Tag: self care

Creativity

Journal prompt: Goodbye 2014, hello new year!

Jen Morris

I love this time of year. It always feels like a chance to reflect on the year that’s been and get excited about the year to come.

It feels like a fresh start, a clean slate, a do-over. It feels full of possibility.

But the only real way to get the most out of a new year is to make peace with the year that’s been, then set some clear intentions for the year ahead. If you don’t let go of what’s been, you may drag it into the new year with you.

i am so blessed

I cherish this time of year as a chance to spend extra time with my journal; reflecting, dreaming and planning.

For me, this has been a tremendous year, personally. I’ve started a blog and welcomed my soul sister Kelly on board, I’ve created a regular journaling and creative practice that lights me up, I’ve gotten engaged to the man of my dreams and he and I have begun a journey to build our own little house. I couldn’t be happier with these things.

Professionally, this year has been challenging for me. I’ve been working full-time in a teaching job that I find stressful and, at times, overwhelming. While it certainly has its rewarding and enjoyable moments, as a highly-sensitive person and introvert, it is harder for me than many. Perhaps not the ideal career choice, I now realise after getting to know myself a bit better through my journal. Nonetheless, I made it through the year in one piece.

Our school years run from the start to end of the calendar year in New Zealand, so I am currently in between jobs, deciding upon my next move for next year. Instead of being fearful about this, I’m excited for what could be ahead.

So now, I’m going to take out my journal and explore the year that’s been and the possibilities that lie ahead of me.

>>> Prompt:

Take a fresh page in your journal and create a heading: Goodbye 2014, welcome new year! (Or whatever floats your boat).

Begin by answering some of these questions, and if something stands out to you, go as deep as you like:

  • How would you describe 2014 in one sentence?
  • If you could redo 2014, what would you do differently? Why?
  • List three things that went well for you this year.
  • List three things that did not go well for you this year.
  • What was the absolute highlight of 2014?
  • What was your lowest point?
  • If 2014 was a book, what would be the title? Come up with a few chapter names.
  • Draw a timeline of the year from start to finish with all of your achievements and greatest joys.
  • What was the predominant feeling for you in 2014?

Now, think about the year ahead:

hello 2015

  • If you were writing this at the end of 2015, how would you ideally like to be able to describe the year in one sentence?
  • If 2015 could be a book, what would you like it to be titled? Come up with a few possible chapter names.
  • What do you hope to achieve/do/complete/have happen next year?
  • What will you absolutely make happen, without a doubt?
  • How would you most like to predominantly feel, next year?
  • Create an art journal page or collage that best represents how you would like 2015 to be.
  • Choose one word to guide you through the next 12 months. The word I have chosen for 2015 is focus. Kelly’s word is joy. Choose whatever word most sings to you. If you’re a bit stumped, visit Susannah Conway for guidance on this. Once you’ve chosen your word, write it in big bold letters and put it somewhere you will see it every day.

Most importantly, be kind and gentle with yourself while you go through this process. If this hasn’t been the best year for you, try your best to acknowledge that and then look forward to the new year. It’s a new beginning for us all.

What Inspires Me

Weekly inspiration

Jen Morris

Each week I share the posts and links that I’ve most enjoyed. Feel free to share anything that has inspired you this week in the comments below.

nz xmas flower

Loving these gorgeous stamps and going to try carving some of my own

This brilliant post on how to archive your journals – I am so going to do this!

I’ve already signed up for Lifebook 2015, and I’m also thinking about signing up for The Documented Life Project (it’s free!)

This interesting article (based on the work of James Pennebaker) about how writing about the things that upset us can be healing

An interesting perspective on the reasons not to do morning pages

Really loving these tips on how to deal with feeling a bit creatively stuck

>>> From me: I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, spend some time with your loved ones, and take some time out with your journal to reflect on the things you are most grateful for. Try not to let the Christmas madness overwhelm you!

xo

Creativity

5 ways to fill your creative well

Jen Morris

 

I love to create.

The past two years I have been through a period of intense creativity and inspiration. It has been an amazing journey into the creative unknown, and a feeling of coming home to myself. I’m finally feeling like I’ve found my true creative center.

But right now, after a hard year of work and creative exploration, I’m feeling a little spent. I go to sit down with my art journal and paints, and feel aimless. I try to write a blog post, and feel stuck. I’m even feeling disinterested in picking up my written journal, which is strange because I’ve been writing most days since early this year.

At first, I panicked. All the lovely inspiration and excitement about my creativity was gone! I worried it was a phase, a one-off, a part of my history.

Now, I’m feeling pulled to do things like watch TV shows, read, sleep or browse aimlessly online. I’m trying to want to create, but am finding myself wanting to rest and zone out instead.

Why? Because my creative well is empty. In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron says,

In order to create, we draw from our inner well… we must learn to be self-nourishing… to consciously replenish our creative resources as we draw on them.

I’ve spent the whole year creating – both at home for myself and at work for others. I’m drained.

This is reassuring in this time of creative down-time.

I’m not out of creativity – I just need to refill my creative well.

I think this is something we all need, in order to keep creating. Creativity requires an outpouring of energy from us, so we must refill that in some way.

Cameron goes on to say,

The artist brain is the sensory brain: sight and sound, smell and taste, touch. These are the elements of magic, and magic is the elemental stuff of art. In filling the well, think magic. Think delight. Think fun. Do not think duty. Do not think what you should do… Do what intrigues you, explore what interests you.

This is going to look different for everyone. What inspires and excites one person will possibly bore someone else senseless.

So, in order to refill the creative well, we need to engage our senses. While this can include just bringing presence and awareness to more everyday tasks, I’m looking for something to shake up my routine and reignite the inspiration I was feeling earlier this year.

1. Visit somewhere new

This could be simply going to a new cafe or bookstore that you’ve not yet explored, or it could be taking a drive to a different part of town, or it could be taking some time to go to a new city or country. It doesn’t have to be huge, just go somewhere you’ve not been before, and pay attention to what’s around you. Take your journal and note down what you can see, smell, taste, hear and feel.

2. Rest

This might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but it might be that you are simply tired or burnt-out after a period of creativity or work, and you just need to get your body (and spirit) back into balance. Creativity requires an expenditure of energy and this can be too demanding if we are already feeling run-down. Take some guilt-free time to nap, sleep late, curl up on the couch with a movie, lie in the sun and just be still. After a while you will be itching to get back into it!

3. Go somewhere you find inspiring

This could be an art gallery, your local library, a favourite restaurant, a scenic lookout with a fantastic view, a favourite hiking spot, a secluded beach, a music store, an art store… whatever it is that reminds you about the creative possibilities for your life. Take your journal and freewrite about the feelings of inspiration that arise.

4. Do something new

Listen to music you’ve not listened to before, try a new food or recipe, read a book by a new author, watch a film that is a different genre to your usual favourites, meet new people in a class or meetup group, learn a new skill like dancing, knitting, guitar, or even just rearrange the furniture in your house. Surprise and delight your senses by doing something unexpected. Make a list in your journal of things you’ve always wanted to try and do one of them.

5. Get rid of stuff

It’s easy to slowly accumulate things: clothes we don’t wear, art supplies we don’t use, books we don’t read, sports gear and fitness equipment that started with the best intentions… after a while this can feel overwhelming. The physical space this excess stuff fills also spills over into our creative space. You need to make room, both physically and spiritually, for inspiration to flourish and your creativity to bloom. In your journal make a list of  5 things you could get rid of every day for the next 30 days, either big or small. Sell them or donate them to charity – either way, you will start to notice a space opening up as you make room for your creativity and inspiration.

*  *  *

Regardless of what you do, Cameron notes that paying attention is most important: put your phone away, your laptop away, take your headphones out of your ears, stop worrying and be present.

In your journal, note down which of the above ideas appeals most to you. It could be helpful to write your own list of ways to fill your creative well when you are feeling drained, so that you can easily turn to it to find inspiration again.

How do you fill your creative well? Share in the comments below.

Creativity, Self Empowerment

Journal prompt: I need…

Jen Morris

It’s easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of every day life. Sometimes we are so busy running from one thing to the next that we forget to do the things we need to look after ourselves. In other words, we let our self-care take a backseat.

Sometimes, just bringing awareness to things we need at a particular time in our lives can help us start to address the imbalance.

I know for me that I have been feeling especially run-down and unwell lately. This is a sign that my body, mind and spirit need things that I’m not currently providing. So, I found this simple journal prompt to be really helpful.

>>> Prompt:I need more

Take a blank page in your journal. If you like to write big, a two page spread might be better.

At the top of one page, write the words ‘I need more…’ and then write ‘I need less…’ at the top of the other page.

Then, write whatever comes to mind under each of the headings.

You may choose to do this in list format, as a mindmap, or just stream-of-consciousness. You could even do it as an art journal page and doodle/draw or collage images and colours that represent how you want to feel. Do whatever feels best for you.

If you want to stay focused on the positive, then you might just do the ‘I need more’ list.

Here are a few of the things from my lists right now:

I need more:

  • magic
  • time out in nature
  • art-making
  • connection
  • rest
  • nourishing food
  • action

I need less:

  • rushing
  • stress
  • numbing
  • television
  • worry
  • comparison
  • doubt

Your lists may look similar to mine, or they may be totally different.

You might find that there are a few things on the list that appear to be in conflict with one another. For example, on my ‘I need more list’ I put both rest and action. I can take these two words and do some free-writing to explore this further.

It might also be helpful to choose one or two things that really stand out to you from each list, then jot down a few ideas of how to get more/less of that thing.

So for me, I want more rest and less television, more creativity and less numbing – I could spend more time reading, journaling and napping when I feel tired, rather than turning to television or the internet to distract myself.

What do you most need right now? Share your experiences with this prompt in the comments below.

What Inspires Me

Weekly inspiration

Jen Morris

Each week I share links to the posts and pages that have most inspired me. Feel free to share anything that has inspired you in the comments below.

wellington waterLoving this idea of being deliberate with our words by Jamie Ridler.

This post is a bit old, but the message is timeless. Wise words for anyone struggling at the moment.

This is such a simple question to ask ourselves each day. A good journal prompt to get you thinking.

This fantastic list of art journal prompts.

A simple journal prompt that could lead to big change.

Have a lovely and inspiring week!

Creativity

Overcoming my creative wall: Peek inside my new journal

Jen Morris

I’ll be honest – I haven’t been feeling all that creative lately. I’ve been in a bit of a creativity rut.

As the school year wraps up and I’m slowing down, the tiredness from three and a half full terms has hit.

I’m still journaling most days, but creatively, I’ve hit a bit of a wall.

But you see, I want to create. I keep browsing instagram and looking at all these amazing art journals (I’m always inspired when looking at work by Samie Harding, Lisa Sonora, Mary Wangerin and Nichole Rae, to name a few) but I can’t bring myself to pick up my paintbrush.

The solution? Create a new journal (this seems to be a pattern with me…)

space for creativityBut this journal is all about using magazine images with words I find, and words I add, to create my own images. A kind of visioning/collage process. It takes away my inertia because there are ready-made images to work with.

I love looking through magazines to find images that inspire me. I’m careful about what I read, and I tend to be drawn to the same sorts of images time and again:

  • Landscapes, trees, gardens, nature – green
  • Water, sky – blue
  • Beds and pillows
  • Cups or tea or coffee, teapots
  • Books, handwriting, journals
  • Deskscapes
  • Bright colours
  • Crafty things like knitting, sewing, painting
  • Images of families
  • Simple, rustic houses – wood, stone, exposed beams, cosy fireplaces etc

At first I felt like this didn’t count as ‘creativity’ – but then I had a wee chuckle. Creativity is anything really. And besides, I’m taking images and arranging them in unique ways, with my own words and ideas. The images are really just a building block.

image

image

image

image

image

I want to get back into painting and I will when I’m rested and open to it. For now, playing with these words and images is soothing my creative urges.

How do you break out of a creativity rut?

What Inspires Me

Sunday gratitude

Jen Morris

I am going back to work tomorrow after a two-week break. In truth, I’m a little apprehensive about it.

The past term was tough and there were a few times I felt myself being pulled away from all the wonderful creative practices I have worked so hard to cultivate in my life. This term, I determined to remain focused on the things that matter and to draw clear boundaries between work and home.

I’m lucky, in a sense, to get regular time away from work to recover – although I must say that without it I think most teachers wouldn’t last the year.

The past two weeks have allowed me time to catch my breath, move a little slower and savour more of my time. I’ve spent more time being creative, relaxing, resting, outside walking, journaling, planning my business, dreaming, planning my tiny house, and just generally not feeling so stressed and overwhelmed.

It has been lovely.

Here are a few of the things I am most grateful for, from the past week:

  • Sleeping more (something I don’t get to do enough during the term!)
  • Spending time with family, friends and my partner
  • Taking my pup for more walks
  • Having the time to create my blog planner
  • Making my lunch fresh, at home, every day
  • Reading in bed until late morning
  • Watching some of my favourite TV shows
  • Journaling more often
  • Having time to read blogs and other inspirational material online
  • Just pottering around the house, sometimes aimlessly, and staying in my PJs well past breakfast…

As I head back to work tomorrow, I am mindful focusing on the positive and maintaining my creative practices in my own time.

What are you most grateful for this week?

Creativity

Journal prompt: I don’t want to write about…

Jen Morris

What do you avoid writing about? Why?

Now that I’ve gotten back into the swing of simple written journaling, I’m finding myself gradually peeling back the layers behind my words. I’m also on a break from work, so I have more time to really delve deep.

The other day, on my weekend getaway to the beach, I found myself carefully dancing around a few issues in my journal. Actually, no, I was flat-out avoiding them.

I wanted to write. I picked up my journal and jotted down a few straightforward lines, but I kept hovering at the surface.

Eventually, I wrote: There are some things I am avoiding talking about right now. Then, to maintain momentum, I listed them off quickly, one after the other.

dont-want-to-write

And just seeing them on the page in front of me was a relief. Why I had I been so scared to write these things down? And besides, what was my journal for if not to explore and resolve problems I’m having?

I decided to be brave and venture further. It was a conscious choice – I decided I wanted to face and explore these things, even though that might feel uncomfortable.

Well, it was a good idea, because it led me to several solutions. And for those issues I didn’t manage to resolve, I certainly felt a sense of relief. There’s something about putting the scary things in our heads down in words that takes away their power.

>>> Prompt:

Take some time out when you won’t be disturbed and make sure you are somewhere you feel safe.

Write at the top of the page: I don’t want to write about/I am avoiding talking about…

Take a deep breath and remind yourself that whatever emotions you feel, you can handle them. Then, let the words flow out of your pen. *

If it feels a bit daunting, you could set a timer and write only for say, 10 minutes. However, I felt the best after letting my issues reach a natural resolution in my journal. This doesn’t mean they were solved, but it means that I felt like I had naturally finished saying what I wanted to at that point. I think if I had set a timer it may have felt unresolved.

If it feels like nothing is coming, or you feel too afraid to face whatever the issue is, that is ok. You could wait for a bit, or simply leave the exercise for another day. Be kind to yourself, go gently.

I suggest you only do this exercise when you feel like you are prepared to deal with whatever comes up. For example, I wrote about my difficult things when I was away somewhere that I always feel safe, a place I go to rest and relax. I also had my best friend in the next room if I felt I needed someone further to talk to.

*Note: obviously a journal, as wonderful as it is, cannot be a replacement for a qualified mental health professional. If you are dealing with some serious trauma then please seek the appropriate professional help. Journaling can be a wonderful tool to use along with therapy but certainly cannot be a replacement for it if your situation calls for it.

Creativity

Back from a weekend break: Art journal peeks

Jen Morris

I’ve just come back from a lovely weekend away with my best friend. We spent the entire weekend talking about our exciting new business venture, drinking wine, art journaling, walking on the beach and resting. Not to mention (she is an avid journaler too) we stole a few quiet hours away alone each day to journal.

I am finally starting to feel like myself again after what has possibly been the most difficult term of my teaching career.

Journaling in my lined written journal has been great, just getting back to basics. As I had the time this weekend to just write as much as I wanted to, I found myself exploring issues that have been bubbling away below the surface for a while now. unsurprisingly, solutions came to me as I wrote.

All in all, a very healing weekend.

I worked quite a lot with my paints in my altered book, too. Below are a few peeks of my favourite bits.

altered book 03

altered book 05

altered book 06

altered book 04

I didn’t really realise quite how much blue and turquoise I had used until I looked back through these pictures! I guess I was using those lovely colours to invoke a sense of calm and peace after a hectic few months at work.

I also notice now that the theme of travel, journeys and freedom came up a few times. I think I’m feeling the need to go out into the world and take a break from stress!

I’m lucky to now have two weeks away from work to unwind. People always joke that teachers have it so easy with ‘all the holidays’ but boy, do we need them.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and took some time out to journal.

Creativity

Back to basics

Jen Morris

I’m not someone who does things by halves. If I become interested in something new, I don’t tend to just dip my toe in. I dive straight into the deep end, head-first. I buy all the books, sign up for all the courses, join all the groups.

Journaling is no exception.

In the past six months I must have bought at least 10 journaling books, signed up for at least 5 online courses, not including the free ones, and of course started a blog on all things journaling.

Then I jumped on the art journaling bandwagon. written-journalingI gathered as many supplies as I could, got the books, joined the courses. I have at least 4 art journals on the go right now.

In fact, I got so into creative journaling and art journaling that I drifted away from my roots – written journaling. The thing that I’ve been doing for years – the thing that started it all.

I got so inspired by art journalers and their magic that I all but abandoned my written journaling in order to play with colour and images.

But I miss just using my words.

I’m a writer, at my core. This new foray into the world of art journaling is fascinating, and exciting, and is challenging my preconceived ideas of who I am. Apparently I have an artistic side! How very exciting.

But I do miss just writing, for hours, letting the words pour out of me onto the page: not fussing with washi tape or gesso or colours or stamps.

I began with words, and I will always return to words.

Art journaling has its place – I love playing with colour and stamps and collage and just having fun. But sometimes I just need to go ‘blah’ and do a brain dump onto the page: get all the tangled thoughts out so I can see them, rather than have them swirling in my head.

So despite the fact that I declared I would stick to just two journals (who was I kidding?) I have now started a new journal. This journal is lined, so I’m not tempted to start getting art-farty in there (besides the occasional stamp or sticker…). Instead, the focus is just getting my thoughts down onto the page.

A return to where I began: written journaling. Going back to basics.