This painting is about becoming more self-assured and settled in who I am.

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It came from a time when I realised I no longer needed to look outward for reassurance in the way I used to. The work I had been doing — slowing down, reflecting, and getting to know myself — was beginning to change me.

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I started to see that the parts of me I had once questioned were not things I needed to change. They were part of who I am, shaped by my nature and by what I’ve lived through.

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Over time, that understanding brought a sense of trust in myself. I no longer felt the same need to measure myself against others or look for approval.

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In the painting, she stands grounded, with a sense of calm around her. The blurred figures reflect the expectations and opinions that once mattered. They are still there in the background, but they no longer hold the same importance.