Start From The Root’, my recently published book of illustrations and poetry. After a year of polishing this book, I’m excited to have completed this goal. I have been writing poetry for most of my life, but only seriously in the past four years. After several people I loved died in just a few years, I began to write poetry as a way to heal. It has been some of the best medicine.

 

Or download the e-book for Kindle, Nook and other e-readers by becoming a patron at Patreon.com/Loviedo

 

You deserve to love yourself completely, totally, fully as much as anyone does. Keep healing and I will hold your heart in my heart. If you desire extra support to stay on top of your self-care practice, check out my 3 month challenge: Dive Deeper Into Self-Care.

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

*You can also receive also receive art in the mail for a higher contribution.

Radical Magazine

Issue Nine of Radical Featuring Iris Orpi – November/December 2018

Impower You

Autumn is here and I am loving this season more than ever. It’s been a wild summer full of great and awful things. Great things like my brother’s wedding and awful things like my fractured foot. Now is the time to release summer and relax into a season of doing less, of reflecting on the past year, and preparing for hibernation as we walk into winter.

 In this issue you will meet three new artists, Erika Reyes, Irene Lam, and Wendy Rodriguez, all of whom I met at the San Diego Zine Fest last September. I’m stoked to share their messages of self-care, transformation, and humor. Returning contributors include Iris Orpi, Inisa Fajra and Jasmine Farrell.

 There is also a new section celebrating the accomplishments, services and products of all contributors, including books, zines, and well being.

 I hope you’re enjoying each issue of Radical. I put a lot of work into editing, formatting and promoting each issue. I love meeting new artists, connecting with regular contributors and sharing so much creativity and self-care with all of you!

Download and read issue nine for free on Patreon.com/Loviedo

About Me:

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

*You can also receive also receive art in the mail for a higher contribution.

D.I.Y. Therapy

DIY Therapy: Biological Response of Love and Love of Self

Impower You

Love is an emotion, a biological response that encourages species survival. With love, parents care for and protect their children and children care for their elderly parents. A love of self is also a biological response that encourages survival in personal self-care. So let’s strengthen the naturally occurring sense of self-love. with daily actions.

Create a daily routine of self-love. If necessary set three reminders per day. Saturating yourself with love in the early stages of healing or recovery will keep you from going down that unwanted, unhealthy space. Set the calendar on your phone to remind you. If you can’t do that, put sticky notes by your bed, at your desk, in your pockets, on the fridge, wherever you will see those. You can even do this with your friends and be support for each other.

When writing affirmations or love-notes your own voice and preferred words. Below are examples for you to use or build upon.

Morning Affirmation: 

“This morning I choose to love myself unconditionally. Today is a gift that I am ready to receive. I choose to let go of drama and anger. I will live this day in love and compassion. I am deserving of self-love.”

Afternoon Affirmation:

“Despite any negative thoughts so far today, I must remember to love myself unconditionally. I know that I am loved and supported by true friends and family. I also know that I am not here to be perfect, I am here to be myself.”

Evening Affirmation:

“Today I practiced self-love because I know that. I am loved, that I am capable of loving myself, and that I am made of love. I choose to celebrate my successes and to accept my failures. I go to sleep knowing deep in my bones that I am capable of creating my best life and that I can handle whatever comes my way.”

It was many years of practice, failure, and success to become a loving person to my self. It was even more years of stretching to share that love with others. Now that I am fully aware that I can be my own hero, I can hold space for others. I hope this inspires you to continue your journey until you also reach this awareness.

Peace and hugs, Leah

 If you desire extra support to stay on top of your self-care practice, check out my 3 month challenge: Dive Deeper Into Self-Care.

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

*You can also receive also receive art in the mail for a higher contribution.