Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Konya

Hi Anna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

The story of my journey is divided in two chapters. One before the illness, and after. The before is the story familiar to most empaths, as they may find lot of similarities. Hopefully reading these lines will help a few to reflect on their lives and eventually make the step toward rediscovering themselves.
I was born in Eastern European Romania, in a Hungarian family from Transylvania. I was 9 year old when the communist regime was over, and the world opened for us. Now, looking back, I can say with certainty that nothing could prepare us for the change the nineties brought into our lives. I was living the childhood story of most hypersensitive empaths unaware of the values and benefits of feeling so much and so deep. Learning to know and nurture, to understand my sensitivity was not possible. All I knew that it is expected from me to toughen up, that my sensitivity is a source of trouble. Highly creative and an observer, my silent introverted way was often source of bully and reason to be shamed for. As most children coming from difficult, dysfunctional background, myself as well I traded my authenticity, my true self, for safety, for acceptance, and entered in a hyper-vigilant surviving mode, always seeking the validation, acceptance and love from family and community. I developed at early age the ability to shut down my true self, in order to fit in and meet the expectations of others. Being stuck in childhood surviving mode, disconnected from my true self, I was living life as any other person would do. Constantly numb, and feeling lost, trying to please people around, constantly trading my own happiness for the sake of others, I was taken by the waves of life. Having little or zero awareness of my unconsciously run patterns, eventually I convinced myself that, this is life. I moved to Hungary at age 21, started to work simultaneously in 2-3 different places, always fighting for acceptance, dealing with insecurities and low self esteem , I was hoping for a better life. Worked myself up in hospitality from the bottom- housekeeping employee – to the high standard and diplomatic house manager, Got married, volunteered in a Search and rescue, and firefighter team, always seeking to be at service of others and the community.
Yet, I always felt that I am living the life of someone else, that while everyone around me is happy and acknowledging me and my work, I was unhappy, unsatisfied, empty from inside.
Then at age 32 the second chapter of my life started, after the diagnosis of a tumor in my head. That was a harsh wake up call from Life / God / Universe. Life shacked me up, forcing me to open my eyes, and realize that I have been ignoring the signs for far too long, that I abandoned myself and traded my true call and who I am. It was time to wake up, and Remember who I am.
So it started a long, often painful, yet amazing, challenging, beautiful and very lonely journey back to myself. The pull of the old was strong, and the resistance of the Ego and limiting believes, trans-generational wounds brought me to my knees over and over again. But I kept on going, kept on fighting, kept on learning to trust and listen to my inner voice, my intuition. Meanwhile got divorced, changed country again, and re-started my life from the scratch. In 2019 moved to Albania, an amazing treasure box of the Balkan peninsula, I came to learn my way in this country all by myself. With 4 languages in my head, I came to experience the life of the illiterate, unable to understand a word in the beginning. Passed through major earthquake, isolation of the pandemic, the past few years were about unlearning, relearning, finding myself and losing myself again and again.
Art and creativity, colors, drawing and painting re entered in my life shortly after the diagnosis, and helped me in all ways to heal, to understand life, people. Is the safety channel to remember who I am. Art and facilitating self healing through Art and colors saved my life.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Smooth road? I do not know how it is when things are smooth. I do trust life gets easier and good things may come to me effortlessly. Yet there is no great change in the comfortable. The challenge is to beat your fears and control your mind. This was one of the most used mantras of mine along the way ” God help me beat my fears, and control my mind.” .
You struggle with the pull of the habit and everyone and everything seems to be against you. There is a struggle along the way when you have to choose between financial stability and staying in the safe but muddy or jump into the unknown, taking risks and find your own authentic path. It is a lonely journey. One must be okay with being on it’s own for an uncertain period of time. It may take years until you arrive, you must learn to be your own cheerleader. You’ll make mistakes along the way, repeat cycles, have major setbacks, because there is no paved and secure path in front of you, There are detours, you meet people trying to steal your light. You must learn to set boundaries, learn to be gentle with yourself, and forgiving with you and others.
I think learning to say No is essential, Every time you are able to say No to the outside noise, you are saying Yes to your own healing, to yourself.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

My work is divided in 3 directions.
One is Art making – Intuitive Painting for my joy, to fulfill my urge to channel my thoughts and feelings into colors, on a canvas. This is an intuitive answer to my inner call . A process of Art making where I allow my higher self, my soul to take over, and silence my rational mind. I allow the colors and the canvas to become, me being a tool in the process, a channel and I listen to the material helping change to happen.
The second direction is creating and painting Commissioned Art. Is the work where I can combine my intuitive way with the tools given by my creative mind, using a large scale of abstract interpretation of different requests of clients.
The third direction is my work as Therapeutic Art Life Coach, Facilitating Therapeutic Art sessions for private clients, who are dealing with questions about themselves, willing to learn and reconnect with their authentic self. People in transition and identity crisis, The “Who am I ” “My inner conversation” are often a theme. I love hosting and holding the space to those curious about themselves, to unveil limiting beliefs, understand their coping mechanisms, and work to improve their self awareness. I often organize Therapeutic Art Workshops for small groups in different urging topics to helps people gain new and different tools for dealing with challenges in life.
My own experience have shown me that in the uncertain periods of healing from an illness, or dealing with divorce, changing location and in general going through a crisis, one needs to feel seen and heard on a different level. And those helpers who were able to guide me in a gentle but firm way were those who themselves have been through their own hell, and came out winners. I think the credibility the authenticity of those who have been there where you are now, those who have won their battles and their knowledge is not a theoretic one, can not be questioned. They have that deep understanding of how to hold the space for another, how to be gently present, help restore self esteem go through pain, and maintain dignity.
Being an empath, and using this blessing of being a sensible and deep feeling human, together with my experience of healing and returning to myself I consider myself blessed to be able to be one of those holding the space for others, for being a helper. Art, Colors and deep conversation are my holistic way to show an open door for those willing to learn about themselves, those who beside the medical prescriptions are willing to go beyond and seek wholeness.
Recently I started to write a book about the experiences of the past 14 years. If you allow me I would share a bit from the chapter I write about the importance of Being Present:
Will you… Stay with me for a moment?
I don’t need you to rescue me
There’s nothing here for you to fix
No need to shoulder my sorrow
But will you simply stay, and hold my hand?
I don’t seek your advice
Your thoughts
Or your strength to bear my burdens
But will you sit beside me, just for a while?
As my tears fall
As my heart breaks
As my mind deceives me
Will your presence remind me that I’m not alone, as I journey through my inner unknown?
For my darkness is mine to confront
My pain is mine to endure
And my wounds are mine to heal
But will you sit with me, as I bravely face it all, my dear?
For I shine because of my shadows
Am beautiful in my brokenness
And strong within my tender heart
But will you hold my hand with love, when I venture into the dark?
I don’t ask you to take my darkness away
I don’t expect you to bring light to my day
And I know you can’t mend my pain
But it would mean so much if you could stay for a while, and hold my hand, until I find my way out of this shadow-land.
So, will you… Hold my hand until I find myself again? ( Anna Konya )

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?

Authenticity. I live the life I talk about. Is not just theoretic knowledge. I am my story, I own where I am now, I show my face, you can see my vulnerability, I do not pretend to know all the answers. I am not willing to play the old games.
My tool is Art, and colors. Is it a useful easy way to improve self awareness? Yes it is ! Is it the only way? Hell, no The world is full with all sort of self healing methods. Everyone should search what resonates best with them. And do the work. The self work. No healer, no helper, no magic pill will help if you do not put in the work for yourself.
My artworks are light coded, high vibration artworks, empowering the feeling of love, peace, wholeness, calmness, deep sense of belonging, kindness and joy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annakonya.com
• Instagram: annakonya_art
• Facebook: Anna Konya Abstract Art