Rooted in the Making: Creative Women of San Diego pt.VI
Part six: Paulina Youssef
Grounding the Work
Paulina Youssef likes to go by Pau and uses she/ her/ ella pronouns. Pau makes stunning, one of a kind jewelry, with her line being called Azul Bahia. You can follow her on IG at shopazulbahia.
Pau describes her creative practice as a way of exploring ideas and seeing where they take her. She identifies research, journaling, and asking questions as all crucial parts. She feels that she works best when she has a clear deadline along with a clean, organized space in order to help her focus and stay productive. Pau mentions that she’s aware of masking her feelings at times, “I’m learning that being a little vulnerable actually helps me grow and stay grounded.” She feels that wellness includes getting outside, walking the dogs, going to therapy, engaging in DIY projects, hanging out with friends and family, and dancing her heart away at music festivals or even in her living room.
The Path Inward
Following college, Pau worked in a corporate job for 7 years in which she adapted to the norm of climbing the ladder and making more money. It wasn’t until around COVID that she took time to ask herself what she actually wanted and thus began making earrings as a form of therapeutic and creative expression. In asking about how wellness was talked about in her home/ community growing up, Pau says the following: “Growing up in a Mexican and Arab household, wellness wasn’t really a thing we talked about. I only started learning about it in my late 20’s realizing it’s ok to set boundaries, actually talk about my feelings, and most importantly, how to say no.”
Some barriers that Pau came across in finding care were that of cost and difficulty in finding a good fit. She talks about a terrible therapy experience in her 20’s that caused her to even give up looking for quite some time. Years later, “I found affordable programs, learned I can interview therapists to see if it’s a fit, and even find therapists with backgrounds similar to mine. That’s when therapy actually started to feel useful and accessible for me.” In reflecting on previous versions of herself, Pau shares “I thought that success was just saying yes, following the rules, and proving myself at all times. I spent a long time putting my creativity and needs on hold and worrying about what other people expected. Letting go of that helped me trust myself more.”
Restoration
Pau benefits from having a dedicated space to process her thoughts aloud and receive constructive feedback. She thrives in a supportive environment where she can openly and honestly express her feelings without fear of judgment.
The part of her work which feels the most restorative is that of seeing an idea turn into something real. So much in fact – that she identifies this as having a healing component to it. In the end, Pau is just a girl who loves a home cooked meal, binge watching trashy tv, trying out the newest coffee shops, and a little downtime to just relax.
