this week covered the topics of anger, synchronicity, shame, and dealing with criticism which all play important roles in recovering our sense of power.
anger is a red flag telling us that a situation needs our attention. it lets us know when a situation just isn't right.
synchronicity is a universal response to a prayer/thought/request and we need to be open to receiving it.
shame is a controlling device that often cripples us emotionally and creatively. we have the power to break free.
criticism, if given in a constructive way, can be very helpful to our creative growth. whereas, criticism aimed to belittle, ridicule or shame is very damaging. julia gave us some useful tools to handle both types. for the constructive criticism, we can take notes and use it as a guide for future endeavours. for the harmful criticism, we can write a letter to the critic and defend our work but not mail the letter or we can see the criticism for what it is, choose to ignore it, and just keep on creating.
we were given an exercise to help weed out areas of our past that may have caused creative blocks.
- my favourite childhood toy was my doll, bess.
- my favourite childhood game was playing phantom agents with my brothers and sisters.
- my favourite childhood movie was basically any movie that starred, shirley temple.
- i don't do it much but i enjoy sitting at the beach and taking in the magnificent view of the sea.
- if i could lighten up a little, i'd let myself go without makeup now and again.
- if it weren't too late, i'd be more active at marketing my art.
- my favourite musical instrument is the Native American flute.
- the amount of money i spend on treating myself to entertainment each month varies month to month. entertainment for me is going to the movies...easy pleased.
- if i weren't so stingy with my artist, i'd buy her a...... (to be honest, i don't think i'm stingy when it comes to my art. art supplies always win out over clothes, etc.)
- taking time out for myself is lying on my bed reading a good book.
- i'm afraid that if i start dreaming and those dreams come to fruition that i will be pushed outside of my comfort zone and fail.
- i secretly enjoy reading....... well, geez, how boring am i?! no secret reading here.
- if i had the perfect childhood i'd have grown up to be a woman brimming with self-confidence and a bubbly, fun personality.
- if it didn't sound so crazy, i'd make a......(i was stumped on this one)....told you i'm boring.
- my parents think artists are talented and creative. they are always singing my praises, bless their hearts.
- my source/god thinks artists are perfect just the way they are.
- what makes me feel weird about this recovery is that....(i don't really feel weird about it....anything that can open me up more creatively is something i get excited about).
- learning to trust myself is something i'm getting better at.
- my most cheer-me-up music is......funnily, i don't turn to music to cheer me up....usually i will watch some comedy movies/series....love watching the TV series, friends!
- my favourite way to dress is long, flowing dresses/skirts and camisole tops.
describe our childhood room
i can't remember my childhood room. for the life of me, i don't remember too much about my childhood at all. it's all quite vague in some areas but i answered where i could.
five traits i liked in myself as a child
loving, happy, giving, compassionate and imaginative
five favourite foods as a child
golden circle pineapple juice, fried rice, curry and rice, sausage rolls, jam and cream doughnuts.
five people i wish i had met but who are dead
princess diana, mahatma gandhi, joseph campbell, beatrix potter, sister teresa
morning pages - yes, i did my morning pages daily. no real breakthroughs there though i am enjoying writing out three affirmations, five times each, at the end of my morning pages.
artist date - nope! i'm afraid the week was way too busy with helping michelle and alex move house. mind you, michelle and i have been on a few outings together which involved buying some art supplies so maybe i can count that?
synchronicity - i don't think anything happened that would fit into this area though i've been so busy, i may not have noticed anyway.
issues - no issues for me this week. i've been pretty much on a high with my daughter, michelle, moving closer.
to read more from other artist's way members you can click the picture link at the beginning of this post.
love, light and peace
I loved reading this!
ReplyDeleteand well done you on doing the pages, I did mine once, but I do have an excuse - absolutely exhausted after the birth of the grandson and subsequent babysitting a 18mth old..
and you know.. let the make-up stay off.. I hardly ever wear it! let your natural beauty shine xoxo
I love seeing your progress. And learning more about you in the process.
ReplyDeleteSerena,
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading about your update, your lists, and all. You are quite an inspiring woman. :)
It was enlightening to read this - I think perhaps I took the process a little too seriously when I tried it. Fear of failure pops up in the oddest places!
ReplyDeleteYou are doing so good with this. I, on the other hand, am behind again. This time due to the long holiday weekend we just had. And now I'm playing catch up again.
ReplyDeletePhantom agents? Never heard of that game. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is never to late for you to promote and market your art! You are even doing it here on your blog.
Not wearing makeup is freeing, I agree.
Thanks for writing all these down since I don't have my book anymore. Fun to kind of join you a step behind. I'm not doing morning pages, tho. Great idea to end them with affirmations! And--yes!!! Shopping with Michelle for art supplies should count as an artist's date! :):)
You've done good this week!
ReplyDeleteSerena,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your lists with all of us! I always find something inspiring when I read your blog. :)
Just stopping by to see how you are doing. Hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your wonderful comments, everyone....much appreciated that you are following along with me on my Artist's Way journey.
ReplyDeleteRita, Phantom Agents was a TV series that my siblings and I would watch each week. It was of Japanese origin with English voice-overs and it was about a group of six ninja agents who worked for the Espionage Department in Japan and would fight secret crime organisations. We loved it and would often pretend we were the agents in make-believe games.
Sounds like a wild TV show! Now I will picture you as a little phantom agent--hehe! :)
ReplyDelete