Join us! Feb. 24th Virtual Community Journaling ✍🏻 Circle and Prompts inspired by Quotes!
And a case of exhaustivitis.
Hello Creatives!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a serious case of exhaustivitis lately.
Causes include a combination of personal and collective grief, information overload, Motherhood, lack of mediation and enough movement, and even skimping on journaling! I’m telling on myself here for accountability.
Treatment includes
✍🏻Journaling for at least 3-5 minutes most days (10 min or more when possible).
💃Dance or stretch and three deep breaths breaks as needed.
🎤SINGING!
📚Reading.
Your treatment will be personalized to you.
Perhaps you can relate? If so, hey!
If you got this, and you’re not feeling my exhaustivitis vibe right now, it’s all good! Please know you are so welcome here. Show up as you are. Commiserating not necessary.
It’s been a while since we did a quotes inspired prompts edition. While exhaustivitis is real (okay, I just made it up but the feelings are real!), so is leaning into other’s words or creating our own for healing, inspiration, discovery and exploration.
I just started reading Sue Monk Kidd’s Writing Creativity and Soul. In it, she says:
“Writing is more than creating language and story. It also involves the creation of the self. Writing is about who we were and who we are becoming. It’s a succession of leaps and small brave acts. It’s about what we carry and what we lay down.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about being BOLD and what that means. After reading Sue Monk Kidd’s words here, I was reminded that boldness, like the writing and creativity path, happens in “A succession of leaps and small brave acts.”
Sometimes, these leaps and acts feel quiet. They don’t necessarily announce themselves. They might not jump up and down, wave their arms, do a cartwheel and strike a pose.
BUT
They matter.
Let’s use this quote, one below or another of your choice as our jumping off point today.
✍🏻 JOURNALING PROMPT!
Write about a “leap” or “small brave act” from your creative/writing life. You can write a list if you’d like, then pluck one leap out and write about it in more detail- whatever works for you today.
AND/OR
Pick one phrase or word from the quote, write this in a new document or on a fresh page in your journal and free write from there- a poem, a dialogue, whatever wants to emerge now.
A few more quotes to choose from:
ON HUMANITY
“To be human means to be wounded. The story of one’s life grows around wounds that open to what is truly, deeply human.”
-Michael Meade - The Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of the Soul
(As quoted in Lisa Marchiano’s Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself)
ON PLAY
“Without play, learning and evolution are impossible. Play is the taproot from which original art springs; it is the raw stuff that the artist channels and organizes with all his learning and technique.”
-Stephen Nachmanovitch - Free Play: IMPROVisaTIOn in Life and Art
ON MINDFULNESS
“Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present. It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh - Happiness
After your write:
Read over what you wrote and write a reflection, beginning with any of the following
As I read this, I’m aware of…
As I read this, I’m curious about…
As I read this, I’m surprised by…
My questions (if any) are…
I’d love to hear how this is landing with you today. If you feel so moved, share a favorite quote (one here, not here or one of your own), share your reflection write, what helps you when you’re going through a bout of exhaustivitis - etc., etc., etc.
Upcoming Feb. Virtual Journaling Circle and Online Events
✍🏻 Register for our February Virtual Journaling Circle - meets Tuesday, Feb. 24th, 12:00-1:10 pm ET. We’ll gather once again, take mindful breaths/stretch, write to prompts, share if you’d like and connect in community. Always a confidential and welcoming space. We’d love to see you this Tuesday.
✍🏻 Reclaiming the Self Through Writing two-session workshop. Meets March 4th and March 18th (Wednesdays) - 12:00-1:30 pm ET.
FOUR spots left!
Tune into your inner voice for more nourishment, clarity and connection. Experience the power of live mindful journaling with others in a small group. We begin with an opening prompt, lean in with a main write with space to share and listen. We always close with a verbal or closing write.
Receive personalized prompts to continue your journaling adventure in between sessions if you’d like.
✍🏻 Journal to the Self for Wellness!
Thursdays, April 9th - May 21st (1x/wk), 1:00-2:30 pm ET
Learn over 15 journaling techniques and join over 100K students around the world who have taken Journal to the Self! Class size is limited for an engaging and meaningful experience for all.
Deepen your creativity, wellness tools, and access to the well within.
Commit to a healthier, more aligned you.
Gain greater insight and clarity into your relationships with others and yourself.
Experience the power of community journaling and connect with others.
Reach out with any questions about any of these upcoming online, Live journaling experiences.
Till next time,
Jennifer
P.S Here’s last year's post with more quotes and prompts, plus a short meditation.
“Jennifer is an exquisite facilitator, who opens and holds unique community spaces to explore the unknown… I feel more flexible in my writing and less afraid to engage in creative processes at large. I am forever grateful.”
-O.S, Licensed Creative Therapist, Professor