Meet Evelyn Sofia Rivera

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Evelyn Sofia Rivera. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Evelyn Sofia, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I think as a young child I was given a lot of room to make my own decisions but also within a safe environment. My parents did an excellent job at allowing me to feel autonomous which in turn led me to feel capable of decision making. The consequences of my actions were almost always explained to me in great detail and from there I would determine what I wanted to choose. I think being given these kinds of choices as a small child definitely helped me build confidence. The only real time I had an issue with my self-esteem and confidence was when I was a teenager. I think decision-making as a teen gets harder as it’s an age where your inner and outer worlds are changing drastically. Being able to make my own decisions and still feel supported in them made me value learning because I felt safe to make mistakes. The confidence to fail and continue on is truly invaluable, especially when creating art.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

More recently I made the move from Southern California to New York City. This transition has been one of the hardest in my life but also one of the most fruitful. I came out to NYC to explore and to spend some time away from all I had known my whole life. In moving here, I decided to only bring with me the “essentials” which for some reason had not included my painting supplies. It wasn’t until I got here that I realized how badly I needed to paint here. On one of my first trips to the art supply store, I ran into a stranger who was part of an art exhibition in Bushwick who encouraged me to apply to display as well. This interaction catapulted me into the art scene in New York and opened the door for me to display in many other shows. I was solidifying my place as an artist in one of the biggest cities in the world. Now, I can say I am a New York City based artist who has displayed in multiple spaces. I have even had the chance to share my passion of sound healing with several spaces in the area, providing group sound baths.
I have always had a passion for healing and when I was back home, in the Coachella Valley, I had been able to share that passion with my community. Now, I find myself in a new place with the same passion to create and heal. This has led me back to graduate school. Originally I had pursued a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2021 but had to take a break due to issues I was having with my mental health. I then went into teaching art at a local middle school and then found myself with the desire to explore. I made the decision to move to NYC and funnily enough have decided quickly to return home and continue to pursue a degree in therapy. A saying that has been sticking with me lately has been “all paths lead home” which I feel couldn’t be any more appropriate for where I am at this point in my life.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think three of the most important qualities or skills I have acquired are honesty, communication and openness. I think being honest both with yourself and with others is one of the most important traits you can have when wanting to live an authentic life. Being honest allows you to build a confidence in yourself and among others because you know your words hold weight to them. Communication is equally as important because it allows you to be in understanding with those around you. I think a lot of issues people have with one another can be cleared up with some good honest communication. Communication is like letting someone know you want to get to a common ground with them, it lets people know where you stand and why. Lastly, openness is important because it allows for you to be a lifelong learner. Being open to new ideas, new paths and new people gives you so many more options in the world than if you were to have only one set plan. Being open to change is being open to miracles!

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Currently, I am facing the challenge of being a lifelong learner. I have recently come to terms with the fact that there is no finish line. Previously, I would have spoken of myself as a goal-oriented person, a product-oriented person, because that is what I was taught to be. I was taught that if you work hard you get to the finish line and win your medal and then you move on to the next race. As I have gotten older the races have become longer and harder and have sometimes even intertwined with others. I have come to the realization that life is not a race and that the finish line is the same for all of us. This acceptance has allowed me to be more open with the opportunities that present themselves in my life. I am more open now to situations “not working in my favor” because I know that in reality everything is working in my favor. This realization has also allowed me to dive much deeper into my faith and I am much happier along “the journey” rather than solely focusing on how badly I need to get to my destination.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://esriveraart.com
• Instagram: @esriveraart