Creative Journey

Cultivate inner calm with meditation: Demystify meditation and explore accessible techniques to find peace amidst the chaos of daily life.

On this episode, we continue our discussion about embracing solitude and cultivating inner piece.

This week we start our discussion of mbracing solitude and cultivating inner piece.

Building on the resilience cultivated and taking purposeful actions moving forward from life's inevitable setbacks.

On this epsiode, we continue our discussion of chapter 10, they don't resent other people's successes, in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

On this episode, we continue our discussion of chapter 10, they don't give up after the first failure, in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

On This episode we start chapter 10, They don't give up after the first failure, from the book 13 things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Morin.

On this episode, we conclude our discussion of chapter 9, they don't resent other people's successes, in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

On this episode, we continue our discussion of chapter 9, they don't resent other people' ssuccesses, from the book 13 things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Morin.

On this episode, we continue our discussion of chapter 9, they don't resent other people's successes, in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we start our discussion of chapter 9, they don't resent other people's successes, from the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 8, understanding and changing patterns, in the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Morin.

This week we continue discussing chapter 8, understanding patterns, from the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 8, They don't make the same mistakes, from the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we start chapter 8, Making the same mistakes over and over again, from the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 7, dwelling on the past, from the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 7, dwelling on the past, in the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't do.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 7, Dwelling on the past, in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we start our discussion of chapter 7, dwelling on the past, in the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 6, calculated risks, from the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't do by amy Morin.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 6 in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do called calculated risks.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 6, dwelling on the past in the book 13 things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Morin.

This week we start chapter 6, dwelling on the past, in the book 13 things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Morin.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 5 in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin called They don't worry about pleasing everyone.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 5 they don't worry about pleasing everyone in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do.

This week, we continue our discussion of chapter 5, they don't worry about pleasing everyone in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do.

This week we start discussion of chapter 5, they Don't Worry about Pleasing Everyone in the book 13 things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Morin.

this week, we continue our discussion of chapter 4, they don't focus on things they can't control in the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

This week we continue our discussion of chapter 4 of the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin entitled They don't focus on things they can't control.

This episode starts chapter 4, they don't focus on things they can't control in the book 13 things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Morin.

This episode continues our discussion of chapter 4 They don't shy away from change of the book 13 things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Morin.

This episode continues our discussion of chapter 3, they don't shy away from change in the book 13 thins mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

This episode, we continue our discussion of chapter 3, they don't shy away from change in the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Morin.

This week we continue discussing chapter 3 They don't Shy away from change from the book 13 things mentally strong people don't do by Amy Morin.

This week we start chapter 3 of the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Morin entitled they don't shy away from change.

This week we continue talking about the chapter entitled, they don't give away their power in the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Morin.

We continue working on chapter 2 They don't give away their power from the book Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People Don't do by Amy Moren.

This week we finish up chapter 1 they don't waste time feeling sorry for themselves. and Start chapter 2 They don't give away their power in the book Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Moren.

This week we continue Chapter 1: They don't waste time feeling sorry for themselves in the book Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Moren.

This is The start of chapter 1 of the book Thirteen Thins Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Moren. They Don't Waste Time Feeling Sorry For Themselves.

This is the first episode of the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People don't do by Amy Moren.

This is week 12 of the book. This is the last episode for this season. Season 2 will start shortly.

Episode Notes This is week 11 of the artist's way. Recovering a sense of Autonomy.

Book title: The artists way. topic: Recovering a Sense of Identity

Recovering a sense of strength is the topic of this episode.

This is a discussion of week 7 of the book The Artists' Way.

We continue the discussion of the artists's way with Scarcity and AbundanceEpisode Notes Notes go here

Episode Notes Kaila was on Vacation this week, so we spend some time getting to know the participants with some fun ice breaker questions and answers.

Recovering a Sense of Integrity

Recovering Our Power Describe your childhood bedroom. If you wish, you may sketch this room. What was your favorite thing about it? What's your favorite thing about your bedroom right now? Nothing? Well, get something you like in there—maybe something from that old childhood bedroom. Tasks   Describe five traits you liked in yourself as a child. Next, write a little bit about why each one appeals to you And a treat: List five favorite childhood foods. Buy yourself one of them this week. Yes, Jell-O with bananas is okay   Habits: Take a look at your habits. Many of them may interfere with your self-nurturing and cause shame. Some of the oddest things are self- destructive. Do you have a habit of watching TV you don't like? Do you have a habit of hanging out with a really boring friend and just killing time (there's an expression!)? Some rotten habits are obvious, overt (drinking too much, smoking, eating instead of writing). List three obvious rotten habits. What's the payoff in continuing them? Some rotten habits are more subtle (no time to exercise, little time to pray, always helping others, not getting any self-nurturing, hanging out with people who belittle your dreams). List three of your subtle foes. What use do these forms of sabotage have? Be specific.   Make a list of friends who nurture you—that's nurture (give you a sense of your own competency and possibility), not enable (give you the message that you will never get it straight without their help). There is a big difference between being helped and being treated as though we are helpless. Describe which of these friends' traits, particularly, serve you well.   Call a friend who treats you like a really good and bright person who can accomplish things. Part of your recovery is reaching out for support. This support will be critical as you undertake new risks.   Inner Compass: Each of us has an inner compass. This is an instinct that points us toward health. It warns us when we are on dangerous ground, and it tells us when something is safe and good for us. Morning pages are one way to contact it. So are some other artist-brain activities—painting, driving, walking, scrubbing, running. This week, take an hour to follow your inner compass by doing an artist-brain activity and listening to what insights bubble up. Record them below.   List five people you admire whom you would feel safe praising publicly. Now list five people you secretly admire. What traits do these people have that you can cultivate further in yourself   List five people who are dead whom you wish you had met while they were alive. Now list five people who are dead whom you'd like to hang out with for a while in eternity. What traits do you find in these people that you can look for in your friends   Compare the two sets of lists. Take a look at what you really like and really admire—and a look at what you think you should like and admire. Your shoulds might tell you to admire Edison, while your heart belongs to Houdini. Go with the Houdini side of you for a while. How many days this week did you do your morning pages? How was the experience for you? If you skipped a day, why did you skip it? Did you do your artist's date this week? (Yes, yes, and it was awful.) What did you do? How did it feel? Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it? Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them. Check-In   Theresa Breeden     -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#9): https://groups.io/g/creativejourney/message/9 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/89195577/6737026 Group Owner: creativejourney+owner@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/creativejourney/leave/11063485/6737026/872607470/xyzzy [creativejourney.kc@gmail.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Recovering a Sense of Identity Where does your time go? List your five major activities this week. How much time did you give to each one? Which were what you wanted to do and which were shoulds? How much of your time is spent helping others and ignoring your own desires? Have any of your blocked friends triggered doubts in you? Draw a circle below. Inside this circle, place topics you need to protect. Place the names of those you find to be supportive. Outside the circle, place the names of those you must be self-protective around just now. Use this map to support your autonomy. Add names to the inner and outer spheres as appropriate: “Oh! Derek is somebody I shouldn't talk to about this right now.   List twenty things you enjoy doing (rock climbing, roller-skating, baking pies, making soup, making love, making love again, riding a bike, riding a horse, playing catch, shooting baskets, going for a run, reading poetry, and so forth). When was the last time you let yourself do these things? Next to each entry, place a date. Don't be surprised if it's been years for some of your favorites. That will change. This list is an excellent resource for artist's dates   From the preceding list, write down two favorite things that you've avoided that could be this week's goals. These goals can be small: buy one roll of film and shoot it. Remember, we are trying to win you some autonomy with your time. Look for windows of time just for you, and use them in small creative acts. Get to the record store at lunch hour, even if only for fifteen minutes. Stop looking for big blocks of time when you will be free. Find small bits of time instead. Record below what you did and how you managed to fit it into Your schedule.   Return to the list of imaginary lives from last week. List five more lives below. Now write down plans for doing bits and pieces of these lives in the one you are living now. If you have listed a dancer's life, do you let yourself go dancing? If you have listed a monk's life, are you ever allowed to go on a retreat? If you are a scuba diver, is there an aquarium shop you can visit? A day at the lake you could schedule   Life Pie: Draw a circle below. Divide it into six pieces of pie. Label one piece “spirituality,” another “exercise,” another “play,” and so on with “work,” “friends,” and “romance/adventure.” Place a dot in each slice at the degree to which you are fulfilled in that area (outer rim indicates great; inner circle, not so great). Connect the dots. This will show you where you are lopsided. As you begin the course, it is not uncommon for your life pie to look like a tarantula. As recovery progresses, your tarantula may become a mandala. Working with this tool, you will notice that there are areas of your life that feel impoverished and on which you spend little or no time. Use the time tidbits you are finding to alter this. If your spiritual life is minimal, even a five-minute pit stop into a synagogue or cathedral can restore a sense of wonder. Many of us find that five minutes of drum music can put us in touch with our spiritual core. For others, it's a trip to a greenhouse. The point is that even the slightest attention to our impoverished areas can nurture them. List three ways to make your circle less lopsided.   Ten Tiny Changes: List ten changes you'd like to make for yourself, from the significant to the small or vice versa (“get new sheets so I have another set, go to China, paint my kitchen, dump my bitchy friend Alice”). Do it this way: As the morning pages nudge us increasingly into the present, where we pay attention to our current lives, a small shift like a newly painted kitchen can yield a luxuriously large sense of self-care.   Select one small item from the list of ten changes and make it a goal for this week. At week's end, describe your results below. How many days this week did you do your morning pages? (We're hoping seven, remember.) How was the experience for you? How did the morning pages work for you? Describe them (for example, “They felt so stupid. I'd write all these itty-bitty disconnected things that didn't seem to have anything to do with one another or with anything”). Remember, if you are writing morning pages, they are working for you. What were you surprised to find yourself writing about? Answer this question in full on your check-in page. This will be a weekly self-scan of your moods, not your progress. Don't worry if your pages are whiny and trite. Sometimes that's the very best thing for you. Did you do your artist's date this week? Remember that artist's dates are a necessary frivolity. What did you do? How did it feel? Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them. Check-In   Theresa Breeden     -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#8): https://groups.io/g/creativejourney/message/8 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/89195174/6737026 Group Owner: creativejourney+owner@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/creativejourney/leave/11063485/6737026/872607470/xyzzy [creativejourney.kc@gmail.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-