Creative Life Midwife

Inspiring Artistic Rebirth

Do You Feel Your 2022 Word?

by 5 Comments

Framework of a home being built and the words "What's Your Word for 2022"?

What’s your word of the year for 2022?

Commemorating each new year by naming it with a theme or intention is something I have done for years. I can trace it back to at least 2009 and every year since then I have boldly declared an overarching theme to frame the new year.

Last year I declared 2021 would be my adventure year, and yes it was. Much of the adventuring wasn’t what I expected and yes, it fit the frame.

In 2020, it was intrepid and yes, I needed to claim that over and over again as we floundered in the early pandemic and continued into social unrest.

This year, I have a fiercely gentle word to frame both what I do and who I am.

I am claiming 2022 to be framed with presence. 

What is framing your 2022?

Feeling (20)22 borrowing from Taylor Swift
Borrowing from Taylor Swift

Presence as experienced in being mindful, deliberate, focused, aware.

Present in action through making choices that are aligned with purpose, passion and taking the greater good for my fellow humans into consideration as well.

Presence as in acknowledging the depth of feelings and how they may, at times, overwhelm – and right the wobbly while riding the waves and curves and the messes that will show up.

Presence as in forgiveness, compassion, joy, humility, gleeful laughter.

Definitely, 2022 calls for my most present heart to be engaged.

If you don’t have a word yet, here’s help right now!

If you don’t have a word as of yet, part of the Vlogmas celebration I put together on my YouTube channel included a free guide to take you through a process – or at least offer some direction to recognize and claim your word, even giving permission for you to explore before definitely saying THIS IS IT!

To Download Your Word of the year Planner, visit here. I’m so grateful to be celebrating Vlogmas with you!

This is Julie JordanScott Jordan Scott in Bakersfield, California.

Julie JordanScott is a Creative Life Coach, an award-winning storyteller, actor and poet whose photos and mixed media art graces the walls of collectors across the United States. Her writing has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers List, the Amazon best sellers list and on American Greetings Holiday cards (and other greeting cards). She currently lives in a manse in Sussex, NJ, where she is working on finishing her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

We Wish You a Merry Vlogmas and Bountiful 2022 Word of the Year

by Leave a Comment

I can feel it coming now!

Announcement of 12 Days of Vlogmas

Planning for 2022 have begun in earnest for some of us and for others, waiting and intuitive listening is the way to be open the “what’s next of 2022.”

Begin Your 2022 Preparations with a Word of the Year

Something I do annually is to craft – intentionally – a Word of the Year.

People create a word of the year in place of a New Year’s resolution – which is often broken or forgotten before the year even begins. It allows you to form your goals and intentions with the word as a theme or a frame for what you would like to take form in 2022.

Whether you take an intuitive or structured approach, this workbook will bring more insights before the new year begins.

Because I value taking time with the process, I have created a Workbook for you to use to purposefully bring your word for 2022 to light. It includes a 7 step process including creativity coaching questions, prompts and ideas.

If you take an intuitive approach, you are preparing and opening the door slowly.

If you take a more structured approach, this will help to bring energy and oomph to the work you are doing.

Vlogmas Video and Download:

To Download Your Word of the year Planner, visit here. I’m so grateful to be celebrating Vlogmas with you!

Julie JordanScott is a Creative Life Coach, an award-winning storyteller, actor and poet whose photos and mixed media art graces the walls of collectors across the United States. Her writing has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers List, the Amazon best sellers list and on American Greetings Holiday cards (and other greeting cards). She currently lives in a manse in Sussex, NJ, where she is working on finishing her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

Writing Flash Fiction for Fun to Ignite Memories for Life Writing (and even a Bonus Video!)

by 3 Comments

I didn’t feel like writing today. I am tired and more than a little bit grumpy AND I knew if I showed up at the page, anyway, something would happen.

I took a prompt from a community I am in and used it differently than expected. I don’t know why I felt like writing some very short fiction, but I did. From writing fiction, a memory of early childhood popped up wanting to be heard.

Show up at the page consistently and writing magic will happen.

I went from not wanting to write to having an a-ha simply because I showed up (even though I didn’t want to show up and write.)

I know not everyone agrees with the belief if you show up at the page everyday, your writing will improve. I believe some writing every day is better than no writing, anyday.

There is gold dust in this advice for me – is there any for you? Here are the steps I took on this day when I didn’t feel like writing.

Step One: Write Very Short Fiction Vignette

Laura felt herself shift slightly in her seat, not consciously meaning to shake off the nagging anxiety as she looked at Maureen’s instagram worthy kitchen. The simple act of pouring a cup of coffee was an artform to Maureen. She didn’t mean to make Laura feel anything but welcome.

“I have loved being here in Salem since Tom and I arrived last Spring,” bubbled Maureen, her words as effervescent as her kitchen decor. “I joined the women’s book club and the progressive dinner we have every month, are you interested to join us?”

Laura opened her mouth to respond but before she could say anything, Maureen continued speaking, “There’s no need for you to feel out of place. We don’t have many single women in the neighborhood… unless you count Barbara… and she is around eighty-years-old, after all, and a widow but she still sets an incredible table and bakes brownies like nobody’s business!”

Maureen made excellent coffee, dressed beautifully and seemed to be lonelier than she appeared, but Laura wasn’t sure coming over here was such a good idea. She sipped her coffee, attempting to look dainty and interested in the conversational monologue.

“We read “Little Fires Everywhere” last month. One of the primary characters was single and an artist, like you!” Maureen laughed.

“I loved ‘Little Fires,’ too.” she answered. “The Hulu series terrified me, though.”

Maureen’s neck stiffened and her eyebrows knit together. “Oh, I don’t watch much TV. Tom and I prefer reading or playing board games in the evening.”

Laura took a larger gulp of coffee and stopped hiding her awkwardness. Now is the time, she decided, to stop being herself and embody one of her more bubbly, Stepford Wives-like characters from her best selling cozy mystery series, “Crab Apple Cove Coffee Shop Girls”

“Really? Me, too! Do you like puzzles?” 

This lightened Maureen’s face right back into her happy hostess mode and the rest of the afternoon was an uneventful coo-and-awww party about the wonders of how to nurture a relationship with one’s accountant husband. 

At least Laura walked away with a new character sketch for her next novel. When Maureen said goodbye she was convinced she had made a life-long friend.

Step 2: Write a Vignette from your life: a mini-memoir

It’s surprising the memories that rise to the surface through visual imagery and storytelling. When I saw this image I wanted to replicate it in my world at first. Being new to Sussex, I have yet to make any “meet me for coffee” friends – though I trust I will soon.

I remembered as I wrote the fiction vignette how when I was a little girl, my mother was in the Junior League. Oftentimes the children who weren’t in school yet would tag along to the morning coffee meetings where the ladies would discuss their projects.

I think they were doing some sort of entertainment and my mother brought a bling-bling headband that wasn’t quite fancy enough for the character who became Maureen in the story. I remember even as a pre-schooler I realized my mother was hurt and felt less-than under the eyes of her fellow Junior-Leaguer.

Shauna Niequist said, “True hospitality is when people leave feeling better about themselves and not better about you.”

Neither the woman from nearly six decades ago did this for my mother nor did Maureen do this for Laura, even though Laura walked away with a new character sketch!

Step 3: Add some bonuses, like an engagement question and a video:

How can your events be more hospitable to those who attend, even if it is a simple cup of coffee one-on-one in a coffee shop or working with other women at a holiday fundraising event?

You might notice I even used the same graphic for the video cover and the featured image for this blog post. In less than an hour and a half, I have content I may reuse and repurpose – and made a good use of time on a day when I “didn’t feel like it”.

Below the video, you can see a place to join the Writing Group I mention in the video – a space where you may also receive writing prompts and community, the Let Our Words Flow Creative Community. I hope you will join us!

Julie JordanScott is a Creative Life Coach, an award-winning storyteller, actor and poet whose photos and mixed media art graces the walls of collectors across the United States. Her writing has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers List, the Amazon best sellers list and on American Greetings Holiday cards (and other greeting cards). She currently lives in a manse in Sussex, NJ, where she is working on finishing her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

Coffee Shops, Third Spaces and Intentional Conversations

by Leave a Comment

Through the window of Dagny's, a coffee shop in Bakersfield, California, friend's magically appear and inspire creative sparks in one another.

I am a lover of coffee shops, especially locally owned coffee shops where creative people gather to connect, to converse and to create community. Most of the time artists and solopreneurs work from their home spaces so having a “third place” helps us to feel like we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. The phrase “third places” was started by sociologist  Ray OldenburgRay Oldenburg and refers to places where people spend time other than their home (‘first’ place) and work (‘second’ place). They are associated with being locations where we exchange ideas, have a good time, and build relationships.

I used to be a regular at a coffee shop in Bakersfield called Dagny’s. Even as local other coffee shops started and succeeded, I still favored Dagny’s. I would go there and “hold court” meeting up with people on purpose and by surprise. Friends would bring their friends and the conversation would take tangent turns and I could literally spend hours with changing groups of friends coming and going.

I remember once talking to a brand new friend about the premiere Stravinsky’s “Rites of Spring” in 1913. Her eyes got huge, “I have only known dancers who know this story!” 

When the pandemic started, I knew I would run the risk of missing the conversations I most loved to have at Dagny’s: intentionally more deep than the average complaints about weather or politics and gripes about the coffee they were out of or the limited bagel supply.

I love deep conversations on specific guided topics.

I started something called “Coffee and Intentional Conversations” in March of 2020 with no end date in mind. We first met for an hour a day six days a week, now we meet twice a week for an hour. 

We have a core group of friends who are diverse ethnically, we have different beliefs and live in different places. We don’t talk politics because we don’t want to bring our divisions to the table, we want to bring our connections to the table.

I have often wondered if the group would continue. I considered stopping it several times, thinking it had run its course and yet people continue showing up. I continue kicking our hour off with a “warm up and introduction” question and on Tuesdays we usually have a topic with questions and sometimes we listen to a poem and engage with meaning and stories from that poem. On Saturdays, we most often play games or have free flow, engaging discussion games like two-truths-and-a-lie or “ask me anything” where we ask each other questions we have wanted to know about each other, but never seemed to have the chance to ask.

Basically, we talk about what I would talk about with people in person except we have zoom screens rather than tables and coffee cups.

We have forged deep bonds during a time that is trying at best – and we have had breakthroughs, deep conversations and encouragement that is unique and exceptionally helpful.

What is your favorite experience in coffee shops or “third places”?

Julie JordanScott is a Creative Life Coach, an award-winning storyteller, actor and poet whose photos and mixed media art graces the walls of collectors across the United States. Her writing has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers List, the Amazon best sellers list and on American Greetings Holiday cards (and other greeting cards). She currently lives in a manse in Sussex, NJ, where she is working on finishing her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

What is the Admission Price to the Path Out of Fear?

by 11 Comments

A small part of the Appalachian Trail is a piece of the story of the Path out of fear - and overcoming a challenge as written by Julie JordanScott

Yesterday I was writing a fairly innocuous seeming caption to a photo on facebook. I post photos to facebook on most days because of my personal #377TreeHug project. I use my facebook page as a means of documentation and accountability. Yesterday was no exception.

I had a marvelous tree hug of a hickory tree on the Appalachian Trail and I was extremely excited to post about it.

In one caption I wrote, “I love how the nuts are here to feed the animals. Once in childhood we saw a porcupine near the trail. I was scared of everything (even lightning bugs) so I had visions of the porcupine shooting quills at me from a distance… and was also convinced there were bears lurking inside fallen trees. How I survived and even loved these adventures even while petrified I’ll never know.”

I re-read my words and sat back in my chair, shocked at the truth within that seemingly simple, ordinary caption.

I was scared of everything (even lightning bugs)….. How I survived and even loved these adventures even while petrified I’ll never know.”

I was also teased unmercifully for my fear, which made it even worse.

I was afraid of things. I was afraid of being afraid of things. I was afraid to express my fear so I did my best to hide my fear, at all costs.

Somehow I did all this as a child and it continued – and in some ways continues still, today.

I realized the facts were to spend treasured time with my father, I would need to pay the price of admission. The fee was a lot of faking courage. I needed to be comfortable with pretending my fear didn’t exist or hiding my fear under an enthusiastic seeming smile.

I hid my fear by proclaiming my trust in God.

I hid my fear by looking on the bright side. I remember when my daughter died, for example, I comforted myself by saying, “God must have chosen me to have my daughter die because He knew I am strong enough.”

I hid my fear by doing things other people fear like being an actor and performing poetry in front of audiences and becoming a public speaker.

The thing is, those things don’t scare me, they exhilarate me.

Slowly, I hid myself and withdrew almost completely when I had too many sequential challenges. I no longer had the energy to show up because hiding one’s fear is exhausting. Exhausting one’s shame over being afraid is even more exhausting.

It was easier to disappear and infinitely painful when the people you love don’t even seem to notice.

Mary Oliver wrote in one of her most well known poems, “The Journey”

But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.

In the depths of my sorrow and sadness of hiding and pretending pain didn’t exist, I had many difficult conversations with myself.

Shonda Rimes in her book “Year of Yes” reminded me eloquently this week, “I know on the other side of that difficult conversation lies peace. Knowledge. An answer delivered. Character is revealed. Truces are formed. Misunderstandings are resolved.”

Having time alone here in my “Long Term Self Care and Artist Retreat” I have had a lot of time alone to have tough conversations with myself. Real conversations with myself. Experimental conversations with myself.

There have been tears and laughter, tree hugs and walks, deep dives into memory, discovery and my dear old companion, fear.

It feels like everything up until now has just been practice for this and what is coming up in the next few months as I finish my book projects and continue to build my life coaching practice, do more speaking and keep showing up on video and here, on my blog and on social media.

I am doing things that scare me every single day, sometimes subconsciously I am getting tapped on the shoulder divinely or intuitively to take a closer or deeper look. I am no longer afraid of lightning bugs or bears or porcupine quills.

I still get a bit nervous about criticism from people I love or worse – people not caring at all.

I am not hiding and that, dear reader, is the best victory of all.

I could have told you today about my near death experience or many other twists and uncomfortable turns along the path, but this feels most like what we needed to talk about today.

What challenges have you overcome?

Julie JordanScott is a Creative Life Coach, an award-winning storyteller, actor and poet whose photos and mixed media art graces the walls of collectors across the United States. Her writing has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers List, the Amazon best sellers list and on American Greetings Holiday cards (and other greeting cards). She currently lives in a manse in Sussex, NJ, where she is working on finishing her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.








Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

The Return of Literary Grannies: Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Dream Interview

by 4 Comments

The image describes doing a "dream writer's interview" with Charlotte Perkins Gilman, writer, reformer and change agent of the ninetheeth and early twentieth century in the US. Julie JordanScott is wearing a necklace featuring Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Prepare yourself for some literary fan-girl action. Literally, some serious, a bit over the top historical literary granny fan girl action.

One of my social writers challenges on instagram asked us what writer we would most like to interview and the #mystylephotochallenge had the theme of necklaces. Only someone who loves women’s history and women reformers of the past would be so excited to share as specifically as I did.

I was giddy to share I would most like to interview (if she was living) Charlotte Perkins Gilman, writer, reformer, speaker, drama-loving, mother, well connected and one-of-a-kind whose image I also saved perpetually within a series of necklaces I made honoring literary grannies. 

What and who are “Literary Grannies”?

If you don’t know what literary grannies are, they are women in literary history often the less famous women and often without children of their own. Their lineage is their work. An example of a famous literary granny who fits this quality is Louisa May Alcott. Charlotte, however – my favorite Literary Granny – did have a daughter named Katharine. It was through her postpartum depression experience that her most famous work was written.

Charlotte’s novella “The Yellow Wallpaper” inspired a visual art body of work I created several years ago that culminated in seeking out and visiting the home where she died in Pasadena, California.  This is the same town where she wrote her most famous work in two days during a heat wave in the summer of 1888. Pasadena is also the town where both my father and two of my brothers were born.

Being a Literary Granny Fan Girl isn’t eccentric at all! (?)

I have gone on fan-girl travels to significant Charlotte Perkins Gilman locations outside of Pasadena into Oakland and San Francisco and yes, I visited the home of her relative, Harriet Beecher Stowe in Hartford, Connecticut, where Charlotte herself was born. I even made a trip to Berkeley, California, for a staging of a brilliant play based on “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

We both have daughters named Katherine (though her daughter’s name is spelled “Katharine”) and as noted, we both have ties to Pasadena.

I warned you, there would be fan-girling!

If you are curious about the necklaces, among others I made featured Jane Austen, Zelda Fitzgerald and Adelaide Crapsey – a woman you probably never heard of until now who invented the short form of poetry called cinquain.

Literary Granny Visual Art and Jewelry

Charlotte often wore blouses with ornate lace embellishment. I couldn’t find a photo of her wearing jewelry but there were plentiful photos of lace – almost – necklace -like adornment.

What writer would you most like to interview?

Have you ever made necklaces or other types of jewelry?

PS: The inside story for Bloggers & Other Content Creators

By the way, for the bloggers who are reading this blog post, I have now repurposed this original instagram post (with minor edits) in several different places.

It is a way to expand your reach and reach more people who share your passion. Beside that, it is simply fun!

Julie JordanScott is a multipassionate creative who delights in inviting others into their own fullhearted, artistic experience via her creativity coaching individually or in groups, courses and workshops. To receive inspiring content and videos weekly and find out more about Coaching, Courses, Challenges and what’s going on in the Creative Life Midwife world? Subscribe here:

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

What Does Tree Hugging Have to Do With My Niche?

by 9 Comments

Truth is, tree hugging being or not being connected to my work as a creativity coach didn’t cross my mind when I embarked on this adventure otherwise known as a three-year-connected adventure of hugging trees from the United States, coast to coast.

Many of my peers are obsessed with only creating niche related content. I am not.

Emphasizing my daily tree hugging for nearly a year is definitely not within the standard realm of my profession.

I was simply looking for a way to continue feeling better after surviving a near-death experience. The first year after sepsis and Valley Fever almost killed me, I wrote haiku. This helped me start and continue to write daily, a practice I gave up in the hospital and was difficult returning to afterwards.

I didn’t know when I started that practice that we would be reeling from a pandemic and ordered to stay in place and physical closeness became something rare except for those we were quarantined alongside in our homes or small groups.

Tree hugs became a way to continue healing both of myself and reaching energetically to people I wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise.

It is sort of how my writing aesthetic works: I love words and I love the people who read my words.  I don’t only write about writing or creative practices. Truth be told, often times my best ideas and insights and a-ha’s come when I am tromping around on walks or hikes or sitting in diners, rummaging through book shops or used book stores or hugging trees.

I love the people in my courses, classes and workshops. I love the people who I work with as a writing and creativity coach. I love trees. I love dark skies with stars calling out, their bright light taking my breath away.

Sometimes, when we are all courageous enough, we allow our words to flow out into the world with intentions for soul connection and expansion of love and confidence and the ever-wished-for optimism which for many has evaporated completely.

I’m coming to the end of my original tree hugging goal and I may revise the goal, to continue hugging trees adding 100 tree hug days (when I hug one-or sometimes more) daily.

Since December 21, 2020, tree hugging has….

  1. Given me a task to do each and every day – sometimes it was “on the way” and sometimes it WAS the way (when I may have stayed closed up indoors, it gave me a reason to get out.)
  2. Connected me to people in different ways, even inspiring some people to hug trees for the first time and then share those hugs with me. This has proven how tree hugging is a medicine, especially when many of us weren’t able to hug the people we love.
  3. Once again I proved to myself how one daily, consistent act has exponential results far beyond what we imagined when I started. Some of the conversations while tree hugging have been priceless. I even made an instagram reel of my 300th tree hug because of what someone said as he “caught me in the act.”
  4. Tree hugging gave me daily physical time and connection with the divine creator – and helped me to see how when I create, I am honoring the gifts I have been given – especially when I take time to “report back” via social media posts and other random and not-so-random spaces.

What does tree hugging have to do with my niche? Nothing and everything. You tell me.

Julie JordanScott is a multipassionate creative who delights in inviting others into their own fullhearted, artistic experience via her creativity coaching individually or in groups, courses and workshops. To receive inspiring content and videos weekly and find out more about Coaching, Courses, Challenges and what’s going on in the Creative Life Midwife world? Subscribe here:

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

The Important Link Between Gratitude and Abundance

by 15 Comments

Woman meditating upon her gratitude, learning how to give and receive.

Tis the Season to be Grateful: are you expressing your gratitude intentionally or in a more haphazard way?

Let’s tune into Grace, Gratitude and Giving

I have had an active gratitude practice for years. Although I don’t journal gratitude daily right now, I definitely know the power of paying attention and speaking thankfulness into the world whether that means aloud to people or via writing – on social media, on my blog or in engaging with others.

I wasn’t always a fan of gratitude until I had an a-ha moment and connected gratitude to receiving. Because of this connection, the relationship between gratitude and abundance came more clear.

The not-so-true “It is better to give than receive” myth

How often have you heard (and possibly repeated) the phrase, “It is better to give than receive”?

Giving is a blessing – especially when mindful -is an important practice. This may be in stuff, it may be in a compliment, it may be in presence and time. My love language is quality time so the best people can do for me is to simply be with me. Deep and meaningful conversations are among my favorite activities.

The problem is, if everyone is giving, who is open to receive from our wellspring of giving?

Introducing the Infinite Loop de Loop

Our giving, when conscious, comes from the gifts of who we are – and how our gifts offer goodness and light to fellow members of the human community is started from divinity, our creator, God, the Universe.

We can complete that process by receiving with an open heart and a wildly-in-wonder smile on our face.

When we receive, we finish and spiral to the next level of what was divinely started.

This infinite loop de loop continues over and over and over again and is stopped when… someone decides giving is the thing, receiving is not the thing – and (sometimes or) we decide we aren’t worthy to receive. 

Is this starting to sound familiar?

Blocks of all kinds start with the inability to receive.

Most often the inability to receive is based on our opinion and judgment of ourself. We are not worthy of receiving, we are not good enough, we are somehow “less than” others and therefore need to continue giving even when our well is running very close to dry.

I confess, I have come in and out of blocks many times, most often based on my inability to receive.

The way through the block is to receive with active gratitude. 

Inhale and fully receive what has been given to you. In fact, when you breathe in, you are receiving life-giving oxygen.

Bring that oxygen into your lungs and feel the energy of breath – of inspiration – fill your body.

When you exhale, you are giving breath back to the world. 

Sometimes I create a vision of  my exhale expanding upon the gifts I have received by offering what I know, what I love, what I am coming to understand. I can see the breath of inspiration swirling around me and reaching out to others who are also open to receive.

With every mindful inhale and exhale, I am adding to the increase of abundance in my life and I am adding to the increase of abundance in other people’s lives.

That, my friends, is beyond words amazing. Before you click away, practice breathing like this.

It feels so good!

Julie JordanScott is a multipassionate creative who delights in inviting others into their own fullhearted. artistic experience via her creativity coaching individually or in groups, courses and workshops. To receive inspiring content and videos weekly and find out more about Coaching, Courses, Challenges and what’s going on in the Creative Life Midwife world? Subscribe here:

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

Bloggers & Writers: Have fun Creating Content with Writing Experiments

by 9 Comments

Blogger cartoon character is being reminded blogging can be fun! I can do it! Writing experiments are playful! I am stronger than my blocks! I am allowed to take a break.

Writing experiments are an easy way to become a better writer through curiosity and playfulness as a channel to writing improvement. Writing experiments focus on results being what they will be, thus ruling out the unfortunate sense of failure that overcomes many writers.

Writers are often curious, passionate and driven by learning how to improve and unfortunately may get discouraged when this leads to something other than the outcome we wanted. With writing experiments, we have freedom to see if something new works without being attached to what is right and what is wrong.

Your English Writing Teacher is NOT in your blogging room.

There are no “red pencil flashbacks” with writing experiments!

Today I actually failed with my ongoing #rolloverandwrite writing experiment. My response? Hey, for 40 days this worked beautifully. Now, how may I tweak it and start over? No beating myself up or deciding to never try again! Instead, a joyful experiment with a tiny change and back at it!

Watch this short video to learn about my most recent writing experiment.

Examples of writing experiments may include writing X for #number of days. I wrote at leasy one haiku poem for 377 consecutive days, for example. NaNoWriMo is a form of writing experiment. Some AuthorTubers borrow writing routines of favorite authors to see how it works in their lives and then share on YouTube.

Writing experiments are not about failing what you are trying, they reinforce any feedback being constructive feedback. Not Bad Writer/Good Writer. Not “I’m no good” instead, “Its all good!”

A New Way to Define Success as a Writer and Blogger

If you are putting words on the page, you are a success. Maybe my next writing experiment will be to try a week of writing badly or writing ridiculously or writing melodramatically. Normally, that would be horrifying! With writing experiments it is fun and may lead to learning something I wouldn’t have learned otherwise.

And now it’s your turn –

What writing experiment would you like to try? Remember, passion not perfection. Curiosity and playfulness will help all your results feel good. Ask questions in the comments or send me an email.

Let’s have fun with our next writing experiments!

Julie JordanScott is a multipassionate creative who delights in inviting others into their own fullhearted. artistic experience via her creativity coaching individually or in groups, courses and workshops. To receive inspiring content and videos weekly and find out more about Coaching, Courses, Challenges and what’s going on in the Creative Life Midwife world? Subscribe here:

Follow on Instagram to Watch IGTV exclusive videos, stories and posts about writing and the creative process.

Let our Words Flow Writing Community: the only one missing is you! Join us in the Private Writing Group by clicking here.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest

Self Care Creativity Retreat: It is easier than you think!

by Leave a Comment

There is something about being outside and creating: painters are more known than writers for creating outdoors, but as one who enjoys taking her notebook and journals out into either the countryside or a local park, I know replenishment through creativity is absolutely possible.

Creative Self Care outside in July in the Desert (or humidity or insert your objection)?

Here in Bakersfield, in mid-July, it is hotter than most humans can bear easily and at the same time, getting outdoors in the early evening to write sustains me. Right here, close to home is sometimes all that is out there.

It is up to us to shift our mindset and say “YES! It is enough!”

This extra fun (and instructive) video about a unique “tool” you may choose to put together to enjoy a personal self-care creative retreat – whether it is 15 minutes or 15 days long. Watch the video and below are 4 quick tips for you to consider in planning your next self care creativity retreat.

Mindset Shifts to Create a Pleasant Self Care Creativity Retreat:

You may be raising all sorts of reasons why you can’t do a self care retreat on your own. I understand this more than you know. I am a mom of 3 including a special needs child, I know how difficult it can be to take care of yourself amidst everything else which makes it even more important to find a way.

Here are some final tips:

  1. Keep your retreat basket in a place where it can be seen when you are busily doing your other work. It will serve as continual inspiration.
  2. When you plan for your week, be sure to include creative self care on the list. If you don’t plan for it, don’t expect it to magically happen. You may add it as a reward – and be sure you are confident in reaching that reward or once again, you will never get there.
  3. Sometimes when we have small children, we may practice retreating in parks when they’re playing. See if you can tag-team with another Mom or two and give one another 15 or 20 minute time outs to devote to solo creativity.
  4. Do the best you can – and remember, if you don’t at first succeed… that’s right – try, try again.

Julie Jordan Scott inspires people to experience artistic rebirth via her programs, playshops, books, performances and simply being herself out in the world.  She is a writer, creative life coach, speaker, performance poet, Mommy-extraordinaire and  mixed-media artist whose Writing Camps and Writing Playgrounds permanently transform people’s creative lives. To receive her email newsletter to be inspired by her transformational articles, essays and videos as well as find out about her new programs, products and challenges, please click here to subscribe.

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterest