We were lucky to catch up with Raa El recently and have shared our conversation below.
Raa, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
When it comes to resilience. I would say some are born with it due to their upbringing. Others by their natural temperament. For me, when I think of it, it always comes down to this. Choice. Whether I realized it or not, previous and present instances can very well be a defining moment that may create a shift, in its wake. Leaving me better off than I was, the same, or worse. All on the hinge of my actions, or inactions. With this spark of enlightenment, this epiphany, not to take so lightly and put-to-practice, as I grew older I became aware that I chose, more times than not. I chose who to ignore, I chose when to be humble, I chose when to weather the storm, small and large I chose a bigger picture… a bigger future… I chose a stronger version of myself… And that was more important than the unpreferred moment itself. This (mindset) is what perpetuates resilience, for me.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Professionally. At this juncture in my career, as a tattoo artist, I’ve found myself wanting to create specific work for specific people. And as much as I’d like to stick to one thing, recently I’m wildly attracted to projects that scream for color, or are very artsy. Projects that have me explore the vast realm of color theory, and blending, and sometimes unique ways of black and grey shading, on skin. To satiate this craving for fun color play, particularly, I’ve looked for, and presently invite people who’d love to get their favorite video game, comic, and disney/pixar characters permanently tattooed on them. From Super Mario Bros. Star Wars, to “Call of Duty”, and all in between. There’s nothing like replicating these classic, and current characters 3 dimensionally, Adding a personal spin on the initial design or final rendering, per client’s request, is also a bonus. It takes something classic and original and makes it personal and custom. Always a dope touch.
Sleeves and leg pieces are especially encouraged as there’s more ‘real estate’ (physical space) for visual storytelling.
For black-and-grey, I’m moving more towards what’s now called “micro-realism”. Whether the subjects are portraits, famous or familial, still-life or fictional, bringing images to life, realistically, in a classic way (tattooed black and grey)
that’s around half the size of an average smart phone’s screen, or smaller, is not only a fun challenge for the artist, but also a new standard for classic modernity. Google the term, “microrealism”, and see how this high-end new style has created its own lane, and category, for body art.
As time moves forward, I’ve amassed a good deal of work having fun creating art for art’s sake, on people’s bodies. I’ll look to create a more meaningful service in body art, that bridges my studies and interests from the Health and Wellness industry, into the space of Tattoos and how clients can walk way with with more than just an aesthetic that’s cool AF, but a sense of fulfilment, freedom, conviction, etc.. (Stay Tuned)
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three areas of knowledge, or skills, I’d say that has been most impactful in my journey, all come down to some basics when it comes to people. We’ll call them ‘people skills.’ Because despite how we view ourselves, or others, near and far. No one on this planet is living alone, and we all depend on each other, to some capacity, to keep the lights on, and keep the food growing, etc.
Tenet No.1
Self-cultivation. This requires consistent attention to detail when it comes to ‘your house’(your vessel/ you body and mind). This ‘house’ would be the home to various facets that create your version of ‘you.’ Body, mind and soul. Your sense-of-self/ identity, your esteem, your outlook and approach to the world and the people in it. Your (created) constitution/s. Your values, and beliefs. And your physical and mental well-being, needless to add. These aspects of our faculties literally create our ‘reality’ by who we constitute ourselves to be in the world, which dictate our choices, and thus our actions and so forth. Leaving the world only to respond back accordingly, thus our ‘created reality’. As the aspects of our ‘being’ shift, like the weather to a changing day, it behooves us to stay on top of the naturally occurring ‘weather’ in our ever changing attitudes and overall mind. Simply put. It’s best to intentionally shape ‘who we are’, and are going to be, rather than having been shaped, by other known and unknown outside forces or influences.
Moving forward. We have Tenet No.2, Relationships. A good friend once told me, ‘People are your greatest resource.’ Now, although I’ve hung on to that expression for years, it took me just that long to really grasp the gravity of such a poignant point of view. People need people to become whatever it is they need or want to be or accomplish. On a low-end scale. Think of a job you have your eyes on. Or a property you’re curious to rent, etc. Regrettably, you encounter difficulties which keeps you from going further. This is where ‘friends’, would come in, when looking for a ‘hook-up’, naturally. Yet, we all know not everyone we meet is or will be a genuine friend. That doesn’t mean the meet, or connection, must be dismissed in vain. The ‘relationship’, or association between the two, can still just as well be nurtured into something, regardless. This is where I’ve learned what creating and keeping a network means. On a larger scale, when it comes to nurturing and maintaining relationships. Think of your most popular icons in any category. They have PR teams and more, just for this very reason. There is no Beyonce, or Jay, without the devoted listeners, fans and the celebrities’ teams to nurture that bond (relationship). Major social media platforms would not be ‘major’, or existing, if it weren’t for their keen sense to keep shoulder-to-shoulder close with their public users, who give them exact purpose. And there aren’t any religions ‘alive’ without believers, and it’s sustained intangible relationships that exceed our physical reach. In the end. People need people, to see their dreams come true, ideas flourish, and beliefs manifested. And it all exists within the cultivation of ‘who-you-are-to-me’. i.e. Relationships.
Lastly, Tenet No.3. Awareness. I’ve found, through my journey in life, that, to win people over, people want to experience what it means to be a valued person, a human, someone seen and heard for simply existing. No matter how high on the corporate totem pole or how low in the depths of organized crime. People still want and need to experience a sense of all things we’re inherently built to need, want, and feel. Human connection, and every expression that has us feel that. I’ve found many examples of this in the service industry. Where staff weren’t seen, and are over the moon when they’re are/ acknowledged, in any given way, to the seemingly overlooked guest who’s been waiting forever for service, or someone who appears to be unable to afford such service. The simple acts of paying attention to others, and their simple, sometimes subtle, human needs… Additionally, it helps to meet them where they are, rather than where you are or want them to be. It makes all the difference in having them being seen for their choices and heard from their voice, and not yours. In that conscious experience it yields an authentic connection. All involved in any scenario ‘win’, and all it takes is a practice of awareness. Seeing others for how they want and choose to be seen.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
One of the most enduring challenges I’ve found in my years as an adult was my knack, or talents, to be good at many things -unbeknownst to me, as I got older… A problem I never thought I’d have… And yet, here I was. Some would argue that that’s a good thing. Being talented, or skilled, in a handful of ways is a great problem to have. Hell, many would encourage it and others would even envy it. If sufficiently managing yourself -your time- was one of those talents of mine, we would be speaking about another problem I have.
For me, unfortunately, managing my time with various interests was Not a great problem to own. Time was climbing, I realized, as I indulged in these ‘professional hobbies’, and I soon came to want something more. Let’s call it ‘definitive results.’
– So I adopted a new perspective. I’ll call it the ‘law of energy’, although there’s nothing really ‘new’ about it. As the concept is known and phrased in many ways, and some show up as stories like that of the Indigenous American (Cherokee) fable of the “Two Wolves”. Essentially, it’s all about consciously directing your flow of energy – or focus. Another way to interpret and apply this principle is to look at it like this: ‘the more you put in, the more you’ll get out’. E.g., the more water you fill in one pitcher, the quicker it’ll fill, and the less spillage you’ll have as you focus your aim. Versus, many pitchers simultaneously being filled. Now, it’s not to say they cannot fill all at once by one source. But it does beg the question how can that be done efficiently…? And that’s an answer I’ve yet to find, for my personality type. So, I learned, as I wasn’t progressing fast enough to my liking, to choose. Choose as little interests as possible so that my focus won’t be as compromised in reaching my goals. To accomplish this… where I was still fulfilled doing one or two things out of five, let’s say, I weighed them all out. Which one of these commitments has my heart singing the loudest?… Which one of these various interests would I do for free if I didn’t have to concern myself with money…? From there, the choices became very clear. And that’s been the only way to decide what interests I’ll truly pursue.
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