Veronica Urrea
Guest Contributor
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me…And I’m feeling good.
Humans are funny. Sometimes, some of us resist change as though evolution is not at the core of our daily existence. Renewal envelopes us like a blanket. Change of seasons, new moons, sunrise and sunsets- all reminders that life gives us constant opportunity to start anew with rediscovered fervor.
Every day is a new chance to live and love in a completely new and inspired way.
The first time I can recall feeling the tingling sensation of renewal was almost twenty years ago. I was still living under my parent’s roof with a mop of unruly, raven hair and a taste for rebellion. I woke up in the same sunny bedroom I had grown up in. Same hair, same room, yet as my eyes fluttered open I knew that everything was different. Something so infinitely great-though seemingly tragic in the moment- had transpired.
I had lost my faith along the way and was being held accountable by the same church I had been raised to love. Overnight, the burden of my parents religious beliefs seemed to melt off my shoulders like warm butter. The knot in my stomach quickly turned to butterflies, as I realized I had woken up a completely different person.
My identity, my purpose, my lifestyle- renewed with focus and intent. I was seventeen. I remember this moment so clearly that I can taste it. And I have had it again many times since.
We have all had this feeling. Perhaps the day after we accomplished- or failed, depending on our perception- at something climactic (or anti-climactic, again, depending on our perception). Maybe it was the day we got- or lost- our dream job/house/girl. It could have been the moment you gained the courage to say the words, “I love you,” aloud to someone who wasn’t legally required to say it back.
Or the first time someone broke your heart. We have all woken up in our familiar surroundings, eyes fluttering, only to realize that while everything seems to be the same, WE are what’s changed, that our lives have been permanently altered, and that this is, in fact, the first day of our new reality. And whether you consciously chose this reality or not, it is now up to you to decide how you will approach and perceive your newfound renewal.
Renewal is defined by its direct correlation with the past. It’s not new, after all. It’s better than new. It’s the new, new. It’s today’s new. It’s the upgraded- better because of the past but looking forward to the now- new. We all have a choice. We can opt to view all change or evolution as a calming and natural state of renewal.
A resurgence and revolution in ode to the new and improved you.
As I write this, the dawn of a new day approaches, and the night allows for our mind and spirit to renew. It is not lost on me that, as this essay is posted on the Mindsoak Project, I will be boarding a plane headed for Japan and the next evolution in both my personal and professional life. It has not escaped me that we are days away from the new Spring season and have just enjoyed a full moon in Virgo.
Life is in a perpetual state of renewal.
Enjoy! Take back what has come to pass and make it bold again.
“And this old world is a new world and a bold world for me…” Nina Simone
Veronica is currently “living with intent” and her sunflowers in Brooklyn, NY and loves wandering the city, writing in the park, and commingling amongst the vibrancy she is so happy to call home. She is a lover of adventure, collects experiences and photographs, and has been known to book international travel within a week of departure, because “Paris is always a good idea”.
Veronica is a consultant and partner to creative entrepreneurs and like-minded agents of imagination, assisting in elevating their brand to match their vision. She is also a champion of the local creative community- supporting and partnering with local galleries, schools, and artists, as well as helping place talent in a variety of projects and homes. Veronica’s passion projects (and she passions hard) includes sponsorship acquisition and fundraising for an international art residency program she is co-creating and curating to debut in March 2017 with a focus in bringing modern art and performance to a rural, traditional Onsa (hot spring resort) currently being restored in Ishikawa, Japan- a town known for its exquisite craftsmanship, zen-filled properties, and majestic, ancient traditions. Through this project- aptly named Fusion- they will be offering art-centric workshops to the local communities and presenting a modern, vibrant, interactive event, while also providing 10 urban artists the experience of a lifetime and showcasing their art in a unique and organic setting- merging our cultures in a truly magical way.
For any collaborative inquiries or further information including talent, content, media, unicorns, etc.- feel free to contact Veronica at veeurrea(at)gmail.com and you can also find her on Instagram @thenewyorkimport.