Category Archives: Raising your internal vibration

When the Shadow Takes the Wheel

Have you ever liked a villain more than the hero? Who and why? By: SodakArtist I’d probably say the Joker. Not because I agree with the things he does, but because I’ve always found his perspective more fascinating than the typical hero’s. There’s something interesting about a character who looks beneath the polite surface ofContinueContinue reading “When the Shadow Takes the Wheel”

Podcast Episode: My Significant Other Was My Inner Self

Pip: Welcome to SDAW: SoDakArtists Way — where the creative life gets examined from the inside out, sometimes uncomfortably so. Mara: SodakArtist has a piece up that goes somewhere most posts don’t — inward, deliberately, across years of solitude and self-examination. Let’s start with what it means to spend years alone and come out knowingContinue reading “Podcast Episode: My Significant Other Was My Inner Self”

The Thoughts Before Ink

If you had to get a tattoo right now, what would it be and why? By: SodakArtist So I’ve been craving a tattoo for the past few months, and seeing this prompt just makes me want one even more. The sad thing is, I have no idea what I would even want to tattoo onContinueContinue reading “The Thoughts Before Ink”

My Significant Other Was My Inner Self

How did you meet your significant other? By: SodakArtist To answer this question honestly, I don’t have a significant other. I’ve tried, and I don’t regret losing my marriage because without it, I’m not sure I’d ever be as strong, artistic, or knowledgeable as I am today. I’ve been single for six going on sevenContinueContinue reading “My Significant Other Was My Inner Self”

A Letter to My Past Self

If you had a time machine and could send just one message to your past self, what would it say? By: SodakArtist If I were given a time machine and told I could send only one message to my past self, I don’t think I’d use it to warn myself about a particular person, preventContinueContinue reading “A Letter to My Past Self”

The New School Curriculum: The SodakArtist Way

What’s a thing you wish schools actually taught? By: SodakArtist If I had to answer this question with just one thing, my answer probably wouldn’t be what most people expect. I wish schools taught us how to think for ourselves. Not simply how to memorize information, pass a test, follow instructions, or produce the answerContinueContinue reading “The New School Curriculum: The SodakArtist Way”

The New School Curriculum: The SodakArtist Way

What’s a thing you wish schools actually taught? By: SodakArtist If I had to answer this question with just one thing, my answer probably wouldn’t be what most people expect. I wish schools taught us how to think for ourselves. Not simply how to memorize information, pass a test, follow instructions, or produce the answerContinueContinue reading “The New School Curriculum: The SodakArtist Way”

Same Heat, Different Outcome

By:SodakArtist There’s a great friend of mine, who told me something once that, at the time, seemed like such a simple little analogy. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized just how much meaning could be hidden inside a few simple words. He said: «“You have a pot of boiling water,ContinueContinue reading “Same Heat, Different Outcome”

The Advice That Took Me Years to Understand

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? By: SodakArtist The best piece of advice I’ve ever received wasn’t some complicated secret, and it didn’t come from a book filled with ancient wisdom. It was actually something incredibly simple: “You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control what you do withContinueContinue reading “The Advice That Took Me Years to Understand”

What’s Something You Used to Worry About but Don’t Anymore?

What’s something you used to worry about but don’t anymore? By: SodakArtist There was a time when my own mind felt like the greatest battle I would ever face. I worried that my darkest days would become my permanent reality. I questioned my purpose, my direction, and whether I would ever truly understand who IContinueContinue reading “What’s Something You Used to Worry About but Don’t Anymore?”

The Loudest Silent QuotePrompt: What is your favorite quote?

What is your favorite quote? By: SodakArtist There are thousands of quotes scattered throughout history. Some inspire us for a moment, some make us stop and think, and others quietly fade into the background as time moves on. Then there are the rare few that never seem to lose their meaning. No matter how manyContinueContinue reading “The Loudest Silent QuotePrompt: What is your favorite quote?”

If I were to give one life-changing tip, what would it be?

If you had to give one life-changing tip, what would it be? By: SodakArtist If I could leave the world with one life-changing piece of advice, it would be this: Wake up to your own consciousness. For years, I believed life was simply something that happened to me. Every hardship, every setback, every betrayal, everyContinueContinue reading “If I were to give one life-changing tip, what would it be?”

What’s a Song Lyric That Has Stuck With You Forever?

What’s a song lyric that has stuck with you forever? By: SodakArtist Music has a way of doing something that ordinary conversations can’t. A single lyric can find you at just the right moment, sink into your mind, and stay there for years. Sometimes you don’t even realize how much those words have shaped theContinueContinue reading “What’s a Song Lyric That Has Stuck With You Forever?”

What’s My Biggest Dream?

What’s your biggest dream? By: SodakArtist When someone asks, “What’s your biggest dream?” most people probably think about becoming wealthy, owning a beautiful home, traveling the world, or finally reaching that one goal they’ve been chasing for years. There’s nothing wrong with any of those dreams. They can make life more comfortable, open new opportunities,ContinueContinue reading “What’s My Biggest Dream?”

The Promise I Made to Myself That I Actually Kept

What’s a promise you made to yourself that you’ve actually kept? By: SodakArtist When I first read this prompt, my mind didn’t go to a promise about money, success, or some achievement hanging on a wall. My mind went actually went back to a moment when I was 29 years old. A moment when lifeContinueContinue reading “The Promise I Made to Myself That I Actually Kept”

Dinner for Three

If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be? By:SodakArtist There are countless fictional characters I could invite to dinner, but if I only had two empty chairs at the table, they’d belong to Gandalf and Morpheus. Now, before dinner even started, I think I’d already know how the evening wasContinueContinue reading “Dinner for Three”

The Best Purchase I’ve Ever Made?

What is the best purchase you have ever made? By: SodakArtist This prompt made me stop and think a lot longer than I had expected. Truth is… I don’t really have an answer in the way most people probably do. I’ve owned my fair share of things throughout my life. Some were useful. Some wereContinueContinue reading “The Best Purchase I’ve Ever Made?”

The Day My Resting Face Became a Whole Personality

What’s the funniest misunderstanding you’ve ever been part of? By: SodakArtist If I had to pick the funniest misunderstanding I’ve ever been part of, it’d have to be my face. Apparently, my neutral expression tells people I’m either planning a bank heist, judging everyone’s life choices, or contemplating how to overthrow civilization. Meanwhile… I’m actuallyContinueContinue reading “The Day My Resting Face Became a Whole Personality”

More Than Screen Time—It’s Where My Purpose Lives

Daily writing promptWhat app eats up most of your screen time — and do you even feel bad about it?View all responses By: SodakArtist If I open my screen time report, two apps almost always sit at the top. The first is Sketchbook. I’ve had Sketchbook for around three or four years now, and it’sContinueContinue reading “More Than Screen Time—It’s Where My Purpose Lives”

The Infinite Classroom

Are you a lifelong learner? By:SodakArtist Without question, I am a lifelong learner. In fact, I don’t believe learning is something we choose to do—it’s something we’re born doing. From the moment we take our first breath, we’re observing, adapting, questioning, and trying to understand the world around us. Somewhere along the way, many peopleContinueContinue reading “The Infinite Classroom”

The Trend I Would Erase: Surrendering Freedom

If you could erase one trend from history, what would it be? By: SodakArtist If I could erase one trend from history, it would be the tendency of people to blindly surrender their freedom and personal responsibility to governments or other centralized authorities.Many of our Founding Fathers fought a revolution because they believed people wereContinueContinue reading “The Trend I Would Erase: Surrendering Freedom”

A Week in Wild Spirit

If you had to be an animal for a week, which one would you be and why? By: SodakArtist A week as just one animal would be a difficult choice for me because I feel connected to two very different creatures: the dire wolf and the owl.If I chose the dire wolf, it would beContinueContinue reading “A Week in Wild Spirit”

Your Circumstances Don’t Define Your Future

By SodakArtist One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned recently is that your circumstances don’t define your future—your choices do. That realization completely changed the way I look at setbacks. I spent 14 months in a South Dakota prison after being convicted for possessing a very small amount of drugs. I could have spent thatContinueContinue reading “Your Circumstances Don’t Define Your Future”

Exciting News: SoDakArtist’s Way (SDAW) Has a New Home Online!By: SoDakArtist

SoDakArtist’s Way (SDAW) is thrilled to announce the launch of our new online home: SoDakArtistsWay.org. While still a work in progress, this platform is designed to showcase the heart of SDAW—artistry, energy, and vision. From curated art galleries to inspiring blog posts, this digital hub is the foundation of an evolving creative journey. We invite you to explore, share your thoughts, and watch as this space grows into a true reflection of the SoDakArtist’s Way

THE THANKS IN THANKSGIVING: A Reflection on Gratitude and Togetherness

Blog Prompt: Explore the true meaning of Thanksgiving through gratitude, connection, and how to carry its spirit into everyday life. By: SodakArtist Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday—it’s a moment to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters. Too often, the season becomes tangled in the hustle of meal preparations, travel plans, andContinueContinue reading “THE THANKS IN THANKSGIVING: A Reflection on Gratitude and Togetherness”

No Rest for the Wicked

The stillness of the night provides a unique atmosphere for deep focus. While the world sleeps, I thrive in the quiet, free from distractions. It’s during these moments that I design, write, and create, turning what could be wasted hours into transformative ones. Whether building my website, sketching ideas, or diving into personal growth, sleepless nights become my sanctuary of productivity and passion.

To See or Not to See: Meeting B.B. King, the Blues Legend

How the king looked when I saw him Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met? By SodakArtist Have you ever met someone so iconic that it left you feeling electrified, almost like they passed a spark right into your soul? For me, that someone was B.B. King—the absolute King ofContinueContinue reading “To See or Not to See: Meeting B.B. King, the Blues Legend”

Screen Time: Finding Balance the SoDakArtist’s Way

How do you manage screen time for yourself? By SodakArtist In a world where screens dominate nearly every aspect of life, finding harmony with digital tools becomes essential—especially when they serve as gateways to creativity, learning, and personal transformation. My approach to screen time isn’t about avoidance but intention. Each moment I’m “plugged in” isContinueContinue reading “Screen Time: Finding Balance the SoDakArtist’s Way”

crafting My Digital Canvas: A Website as Alive as the Art It Hold

What are your favorite websites? By SodakArtist Imagine a place online that grows and transforms with you—a living extension of creativity, unfolding with each step. For me, that place is my own website, a digital haven and shifting tapestry capturing the essence of my journey as an artist, creator, and soul explorer. This isn’t justContinueContinue reading “crafting My Digital Canvas: A Website as Alive as the Art It Hold”

Finding Pride in My Journey: Embracing Growth and Inner Strength

What are you most proud of in your life? By SodakArtist Many people find pride in their children, marriages, careers, or even in recent purchases like a new home or car. And while those are all valid and meaningful achievements, for me, the deepest sense of pride comes from within—the person I’ve become, and moreContinueContinue reading “Finding Pride in My Journey: Embracing Growth and Inner Strength”