I will not shrink anymore this year ❤ | ATH Podcast | S5E20

This set effectively summarizes and segments the detailed content of the interview into easily navigable chapters for viewers.

00:00 Returning to Solo Episodes

00:57 Reflecting on the Year

02:54 Business Growth and Challenges

05:46 Community and Artist Support

09:03 Future Aspirations and Podcast Evolution

Hey you guys. Welcome back to the Arts to Hearts podcast. Oops, sorry. Okay.
Welcome, welcome. Welcome back to the Arts to Hards podcast. I have a new setup and
I really don’t know what am I doing. Well, if it’s even going to do work like
this. But let’s just hope it is. Okay. So I am back on a solo episode,
which isn’t my usual. but I’m trying to get better. Like I say, every time,
I think I’m just going to hold this here. So,
do I really know what I’m here to say?
A little bit, but I really don’t have a script like I mostly never do.
By the time we’re going to receive this, you’re going to hear this episode, which
is basically tomorrow I’m recording today one day before is Thanksgiving and I wanted
to come up and say a big thank you to all of you and share some of my own
thoughts on what I’m thinking where we are as a team and just here and there just
to general chat. So first I want to begin by saying thank you.
A lot of you have been with us for a really, really long time. Archdo Hearts has
almost completed five years over five years, which is a big deal because I didn’t
even think that even that far was possible. But here we are and I’m very, very
grateful.
What am I grateful for? I’m grateful for my team. I’m grateful for each one of you
who decide to jump in on every new project that we do, help us make our dreams a
little bit of reality every day. I’m grateful for artists who create because without
them, what the world would look like, right? It’s also because, you know,
when I look at all you, all of you and your work, it also reminds a version of
myself. It also shows me a version I want to become. It also shares a lot of
courage, creativity, persistence, all of it. Today,
while, you know, we were on a call, you know, as our team call usually, we started
with, you know, how we were grateful to be working to, you know,
as mothers,
as women, like, you know, most of our team are women, they are mothers,
their wives. and there’s so many
be able to do anything with my creativity because I have said this a lot of times
I feel like I would have always taken it for granted feeling like it’s just
something that everybody has and while I know that that’s also true that everybody
is creative but not everybody bets on it not everybody pursues it not everybody
practices it and when you know I’m grateful that I get up every day and take that
chance to be able to manifest it in my life in whatever way I can and to have
people around me who also want to do the same and choose to do the same.
What, 2026, you know, we were also then on the call discussing it, right? You know,
what do we want to do in 26? Our personal calls, our professional calls. And,
you You know, in 2026, even, I’m not even waiting for 2026 to be very honest.
We’re already sitting on 27th of November. So we’re just there,
right? So why wait for another month to be able to do something that you can just
start now? Right.
Over the years, I have felt like I’ve been shrinking myself in situations where I
feel that I could have taken a leap, that it required me to take a really big
leap and I was just holding myself back. Sometimes these situations become too
important for us in our own journeys and we feel like maybe,
maybe I’m just here, I should be around or, you know,
we often think that we don’t want to face those fears and we we feel really
paralyzed out of those fears out of those thoughts and we spiral and i have that
have happened to me and i’ve realized like i will cave into my comfort zone with
that fear and try to normalize the situation for myself that this is okay that you
know uh the other end feels so scary even though how hard i want and how like I
know how important it is for me yet I feel like where I am is still safe while
my body is still in panic and I’m continually shrinking myself and I come to a
realization like you know there is such a vicious cycle that I have you know if I
look back and I feel so grateful for everything that I’ve learned is also because
when I every major leap I have taken in myself for myself is where the most growth
has happened for me. Beate when I was 18 years old moving out of my own home,
every different like starting a business multiple times failing at it, pursuing
something that nobody believed in, being an artist,
just small leaps, some big leap but leaps that feel uncomfortable and that feel like
okay I’m going to fall again and while I may fall but I also know that no matter
how many times I do fall if I keep going I will get through it so 2026 my agenda
is always like it’s the theme of the year that I’m keeping it for myself that I
am not going to shrink anymore like I’m not going to keep myself small even if
that makes me feel afraid, like if doing something makes me feel afraid,
like, you know, afraid, um,
intimidated, overwhelmed, like, while keeping grace to myself, I still want to come
out and do something that makes me feel, eventually may feel hard,
but will start to feel comfortable. Be it coming online more, I’m not a very
extrovert person. So coming online and sharing is not something like,
you know, I do it with ease. Of course, with the podcast, it’s gotten easier for
me to be able to talk to people. But still, there’s some kind of practice that I
keep, you know, if I am in momentum, it gets easier. Some days I really have to
push myself, right?
So setting boundaries, something that really comes with shrinking is I’ve experienced
while people they often push your bounty so much that you start to feel small we
often people please we often feel ourselves behind we often feel like we’ll hurt
someone or we’re just not in that place to say something or just feeling small and
we shrink ourselves to be able to take whatever they’re giving even if it does not
feel right to us and that can be our friends and family and you know I’ve really
like while in my own 30s now I feel like it’s so so incredibly important to be in
a place where I can say stop this is it where this is where I draw the line and
to be choosing my own self, my own safety, creating that safety for myself.
And it’s hard. It’s so hard. I know it is. It’s so, so hard. I don’t know.
I mean, I have to take some major leaps this year, starting to today. And I know
that every day I’m always thinking about how I’m going to do that, how that’s going
to the troubles like you know though everything that can go wrong always comes to
her mind and that happens to me too and i’m sure it does happen to all of you
but i keep telling myself listen i’m going to stay in today right here right now
i’ve seen a lot of my fears come true i’ve seen my worst fear to come true of
losing my own mom and yet i made it through you i’m sitting right in front of you
i felt like i would not be able to see that day I saw that and then I felt like
I’m not going to be able to make through those days following it and I did that.
And then there was so many several fears that came through layer by layer by layer
and I felt like I’m not going to make it but then I did. So I know today that
everything that’s going to come to me, I will have to find that courage and I will
find that courage to be able to go past it. So I’m not shrinking myself anymore.
I’ve done that in the past.
what we’re creating. I think even with arts to hearts, everything that we’ve been
able to do, I’m incredibly proud. Like, you know, um,
it was, it’s never been easy to being able to, um, make something out of nothing.
Um, to being able to, uh,
like, you know, when you’re taught, told, oh, you can’t do do this and then you
get up every day and do what you need to do and I feel like I’ve taken a lot of
courage while we build our trust but also small risk not enough to make me feel
that this is a leap we are taking but also that’s I feel like something that’s my
own process but I’m challenging myself this year taking more risk not shrinking
myself because I know how bad that feels. I look at myself and so many times I
catch myself thinking like you know why did I settle for this? Why I’m not trying
more? I’m not doing it differently it’s because it feels scary sometimes I feel like
oh like it’s like the bare minimum of my brain it says like no you and just ask
for it. Like, you’re not meant for this. Either being as a woman or either being
as an artist. So, yeah, I feel like not shinking myself anymore.
That’s where I am. But I’m very, very grateful before I move forward. I feel like
I want to say it out loud that, you know, I’m so grateful to have a team who
inspires me every day, knowing that we all come from different parts of the world,
small places and women who are raised differently with the idea of not being able
to do something, being challenged for our choices and yet choosing ourselves on our
path. So I’m very, very grateful. I’m grateful to be able to find a community,
people like you, who get, you know, who make all of this possible. Like,
you know, we’re all in this creative mindset and having a community that aligns with
our own vision. Like, you know, I see all of you create every day. And it’s truly
one of the biggest blessings of working. It, you know, it inspires me, inspires most
of us. And I’m grateful for my chosen family,
my dogs, a couple of my friends, who’ve really made a lot of these ears easier to
get through. I don’t think I would have been able to do that before them. But also
I’m really, really grateful for myself because, you know, I’ve realized like if you
don’t invest in yourself, in your own healing, don’t stand by your own self,
nothing can work out. Like, really nothing can work out. So I’m really grateful for
being able to own up and I really hope that I be kinder to myself.
I dream bigger and I’m really grateful to God in whatever form you worship I
worship. I know my mom’s up there still protecting me. I know my dogs,
my girls are still up there protecting And even though there are difficult parts,
I know that I have someone’s hand over me. And, you know, that’s one of the
biggest, biggest blessings that I can’t be grateful for enough in my life. And
knowing that whatever is going to come my way, it’s for my best. And anything and
everything is working out for me. And everything is happening for me, through me,
and for the best of it and every dark storm is going to pass and a bright sunny
day is going to come and i have to just keep showing up keep trying some days
broken some days healed yeah that’s my wish for thanksgiving um i hope uh you have
a good relaxed slowing down your end i would love to hear how has your your urban
what are your learnings what are you grateful for today it’s a thanksgiving um day
so i want to say thank you but i also want to hear what you are thankful for and
i want to keep seeing you and a few encouraging words would really motivate me and
i would love to hear from all of you and i’ll see you a new episode and if you
have more questions and things for me to answer in the next episode, please make
sure that you leave in the comments below.
I’ll see you next.

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About the Guest(s):

Charuka Arora is the founder of the Arts to Hearts Project and Host of the Arts to Hearts Podcast. She is also an acclaimed Indian artist known for her contemporary embellished paintings. Her unique blend of gouache, collage, embroidery, painting, and drawing explores the intersection of art, culture, heritage, and womanhood. Through her work, she tells stories of female strength and encapsulates them in pieces that can be treasured for generations.

Episode Summary:

In this Thanksgiving episode of the Arts to Hearts Project, Charuka sits down for an unscripted, open conversation about where she is in life and what the past year has taught her. She talks about the community that has stayed with the project for over five years, the artists who keep creating, and the team of women who help bring every idea to life. She shares how grateful she is for the people who support this work and for the way creativity continues to shape her days.

Charuka also speaks honestly about a habit she has carried for years: shrinking herself when fear shows up. She talks about choosing comfort over risk, holding herself back, and settling for less even when she wanted more. With the new year approaching, she shares her intention to stop doing that. She wants to take bigger steps, set clearer boundaries, and choose courage even when it feels uncomfortable. Losing her mother and facing other tough moments showed her that she can survive more than she once believed, and that gives her strength as she moves forward.

Key Takeaways

• This year has been a mix of highs and lows.
• I want to do everything with love.
• Supporting my team during transitions is crucial.
• Small, consistent progress is key to success.
• The growth of Arts2Huts is a collective effort.
• I want artists to feel valued in our projects.
• Feedback from the community is essential for growth.
• The podcast will evolve to include new ideas.
• I aim to expand our book distribution next year.
• Creating a supportive environment is my priority.

Notable Quotes:

I’m done shrinking myself. If something scares me but matters to me, I want to do it anyway.”

“I’ve lived through things I thought I’d never survive, and if I can get through that, I can get through what’s coming next too.”

“I’m grateful for the people who show up for this community, but I’m also grateful that I keep choosing to show up for myself.”

Charuka Arora is the founder of the Arts to Hearts Project and Host of the Arts to Hearts Podcast. She is also an acclaimed Indian artist known for her contemporary embellished paintings. Her unique blend of gouache, collage, embroidery, painting, and drawing explores the intersection of art, culture, heritage, and womanhood. Through her work, she tells stories of female strength and encapsulates them in pieces that can be treasured for generations.

Charuka’s work draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, recognizing women as vessels of Shakti, the cosmic energy. She beautifully portrays powerful goddesses like Durga Maa riding a tiger or lion, symbolizing their unlimited power to protect virtue and combat evil.

Through her art, Charuka invites us into the world of women, showcasing their beauty, strength, and resilience. Her creations not only exhibit exceptional talent but also serve as an inspiration and a symbol of hope for those challenging societal norms.

Arts to Hearts Podcast is a show delving into the lives and passions of renowned artists. From running creative businesses and studio art practices to cultivating a successful mindset, Charuka Arora engages in heartfelt conversations with her guests. Experience your personal happy hour with your favorite artists right in your studio.

Through candid discussions, Charuka and her guests reveal the joys and challenges of a vibrant creative life, both within and beyond our studios. Get ready to be inspired and uplifted as you tune in.