ELEMENTS OF STYLE
FEAST YOUR EYES
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FEAST YOUR EYES 〰️
PART XIV
Imani Smith
5.3.22
Life can be arduous and we all have a uniquely taxing set of obstacles that challenge us. I like to believe that each challenge is specifically designed to strengthen us in the areas that we lack individually but regardless of all of that, it gets exhausting. So much of life can seem to be beyond our control and it’s easy to fixate on the things that we can’t change. Over time, I’ve started noticing that pouring my energy into being visually pleasing and making my surroundings visually pleasing at least somewhat alleviates some of the crushing realities that we can often be faced with daily. If there’s a choice to be made, I’m quick at the draw because I find that there’s great power in customization.
Personally, I tend to feel safer in spaces that have been tastefully and thoughtfully curated. The space feels a little more sacred. Once I’m feeling safety, I comfortable enough to make room for joy and every other positive experience. I feel the same way about getting dressed and having my presence graced by someone who is well dressed. Simply put, great style, in every capacity, puts me at ease.
Everyone may not share these same sentiments but think about the feeling that riding past a colorful mural provides or that moment when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the reflection of a window and you have to do a double take- because you look that amazing! I can’t stress this enough: Beauty is subjective! However, you can’t deny the sensation when you feel your eyes being massaged by something that has you completely visually captivated. Whether it’s the face of a striking stranger, an intricately crafted floral arrangement or a heap of trash with a surprisingly satisfying color story: beauty touches all our lives whether we choose to engage with it or not.
I choose to engage with beauty as often as I can. Whenever I’m asked about what inspires me, I don’t give an answer that would dislodge someone else’s creative blockage. I tell my truth. Everything inspires me. So long as I consume art, educate myself about the past, stay abreast of the events continually unfolding in the present and stimulate my mind with new experiences whenever possible, I will forever be inspired. As much as I can be physically moved by an exquisitely crafted garnet (which is one of my favorite pastimes!) my creativity is eternally replenished by the quietly unassuming beauty that surrounds me every single day that I live this life.
How often do you stop to look at the roses, let alone smell them? With that inspiration, I’m able to courageously follow my natural instinct to create. Mindfulness, especially when it comes to what I visually consume directly or from a screen, is what gets me through my days.
I say all of this to say that we are all literally visual experiences. Our presences are priceless gifts that we give to every single pair of eyes that have the pleasure of encountering us. When the vision that you present is crafted with intention, piece by piece, your presence is truly undeniable. You were born uniquely irreplaceable but tapping into your true essence, is when you really start living.
