Saturn’s Return

Next year, in 2029, I will experience Saturn’s Return for the first time in my life. For those of you who are not familiar with astrology, Saturn’s Return is a special symbolic event where the planet returns to the same place in the sky that it occupied at the moment you were born. Saturn is the ruler of time, the harvest, death, rebirth, discipline, and labor. It is a facilitator of change. When Saturn Returns, you face some of the most difficult challenges in life all because it is pushing you to be the best person you can be. It will break you down and lift you back up should you choose to embrace its lessons. For more insight into the topic, I suggest reading these articles from Astro Style and Astro Butterfly  while listening to “The Grudge” by Tool. 

The beginning of 2018 has started off rocky. I’m working on getting a new job because the place I am currently at makes me unhappy. I feel undervalued, swept aside, and in a stagnant position where I am not building new skills. I have become solemn and short-tempered. It affects my life outside of work and that is not who I am nor who I want to be. Knowing that I’m not putting my best effort forward is a big motivator for me to change. I know I will find something better. I know I will find what makes me happy. 

There’s a few options I am considering in terms of a career. My daytime job is bringing in the money that I like so I plan to follow that path as long as I can. I’ve been thinking hard about going back to get a MBA. However, as someone without student debt, the lure of staying debt-free is enough to make me think that continuing higher education is not a good idea. I’m on the fence and I’m still researching what it would take to go back and when I would be ready to do so. In the meantime, I’ve been gearing my butt to work on my artwork! 

For years now, my art has been more of a hobby than a pursuit. I am trying to step into something more professional.  I’ve been writing a book for over 6 years now and I recently picked back up after a long hiatus. It’s almost done! I tell myself that every time I open it on my computer. Heh. The last inch seems like a mile. My goal is to get the draft over to my friend and editor, Ellen, by the beginning of October. There’s a lot that needs to be revisited, but I need to push forward rather than go back and change things now otherwise it may never be completed. Please forgive the incredible unpolished-ness of it, Ellen!

As I said in my first blog post, my photography website has received an overdue cleanup. I rewrote my biography, took down photographs that were not my best, opened an online shop to allow me to sell prints, and started a blog! Yay! 

I’ve printed out a collection of photographs to pursue showing them at a gallery. The collection will feature 3-5 photographs from each of the five countries that I have visited abroad. I have run into some obstacles with paper quality, print quality, and money, but I hope to have the collection ready for a showing by the end of July or early August. I am working on my artist statement for the work and then I will need to gather a list of gallery or shops that I want to pursue having my work at. I’ve never been good at sales, but I’m passionate about this so I think it will work out! 

These are all the steps I am taking towards my Saturn’s Return. I embrace the fact that there is always room for improvement. 2018 is a year for many big changes in my life. Perhaps Saturn’s influence is behind this, perhaps not. I believe that everything in life happens for a reason. I know that everything will be alright and so I’ll continue to put good vibrations out into the universe <3