Put your phone in a sock
I was feeling frazzled recently, so I gave myself some instructions. I thought you might need them too: I want you to close your laptop and put it in a dark corner. Then, turn off your phone, put it in a sock, and leave it in your sock drawer. There are a lot of things calling your attention right now. There’s washing that needs to be hung out, and you really need to call that guy back, and you haven’t exercised all week, and is that playdough mashed into the carpet, or worse? Also, oh god. There is that really big looming terrifying project which you haven’t even started yet. Plus that baby orca died and the world is literally ending, or beginning, or something. And you should really call the dentist. I get it. You have so many more urgent and important things to do than this. NONETHELESS. I want you to stride through your house bravely and with conviction, and I want you to find a blank sheet of paper. Maybe even a journal. Stay focused! Find a pen. Then sit down. You are going to do some free-writing and it is going to make you feel better. Start with this at the top of your page: ‘Outside of me...’. Keep writing until your page is full. Any time you get stuck, return to the starter. You know the rules: 1. Keep your hand moving. 2. Lose control. 3. Be specific. 4. Don’t think. 5. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar. 6. You are free to write junk. 7. Go for the jugular. Once the page is full, turn it over, and start with this: ‘Inside of me...’. Keep writing until the page is full. That's it! Well done. I love you. Come back here and tell me what happened. Jennifer Piercy says "Acknowledge your inner-webs before you check the inter-webs." For me, writing freely and creatively is one of the best tools I have for connecting back in with myself.
The words don't always make sense; they aren't necessarily interesting or wise or funny. But the practice of simply sitting and following my own thread, wherever it takes me always makes me feel more present and alive. And, when I do this with others, it supercharges the practice in so many ways. P.S. Next year I really want you to make your art and I am offering a new programme to support you to do it.
'Make It Tangible' is a 6-month mentorship programme for sensitive revolutionaries to bring their secret creative dreams from the world of imagination into the world of tangible reality. You will learn essential tools to harness your creative power, so you can make the art and the impact you are here to make. There are different levels to choose from, to suit you needs: whether you just want more creative play in your life, you want to start taking bigger creative risks, or you want deep support to birth something big. We kick off in January 2023. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll make sure you are the first to know when bookings open. |