Let’s talk about the art of letting go, the concept of sayang, and how we can attract the good and thrive in an imperfect life when we relax our hold on what’s familiar.
When Tin came across Cherie Altea’s post on Facebook about how sayang is a term of endearment in Singapore, but refers to wastefulness in the Philippines, it got us thinking about life and how our world view shapes our lives.
In her post, Cherie talks about her mentor who taught her that “holding on too tightly to stuff and withholding things creates stagnant energy in one’s life, how to never withhold the good from others, be it a kind word, your time or settling payment for a debt. And to give must be without fear of having less, and without expecting anything in return other than the intention to share the good.”
Cherie is an artist who was based in Singapore for 12 years and relocated to Manila in November 2022. As an independent artist who has had no gallery representation throughout her career, her vibrant maximalist artworks have found forever homes across the globe in places like New York, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Texas, Singapore, Koh Samui, Manila, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Vancouver, Atherton, Sydney, Bath, and Bahrain.
She weathered her cancer journey and the death of her marriage, and soldiered through her creative process despite the uncertainties and curve balls thrown her way. Thanks to the power of social media and the internet, strangers from all over have taken a chance on her work and continue to empower her career one painting at a time.
That said, she is a beacon of hope for women who are looking to reclaim and rebuild their lives through the health and relationship challenges that we are faced with and we believe, built to overcome. ✨