We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Veronica Cisneros a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Veronica, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
My generosity comes from my mom and all of the wonderful women in our family who were always there to help her take care of me: my Grandma Carmen, Grandma Trine and all of my beautiful aunts. Each of these women had a profound influence on me in their own unique ways, but every single one of them taught me how to be generous.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am an artist and creative who inspires others to cultivate a loving connection with nature by growing a garden. In the past, I have offered my handmade, small-batch creative succulent arrangements, homegrown succulents & tropical plants, and fresh from my backyard garden zinnia bouquets and herbs at markets. I’ve also created succulent arrangements for baby showers, bridal showers, private commissions, and gifts. It’s been really fun and fruitful, but I will no longer be selling plants. I want to help others grow their gardens, but at this time I am focusing on tending to my own garden, literally and metaphorically. I still grow my own herbs; I’m still propagating succulents like crazy, and my home’s landscape is still flourishing and expanding with the help of my daily love and nurturing. It’s simply time for me to redirect that energy to other creative outlets I am more drawn to at this time. I’ve been diving deeper and deeper in to my writing, poesy, singing, and other interests. At the beginning of this year, I started playing with recording and producing my music. It’s all at-home DIY Lo-Fi, but I’m having a lot of fun not only learning new skills, but also discovering more about myself in the process. I’m very inspired at this time, and I’m looking forward to creating more of what really makes my heart sing.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
For me, three important qualities are integrity, forgiveness, and the ability to be flexible. Business isn’t always up, one’s energy is a finite resource, and some times we lose interest, have other projects we want to work on, or maybe family and health become the main priority. Whatever the case may be, everything has its own season, and it’s important to recognize, honor, and flow with our own unique rhythms regardless of what anyone else thinks you should be doing or what someone else might envision for your life. I think the best thing anyone can do is figure out what you value and then live by that code. Journaling is my favorite way to help me learn more about myself and get crystal clear on who I want to be and what kind of life I want to create and live.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I have quite a few tools under my belt for moments when I feel overwhelmed, but breathwork is always the first thing I do. Breathing is simple, accessible to everyone from anywhere, and it’s potent. The breath is the body’s metronome, and one can sort of access the nervous system by simply tuning in to the breath. I encourage everyone to commit to a breath practice for just 5 minutes a day, regardless of if you’re overwhelmed or not. Learn how to breathe properly, why it’s important, and read up on the science behind it and how it can benefit you. What’s so awesome about breath work is that while it can be included in a spiritual practice, it’s not hyperbole or conjecture; you can actually measure the effects of breathwork on your heart rate and blood pressure.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dreaming_daisy/
Image Credits
All images by Veronica Cisneros
