61LEADING A CREATIVE LIFE
What inspires you the most?
I find inspiration in arbitrary places. An unexciting
movie scene, looking at houses in a street, or f lipping through
magazines. And in predictable places like being moved by
empowering stories of minorities or in conversations about life’s
cycles and human beliefs. Plus nature walks, swimming in the
ocean and moments spent with my cats, family and loved ones.
When do you feel most calm?
When I’m in my yoga practice, when I’m meditating,
cooking, reading, walking, painting, being embraced, being at
service, actively loving or listening. Any time I’m in solitude.
When did you realise you wanted to be an artist?
My parents are architects and my sister and I were raised
in a household where art endeavours were a priority. After
experimenting with many artistic journeys, and once I was
a dedicated graphics designer, I fell in love with illustration.
What’s the most rewarding thing about being
a mindfulness and creativity coach?
It holds me accountable to being consistent with my own
practice. A mindfulness practice helps to make daily transitions
seamless and life becomes less sticky. It’s so rewarding to be in
that f low. My attention span increases.Do you have a process that helps you stay calm?
Saying ‘no’ to things I like so that I can say ‘yes’ to things
I love. I include notes in my planner to remind myself to leave
empty spaces in my schedule. I like talking to someone about
what’s overwhelming me. Brain dumping is really helpful!What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Expect resistance and know how to f low through the
creative process with it. Remember you are here to dispense
your gifts, don’t let resistance stop you.
dariluna.comDariana is
inspired by
artists such as
Lisa Congdon,
Olaf Hajek and
Bodil Jane. “I
love the freedom
illustration gives
me, how personal
it feels and how
malleable it is.”Our creativity kit creator, mindfulness coach and illustrator, Dariana Moreira,
helps others discover their creative potential every day.