Creative Life Midwife

Inspiring Artistic Rebirth

Your Next Writing Adventure:

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What happens when you look at your writing as an adventure, rather than yet another item on your perpetually crowded to-do list?

This week my writing is definitely an adventure because – I know some of the “tasks” I am writing AND I am excited to know how that writing will impact people.

I write for the people who read my words more than I write for myself. 

It is when I keep you – my readers – in mind all the storms that might wreak havoc on my adventure clear up and the words flow smoothly. 

Have you ever thought of “writing” and “adventure” together?

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the Radical Joy of Consistency Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

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Are You Sick of the Story You Keep Telling Yourself? Here: a bit of Magic to Change It.

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"If you want to change your story, change your actions first." is the quote by Seth Godin. Underneat is a woman typing on a laptop, taking action - moving her fingers on the keyboard.

Reading this quote was like getting a big basket of pixie dust thrown on me all at once:

“If you want to change your story, change your actions first.”

HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU KNOW SOMETHING, BUT ACT AS IF YOU don’t KNOW IT?

I knew what Seth Godin was saying before I read it. I’ve lost count of how many times I have known something intuitively before I knew it “actually” –

I’ll confess, in the past I felt sort of childish for not having a high level of self trust. Then I started reading Seth Godin’s book “The Practice” and discovered there are many of us in the same position!

I am not being childish, I am being human.

After my near death experience, I fell into a dark emotional funk. I knew I ought to do something differently both in order to heal and in order to make progress. I didn’t realize back then that a simple daily action outside of anything I was already doing would have the impact on my life it has continued to have. 

I committed to myself I would do this one activity – writing a short poem accompanied by a photo and sharing it on my facebook page, one day at a time – was one activity and impacted so much more. 

You make the commitment to YOURSELF

What happens as a result of taking our daily action actually grows far beyond writing a poem or walking for 20 minutes or making five phone calls to people who may be interested in supporting our non-profit.

This is the magic. When we commit to taking action to ourselves in order to change our story, what actually happens as a by-product of our daily action is:

  • We begin to trust ourselves in areas outside of just that one action.
  • We gain courage to try making shifts in other areas of our lives.
  • We feel better because daily successes cause a rise to our endorphin levels.
  • We interrupt our patterns of self doubt and recreate them as self trust, self confidence and ultimately self love and self respect.

Building self trust is your truest foundation for lasting, overall life change

Think about this question before responding:

How would your life circumstances change positively if you trusted yourself more, had more confidence and were able to report successful results daily?

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the Radical Joy of Consistency Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

Sunrise light: the Radical Joy of Daily Consistency
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Ralph Waldo Emerson & Quirky Goals Go Together

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Woman sitting on a porch, writing. Yellow brick wall behind her. Quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson says "Self trust is the essence of heroism."

“Self trust is the essence of heroism.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don’t you love it when you decide to do something and the rewards far outshine what you had originally believed they would be? 

I love on-line challenges. They have helped me to grow and develop in so many directions. I love leaping into them and learning new things, meeting new people, sticking my foot out where I didn’t think it could go.

The Joy of Getting More than You Expected

What I didn’t realize is how rewarding it would be to do something “just because” – and then try it out – and then continue – just because. Not because your boss is telling you to or your partner would be mad if you didn’t, but just because you were enjoying yourself.

It reminds me of the heroism Ralph Waldo Emerson mentions: self trust is at the essence of heroism because when you act on your own behalf, no one is applauding, no one is praising you, no one is standing in awe of your strength in helping them or saving them from an enemy or from themselves.

Turns out, though, that when we are heroic on our own behalf not only do we get expansive results, so do the rest of the world.

Lately I have been going out into parks and sometimes parking lots to hug trees every day.

I know, I know – this sounds like a strange activity – but it is the pandemic and I am not getting nearly as many hugs as I usually do and I am not giving as many hugs as I usually do and trees are there, waiting to be noticed.

A lot of people are lonely for their friends and hugs. Once people started to hug trees, they would discover they are actually a great human substitute. In some ways, hugging a tree is even more profound than hugging people.

A year ago I was waking up and writing short poetry everyday for 377 consecutive days.

It isn’t a quirky goal if it works!

In doing that activity – some saw it as a wacky endeavor, I built up so much self-trust I feel like I can conquer almost any obstacle. Every day, before noon, I found something that fascinated me or at least didn’t bore me, snapped a photo with my camera, and wrote a poem about it. 

It became a part of my everyday ritual like sliding my foot into my pant leg every day.

If I put both legs into one pant leg, I wouldn’t be able to walk. If I didn’t write my poem – life wouldn’t feel as good. If I don’t hug a tree, I lose out. The trees around me are much stronger than I am. I like to imagine they are happy when I hug them, but I am clearly getting an enormous amount of joy from them – and building my self-trust one hug at a time.

And now, You: Prompts for Contemplation, Writing or Creativity

Take a moment to consider your relationship with self-trust. How would your life change if you trusted yourself more fully?

What lessons have you learned from self-trust in the past or right now?

Take a moment to respond in the comments or feel free to use the questions as a journaling prompt.

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the Radical Joy of Consistency Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

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Is it Still January, 2021?

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I wrote this on January 9, which feels like years ago now. The only reason I know January isn’t over is my birthday hasn’t happened yet.

The last few weeks have felt like decades, like 2020 was just a tiny warm-up to what the first 10 days of 2021 would bring. I’m choosing to see this – no I will not say unprecedented – unsettling time as a chance to withdraw, as I did a few days ago, to reflect and see my perspective and the stories that come with it from MY perspective only.

Yesterday I was so exhausted from the day itself, I fell asleep shortly after 8 pm. I had nothing left to give except a devotion to my pillow. I had no time for quiet, contemplative thought so I accepted my own plea for rest.

You get to choose how to measure your “success” in the moment

I woke up frustrated because I wanted to get more done yesterday. It was 1:33 am when I came up for air. I lifted my neck and plunged it back into the pillow. Nothing I could do to change it so I surrendered back to deep sleep.

When I woke again I had overslept.

I got to choose again: berate myself or allow myself a pass. That’s when I came upon my friend Anne’s question which leads to my 3 Good Things. As you read my 3 things I invite you to consider yours.

Maybe in reading mine, you will see some of yours, reflected. That is my hope and prayer for you and for me, too.

Reflect on Your 3 Good Things Today

Here are mine:

  1. I love how ripple effects work. My friend Anne Stone Lafleur asked a question based on her Gift of Happiness website connection cards. I took that question and gave myself an assignment to “live it” and it shifted how I approached a task I have put off for far too long. Self-love, self-compassion and a vision of what is coming up for me all lined up through a couple pages of free writing that would not have been born if it had not been for the question she asked herself that I then asked of me. 
  2. I love how it feels to hug trees, today a eucalyptus.
  3. I love what I am in the midst of creating that includes, right now, me reclining in a bed that is made up with adorable flannel sheets with cats on them. I am writing this note and then, I will drink my tea, do day’s end writing and reading and it has become such a self nurturing time I feel new again.

Invitation to Fully Embrace Your Stories & Your Views

How will you make and remake your story from visiting here, today?

Maybe you will fall more deeply in love with your life or maybe you will feel a call into a new perspective, a slight shift or caveat.

Whatever is true for you, I hope you will take a moment to share with us your 3 Good Things from today – sometimes that will seem like too few and sometimes this will feel like too many. However and wherever you’re falling on that spectrum, proclaim something – it will improve your story to share it.

Thank you for being here!

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the Radical Joy of Consistency Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is The-Radical-Joy-of-Daily-Consistency.png

She has been a Life Purpose and Creativity Coach since 1999. She has taught workshops in college classrooms, hospitals, teleclasses and webinars with participants across the world.

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Sometimes Opting For Quiet Integration is the Best

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My country went through a depth of experience yesterday I would not have imagined going through until it was happening. Today for most of the day I have been integrating my experience, even here from the West Coast, quietly and grounded, listening to my heart without influence from others.

Quiet is sometimes the best place to be.

It’s ok to go “dark” for a day. It is fine and often appropriate to not speak right away. That’s what I did yesterday. The reports were coming in from Washington, DC and I felt as if I was in a cocoon between my flannel sheets. With the horror I was seeing, I wasn’t feeling any good things. Permission isn’t something we need to ask for here in relationship to feeling, grieving, expressing.

In retrospect I may change my mind about the overall impact of what happened yesterday but right now, I’m not.

Right on Time is Sometimes Not on Time

So I am back, right on time, with a report from today – which happens to be the anniversary of the mother of one of my closest friends. 

What are My Quiet 3 Good Things on January 7, 2021?

  1. I honored myself and my rhythms today. I was intentional and didn’t feel as if I “had to” force myself into anything.
  2. I took action on chores I had been procrastinating about – cleaning out cabinets and clutter. 
  3. I’m trying the new app clubhouse for the first time today. I joined a conversation and I will be hosting my own room this evening. I am not sure how much I like it yet, but it is interesting to listen as I am doing busy work. 

What are Your 3 Good Things?

I would love to hear your 3 Good Things, today or tomorrow or whenever.

You may also be quiet, sad, grieve, complain or gripe.

It’s ok to go dark, even as we are consistently, radically joyful.

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the Radical Joy of Consistency Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

She has been a Life Purpose and Creativity Coach since 1999. She has taught workshops in college classrooms, hospitals, teleclasses and webinars with participants across the world.

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Worry or Mindfulness: where do you stand?

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I have a history of fear and worry, but in the past few years I have changed into a more mindful, trusting person. Today in my “Good things” assessment, my productivity is thanks to this more mindful me.

For those of you who don’t know, I currently house sit for a friend who primarily lives in the Bay Area. So what that means is my nights are spent away from my house. In the morning, sometimes I am in a rush to get out of here.

I love being here, but there are times when I am discombobulated and in a rush, even though this is where I do much of my grounding and launch my day in a forward direction.

This home is where mindful spiritual practices happen, day in and day out.

Today my daughter Emma asked me for a favor that requited my wallet. I could not say yes because I didn’t have my wallet. I suspected I left it in the home where I house sit, not the house where I spend my day.

What I knew was my wallet was missing, but I couldn’t give my energy to worrying about it – I had important work to get done!  Lives to impact for the greatest good. There was no way I would sacrifice the bigger benefit to fear and worry. If it had been stolen, it had been stolen. If it was safe, it was safe. I couldn’t control the facts, I could control my upset about whether I knew or not.

Bottom Line: Why Worry about Something You Can’t Control?

So I kick off my Good Thing list is….

  1. My wallet was on the bedside table at the house where I am house sitting! I was thrilled I bought a pair of shoes on-line this morning and inadvertently left my wallet here. It is now safely tucked away and there will be no shopping tomorrow.
  2. I am completely enjoying “Bel Canto” by Ann Patchett. I want to continue my goal of finishing a book a week AND I have so many great titles in my TBR (to be read) pile… I must be focused and disciplined and most importantly, enjoy the process.
  3. I had a fun, festive gathering with the women in the Coffee and Conversations group. Once again, I happily herded cats – and laughed and learned and connected deeply. 

BONUS! A fantastic phone call with my daughter, Katherine. I am so proud of her and so happy to report new position as the Solo Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Sussex, NJ. I miss being close geographically to her, but I love being close to her emotionally.

Tell me: Do you usually worry or do you mindfully trust?

I have to ask, though – if your wallet was AWOL, would you have interrupted your work flow to chase it down, where you were pretty sure it was safely waiting for you?

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the One Small Shift Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

She has been a Life Purpose and Creativity Coach since 1999. She has taught workshops in college classrooms, hospitals, teleclasses and webinars with participants across the world.

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When You Fall Short, Do This Instead of Giving Up

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Instead of writing this on the evening of January 4, I am writing it on the morning of January 5. This is problematic because part of the reasoning behind writing these every day is to set me up for strong evening practices of mindful creativity.

Who decides what is a problem?

This morning when I wrote up to do my daily writing, I discovered a solution which I will put into place today, this evening, so I will follow through successfully.

Why am I telling you this?

I am telling you this because it is important for us to be in the habit of authentically and transparently speaking up and saying what is true and then letting go of our own concept of “failing” or “getting it wrong” whatever “it” may be.

Maybe “getting it wrong” is an important part of your process.

What sometimes happens is we don’t do what we said we wanted to do and we do and say nothing. We pretend none of it happened. Then that day nothing changes and nothing changes on the third day and then it is as if the desire never existed.

My night time spiritual practices are much better than they once were but they are far from perfectly executed. It takes practice and time for “perfect execution”. In fact, perfect execution is far from the point.

The point is to show up as best as you can and move forward, with love.

Three Good Things:

So now, on the morning after, I will happily share with you about yesterday.

  • I drove Samuel to work this morning, nice and early. He is loving the day shift and I am loving what it opens up for me. Ta-Da Tuesday is about to be re-invigorated!
  • I bought some adorable new flannel sheets. I love sliding into clean sheets – it is one of those simple pleasures that help me feel loved – probably because I loved the ritual of being tucked tightly into bed with stuffed animals when I was a little girl.
  • I doodled and drew in my art journal. I have been considering using art journaling for #The100DayProject but hadn’t completely decided. I am feeling like art journals are calling me back because #1) I enjoy them and #2) They are a different way of flexing my intuition which I haven’t used lately.

Art journaling will continue to be a blessing as will soft sheets & collaboration!

What are three good things in your life today so far?

Write them in the comments below or journal them, in any form.

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the One Small Shift Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

She has been a Life Purpose and Creativity Coach since 1999. She has taught workshops in college classrooms, hospitals, teleclasses and webinars with participants across the world.

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This July: Cultivate Memories that Transform Your Life Experience

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I started this year holding the intention for transformational memories. I would that intention has definitely come to fruition, but they came about in ways I wouldn’t necessarily have chosen to happen.

It is valuable to collect memories, especially the transformative ones - so that we may continue to return to them for their love filled and meaning - rich energy. Collecting them now in the middle of summer will help continue the power and add to the initiating intention.

What are transformational memories?

Memories tend to fall into several different categories: the mundane, the memories we want to forget, the bad memories that are burned into our psyche and the mountaintop memories – or big events we work to remember for later in great detail.

Transformative memories are those every day moments that make a lasting mark on who we were in the moment and who we are becoming, still.

Are transformational memories active gratitude, counting your blessings?

2020 may have many transformational memories for you that are certainly not mountaintop memories and they were also not mundane. This is evidence of the “unprecedented times” we keep hearing about and experiencing again and again and again.

Now we have crossed the bridge to 2021 and although the calendar has changed, we are still facing many of the challenges from before. This series is to stay focused on what moves us forward.

Building a creative streak to practice successful completion

It is also an example of a small “streak” or container to hold a 31 Day Experiment in Counting My Blessings everyday that also is a method of completion practice.

I am a believer in practices like this because it gives you a daily completion, so you get practice in what it feels like to accomplish something simple to do and significant to do everyday. It is nothing short of magical. 

Don’t believe it?

Try this for a week and tell me how you’re feeling.

Today in June I am revisiting – Three cool things I noted from January 3:

  1. Samuel started the day shift at his job. No more graveyard. From now on he will work conventional hours and I won’t get to bring his lunch to his bedroom door by special delivery every day. That is a sadness I will just get over.
  2. Katherine got a full-time church job! She will be the Solo Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Sussex, NJ. I told her today I look forward to the day I can travel again and see her in action in her congregation! Update: In September, 2021 I will be moving to Sussex myself for a year to be close to Katherine and Donald AND experience an entirely different life. It will be a valuable experiment I never could have imagined when I set the intention for a year of transformative memories!
  3. I created a bunch of content for the week to come, ahead of time. “Getting ahead” always makes me happy – now I simply need to get better at batching – working on one task theme for a set amount of time. For example. An hour of making graphics. An hour of writing copy, an hour of scrubbing the kitchen. 

This process also helps me as a part of my evening writing practice, something I have wanted for a long time. As soon as I am done with this, I will do some writing in my notebook, some meditation and fall asleep.

The significance of revisiting recent (and not so recent) personal writing to mine for transformational memories.

I am revisiting this writing at the end of June, 2021 and have decided to begin this practice again for the month of July, 2021. To recap between January and now, I will touch base on some of what I have been experiencing.

I will share three transformative memories – and attempt to keep them succinct.

  1. My father died on April 18. From that moment, so many things happened and the memories have been very sad and also very filled with love.
  2. I learned the Valley Fever I have been carrying disseminated, which means it spread beyond my lungs. This could be very dangerous AND I have been receiving ongoing treatment AND I have never felt more confident in my ability to manage my health. I was filled with stress for a lot of time from January through whenever it was I had a biopsy-turned-drainage (I think in March? Since Dad died, a lot of time has had a very different meaning and context.)
  3. I have been getting my writing mojo back, slowly and surely. Poetry is back, working on my book projects is back, writing in my notebook daily is back. I realized in getting it back I was in quite a state of languishing for a long time. This is definitely transformative.

It is easier to see Transformational Memories from a distance, but what does naming 3 good things from any given day tell you?

I like to look at collecting transformative memories (and transformative memories-to-be like this: it is as if my future self and present self are having a party. Since my life in 2021 has been in a surprising uproar, there are so many times when I have said to myself with a lot of incredulity, “I am so grateful my past self was looking out for me!”

It is in the tiny, day to day things that the transformative memories happen. It is only from a distance that we can see what the whole picture looks like.

With that in mind, tell me:

What are 3 Good Things from your day? When July 1 hits, I will return here every day. I hope to see you here, too. This will be informal, flexible and fun.

Are you ready to count your blessings? Let us know in the comments!

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the One Small Shift Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

She has been a Life Purpose and Creativity Coach since 1999. She has taught workshops in college classrooms, hospitals, teleclasses and webinars with participants across the world.

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3 Good Things: 2 January, 2021 Edition

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Announcement about 3 Good Things in January 2021 May this year bring transformational memories

My friend Ghia taught me the importance of sharing 3 Good Things at the end of every day. At least until the end of January, I am borrowing her practice – a little bit of gratitude, a little bit of counting your blessings, and a lot bit of putting a smile on our collective faces.

Let’s count our blessings

the sun shines over the Kern Canyon wall. This could easily have been one of the 3 good things.
  1. A meeting with the community I am a part of hosted by Jennifer Louden called “The Oasis” – we planned our quarter together for about an hour. I had a fabulous time and might even dance the next time we have one of these things. I remember I used to dance during live streams which is dancing in front of strangers but somehow when a person I really respect suggests dancing, I back off. Weird – but hey, it was great.
  2. I read the same part of Julia Cameron’s book about active compassion towards myself. Active self compassion. There was a quote I really got, viscerally, that went like this: “Skepticism is rooted in fear, and fear is healed by compassion.” I sat there in bed, nodding. Compassion. Which leads me to think, “How do we heal systemic fear? Compassion.” Nodding more.
  3. I have gotten so much praise about the photo I posted here yesterday when I made it into my facebook cover photo. I had no idea people would like it so much.

Simple Gratitude, shared

What are 3 Good things from your life today? Share one or two or all three in the comments!

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the One Small Shift Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily in order to experience a more incredible life experience. She came to this conclusion after almost dying and coming back to true healing by writing 377 consecutive haiku… and a lot more along her way to building that streak! To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

She has been a Life Purpose and Creativity Coach since 1999. She has taught workshops in college classrooms, hospitals, teleclasses and webinars with participants across the world.

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3 Good Things Daily in January: 1 January 2020

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My friend Ghia taught me the importance of sharing 3 Good Things at the end of every day. At least until the end of January, I am borrowing her practice.

Here are the 3 Good Things for January 1, 2020

the sun shines over the Kern Canyon wall. This could easily have been one of the 3 good things.
  1. Gave Samuel a waffle batter making lesson. I didn’t realize until I talked through it the variety of nuances there are in putting together a simple recipe. Samuel is very invested in making waffles: he gave our family a fancy waffle maker for Christmas and he also gave his sister and her husband a waffle maker. Next week we’re going to make waffle batter from scratch so he can decide which he prefers. Included in next week’s lesson is talking about a well stocked pantry.
  2. Got over being very cranky this afternoon. I got upset and couldn’t find my way out of it. I was transparent and honest in my sharing rather than covering it up. That felt really good.
  3. I made videos while visiting Kern Canyon today. I was convinced they were messed up but guess what? They’re quirky and perfect but they are definitely not messed up. 

What 3 good things happened in your life today?

Julie Jordan Scott is the Creator of the One Small Shift Course which helps people practice consistency and completion daily. To find out more about this program, visit this link, here.

She has been a Life Purpose and Creativity Coach since 1999. She has taught workshops in college classrooms, hospitals, teleclasses and webinars with participants across the world.

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