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Creative Life Midwife

Inspiring Artistic Rebirth

Belonging in My Body: Day 11/31 Days of (Self) Belonging

October 11, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

This may sound strange, but since when does my world experience not sound weird?

Yesterday, I felt how marvelous my body felt when I was first out of bed.

I had done an early morning stretch, taken the time to feel into my joints and muscles and as I prepared for my day, I felt my body with gratitude from a space of gratitude.

Considering I have been at odds with my body for more of my life than I have been partnered joyfully with my body, this is a big thing.

Remember, belonging is to live, work, play and grow vulnerably with others within a community who are committed and devoted to caring for one another. Not just talk about caring for one another, but acting with care towards one another in a context of transparency, acceptance and openness.

When I belong in my body and with my body, is to to live, work, play and grow vulnerably with my body. It is to stretch, to exercise, to move, to go places physically I didn’t know I was capable of going.

Here is one way I felt belonging in my body that will give you some context.

About ten days ago, I did the shocking activity of going to the mall to find a pair of shoes.

Cute shoes, with actual low heels.

I haven’t worn heels for such a long time because my feet hurt. They have bunions and the podiatrist told me I had deformed feet and basically had to live with my feet as they were.

I have worn the shoes in small bits and chunks, preparing to wear them out in the world.

I didn’t want my feet to get shocked by me insisting on wearing them for a full work day or a night out without walking around in the comfort of my home.

I was acting with care towards my feet – my body – in the context of what has been, what is now, and I was transparent with my feet (and the rest of my body) in a space of honesty, acceptance while open to a future of wearing them comfortably all day.

I tried to put a supportive sole inside, but when it was inside my foot could not fit.

I slid my foot in and stood up and the shoe and my feet felt like heaven.

I walked around the manse tall and strong, my vertebrae lined up, a smile on my face, there wasn’t pain.

I chose not to wear the shoes to choir practice – and I know and recognize I can wear them next week and who knows where else?

I was belonging in my feet, belonging with my vertebrae, belonging in the smile that stretched across my face.

This is how belonging feels in my body: a miracle, a doorway to joy and a means to an even more glorious future.

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Healing, Rewriting the Narrative, Self Care

Day 9: Belonging In the Woods – 31 Days of (Self) Belonging

October 9, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

In many ways this was an uncomfortable weekend of healing. I should have known better when I found a blog post I wrote in July, 2019, how sometimes even reading about healing hurts.

As I wrote that line into my phone’s screen, the forest around me exploded in leaf-song, like one of my professors did years ago in a Black Studies class when I said “Sometimes when ‘you all’ (meaning the other students in the class who had different skin colors than I did) talk about white people, I feel ashamed of my ethnicity.”

Something erupted in this professor as he almost shouted, “Yes! The white girl gets it!” He didn’t mention that I was “white girl”, that is me, all these years later as I refer to myself as “white girl” in situations like this when I am in the minority and forget I am in the minority and am actually grateful to experience what it feels like to be in the minority.

The forest, like that long ago professor, has a mouth that erupts (sometimes quietly)  too.

 Humans cut through the veins of the forest’s body to make trails and she forgives us, even seems to be glad we are here. Why else would this writing bench be sitting here on this random day in October, after a rain, on this particular trail – the “unnamed” trail I sloshed through in order to forest bathe and have this rich a-ha moment.

The leaves sound like the ocean. Walking below them, I feel safer than I would if I was under water.

The leaves invited me to sing. They seemed to enjoy me as much as I enjoy them. 

This writing bench I sat on, perfectly situated, was a stone invitation to be a part of the forest. I didn’t know until I stood up that my pants were soaked through from the earlier rain.

I was enjoying the sense of belonging more than the discomfort of the wetness of my pants. Belonging does that. It helps us to connect with what is good and right and sacred rather than our aches, pains and problems and in doing so, we are strengthened to face challenges with more strength and confidence because of our sense of belonging.

The wind sweeping through the leaves to make music had wiped the shame I felt earlier in the day clean. The literal ache in my chest evaporated. Long ago friends danced with me, leaves pointed the way. Unseen animals chuckled. 

The first draft of this was written as I sat in High Point State Park, using my phone to write. The sense of belonging I felt within the forest was palpable from the soles of my water logged oldest pair of sneakers to the top of my scalp.

If you look at the words above you will see “invited” “seemed to enjoy me” #forgives” “glad we are here”. When I arrived at the “front door” of the trail, I felt lonely and detached from caring. Only steps into the woods I began to feel as if I belonged, as if I was at home, as if I was forgiven for anything I might have done wrong whether inadvertently or on purpose.

When I realized I didn’t bring writing materials, I remembered I had my phone and could use it to capture the moment word for word which is what you see above.

I was cared for, held close and honored.

Even as the only human among an infinite number of trees, I felt a deep sense of the comfort of belonging. 

My hope is that in reading these words, you feel a deep sense of belonging, too.

You are welcome here.

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Self Care Tagged With: Belonging to Self, High Point State Park, In the Woods, Self-Belonging

Day 8: Healing More Deeply: 31 Days of (Self) Belonging

October 8, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

“The place of true healing is a fierce place. It’s a giant place. It’s a place of monstrous beauty and endless dark and glimmering light. And you have to work really, really, really hard to get there, but you can do it.”

Cheryl Strayed

It was only after I published on my blog yesterday and on instagram that I realized something in the story I told about being invisible in the hallway at work/school.

I chose to focus on the student who didn’t see me instead of the student who most definitely saw me and called out his pal for not paying better attention.

Yesterday morning as I wrote, I discovered a blog post from 2019 about healing – and it tied what I had experienced on Friday with what I am experiencing as a process now – a process back to honoring both my own uniqueness and yours through this study of belonging.

There are people who see us in all our vivid uniqueness, your walking invitation to be valued by you and welcomed into your world AND there are people who are busy with whatever they are busy with as they do their daily version of being their best.

I am not sure if I mentioned it here before, but I am sharing my daily findings of being a believing mirror to myself using Instagram Stories which also show up on my Writing Camp with JJS page.

I am getting excellent feedback on this series which you may read here on the blog as well as in a shorter version on Instagram and on the Writing Camp page.

Finally, my friend, we have 84 days left in 2023. How will you invest your days to bring 2023 to a satisfying end?

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Daily Consistency, Rewriting the Narrative, Self Care Tagged With: Belonging to Self, Julie Jordan Scott, Self-Acceptance, Self-Belonging

Feeling Invisible: Day 7/31 Days of (Self) Belonging + 85 More Days of 2023

October 7, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Feeling like we don’t belong and are disconnected at work or at home hurts. Have you felt this disconnection, this anti-belonging? It pops up when we feel unseen, unheard, unimportant.

Yesterday I felt this, loud and clear. It started almost as soon as I got to school/work and felt disconnected from belonging which was ironic because I started in my home so happily and intentionally.

Invisibility doesn’t feel like belonging

The best part of the day was at the end when I told one of the most effective teachers I work with, “It’s been a strange, uncomfortable day today – and that’s alright, we all have days like that. I figured I filled my quota and can now move along.”

It is interesting in the aftermath of the day, I can see how a lot of that disconnection happened because instead of staying mindful and open hearted, I fell into the swirling confusion and my self talk was immersed in not seeing the facts as they were, instead my inner dialogue which was blended with me telling myself a wide variety of ways I didn’t matter, how I was unimportant, how no one likes or appreciates me anyway and then, right before I felt better, this happened.

Yes, it came into clarity when a kid almost knocked into me and didn’t notice. “Hey, you almost walked into her!” one student scolded another student.

“Who?”

I mumbled to the first kid, “He didn’t see this invisible woman walking around the hallways.” I wasn’t being seen nor was I being heard.

Wait: wait, wait! Not only did one student see me, he requested the other kid pay more attention. I failed to notice that…..instead I felt body’s natural response to the invisible rather than the visible as my shoulders hunch and my body sinking into my feet.

This being invisible – my sadness over not feeling as if I was seen – could have been a refrain for the day if I let it continue. 

In the next and final class of the day, things turned because I spoke up about it and began filling in the missing pieces. Writing this, today, is like finishing the puzzle making.

I ended the day in a favorite book store and took some photos of a very cool building.

When I got home, I “was craving” a sugary treat. I did not give in to that craving as I have found part of my belonging work is creating healthy boundaries with myself based on my hightest self rather than following past self destructive patterns.

Before I wrote this, I thought it was going to be seen as negative and people might be discouraged from the content and stop following me, never comment or like or engage again.

That was the hangover from the not-so-great of yesterday. Through writing, I was able to remember and discover how I negotiated around the tangled emotions and come out with my sense of self-belonging and self-visibility intact.

We have 85 days of 2023 left: how will you invest your days to bring this year to a satisfying conclusion?

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Healing, Intention/Connection, Self Care Tagged With: Be Heard, Be Seen, Invisibility, Julie JordanScott, Midlife Women

Day 6: 31 Days of (Self) Belonging toward Forgiveness

October 6, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Friday Check In: A Weekly Recap of Discoveries in Belonging.

This week has been rather astounding when I sit at my desk and dissect the week in words. What came into my mind and heart as I wrote that sentence was looking at the week both with a magnifying glass and a wide lens I see how much work I have done to get closer to both a sense of self-belonging, but also create a deeper context of belonging here in this world and body I inhabit.

Maybe it is in the elasticity that grief may allow us to create within – or maybe it is the elasticity of being comfortable with loss after loss after loss… I am thinking about a photo I saw of a group of dancers in Martha Graham’s troupe that might illustrate elasticity visually, to help show what I am trying to communicate.

I found the image I was meant to find only to discover the costume created the context for a dance titled “lamentations” about grief. To read more about it, visit here when you finish reading this post.

Martha Graham’s dance was not about the growth of grief – well, I ought not say that until I watch the dance closely, and maybe do some form of my personalized iteration in the best way I can.

Some key takeaways on Self-Belonging this week:

  1. I started sharing celebrations of self-belonging in my instagram stories at night before I go to sleep. I have no idea how these will go over, but the requirement to catalog my experience already feels important.
  2. Divine delivery increases when I opened the door to self-belonging. The level of synchronicities multiply and expand. 
  3. Self-belonging has a strong element, at least in my case, of re-parenting. Somehow now that both of my parents are gone, I don’t feel disloyal in claiming aspects of their parenting that wasn’t well suited to me – just like I know and will admit my parenting wasn’t always suited to my children. Samuel has been brave enough to tell me this and because of his blunt honesty, I have grown both as a parent and as a human.

I am invigorated and excited to continue with this project of discovery, forgiveness and love – which is a bit of the bridge into next week as I live into the question:

What is ready to be forgiven (or ripening to forgiveness)?

I invite you to join me engaging with the question. Any thoughts are welcome in the comments.

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Healing, Intention/Connection, Rewriting the Narrative, Self Care Tagged With: forgiveness, Living the Question, Martha Graham, Self-Belonging

Day 5: 31 Days of (Self) Belonging

October 5, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

I find belonging in my notebooks. Whatever notebook I happen to be writing in at that time.

I used to write morning pages a la Julia Cameron: 3 pages of longhand writing as close to first thing in the morning as possible.

I loved it for a long time until I didn’t. I did love free writing, always have – and I do like the container of 3 pages AND I needed to have structure with freedom.

After a long dry spell and serious resistance to doing them again, I started doing some modifications to the model that all included a free flow writing element. I created something I call the Roll Over and Write Journal: Where your words are always right.

I write for however long and however much I feel compelled to write close to when I go to sleep and close to when I wake up. Sometimes I write a lot, sometimes I write a little, sometimes I write my dreams so I can do some early- in- the-day analysis. 

At night I may ask my highest self, I call her Julianne, questions. It allows me to dump problematic thoughts on the page and ask for wisdom and experience a bit of letting go as a result.

I give myself space to kvetch and complain as necessary and I do my best to keep things truthful more than toxically positive. 

Maybe that is why I have often said my notebooks are one of my best friends. I don’t fake it in my notebooks. I don’t have to pretend to be a persona or be worried my notebooks will betray me. My notebooks know my shortcomings and don’t ask for favors or try to make weird quid pro quo arrangements with me.

My notebooks always listen, consistently inspire, and enjoy me even when I am annoying.

They offer me exactly what I look for in friends, except since they aren’t human or sentient I can’t take thim to events and expect a fun conversation later.

Notebooks have taught me a lot about myself and have helped me gain clarity when I found myself in dark spaces when I wondered if I would ever arrive safely to the other side.

In case you are wondering: Sometimes people prefer to call the type of writing I do in my notebooks to journaling and the books themselves as journals. I use the word “writing notebooks” more often than any other title. I don’t know why I choose that except ever since I started using notebooks to write my morning pages, that has fit me better than fancy journals – although I do use the fancy journals people gift me much better than I once did!

Do you keep a notebook? I would enjoy hearing about it in the comments.

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Healing, Intention/Connection, Mixed Media Art, Poetry, Rewriting the Narrative, Self Care Tagged With: Belonging to Self, Julie JordanScott, Self-Belonging, This is what belonging looks like

Day 4: Believing Mirrors in 31 Days of (Self) Belonging

October 4, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Believing mirrors: people who see you, hear you and reflect your goodness back to you. It is similar to holding unconditional positive regard as we discussed yesterday, though the term is rooted in the work of Julia Cameron.

I have often suggested the discovery of believing mirrors to my coaching clients as well as myself and I have never thought of it in relation to belonging, especially self-belonging.

This realization hit me like a hailstorm yesterday.

Two aspects were especially strong: what is it to find and be in relationship with people who are believing mirrors and what would it take to be my own believing mirror?

Being my own believing mirror - photo illustrates being a believing mirror before going onstage while waiting in the wings at the Empty Space Theater in Bakersfield, California

“WHAT?!” I internally yelled at myself. “I never even considered being my own believing mirror!”

Sometimes the most obvious are the least likely to be seen, like in a romance story where people start the movie as enemies and become lovers. Think “You’ve Got Mail” or I’ve lost count of how many Shakespeare plays.

Today will begin my practice of being my own believing mirror.

I am devoting myself to an evening practice of collecting what to reflect back to myself with unconditional positive regard and speak to myself in respect to what I did not only well, but when I was notably trying my best in the moment.

To increase the emphasis, I intend to create a daily story on instagram sharing from 3 – 5 ways I am believing in myself for the next week. If I miss or mess up, I will believe – because I know – if I make doing my best into a practice I will remember even when my best doesn’t look exceptional, it is that day’s best.

Do you have someone who you consider to be a believing mirror for you?

I would love to hear how you communicate to one another.

Woman hugging a cartoon tree - white with black polka dots

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Intention/Connection, Self Care Tagged With: Believing Mirror, Julia Cameron, Julie JordanScott, Self-Belonging

Day 3: 31 Days of (Self) Belonging

October 3, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Sometimes when we decide to take action, exactly what you need seems to magically fall into place.

It is as Paulo Coelho wrote, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

Does Magic Begin with Habits, Rituals and Our Natural Tendencies?

I have a ritual on Sunday afternoon to go for a drive, a hike and listen to podcasts in a leisurely way as I do. Usually I have two podcasts I listen to, but this Sunday, I listened to a podcast I listen to semi-regularly and it served up exactly what I needed to hear in order for me to feel a strong sense of belonging and recognition.

I saw myself in the description spoken by the host of “Being Well,” Forrest Hanson and his father Dr. Rick Hanson, who shared a brief synopsis of the work of Carl Rogers. The three word description “unconditional positive regard” reminded me of both how I operate and who I am.

My thought was, “There is a name for how I naturally operate?” which turned into “It is a valid, valuable way of being.”

How Unconditional Positive Regard Intersects with Self-Belonging

I first heard myself speak this “Unconditional Positive Regard” aloud in a classroom recently when I said, “I am here because I see the good in you.”

It followed when I advocated for a student I have nothing to do with except we are both humans and on my quest for self-belonging I am also continuing to focus on belonging for others.

When I heard Dr. Hanson talk about unconditional positive regard I thought to myself, “How often do I say things to myself like I said to that random student?”

“I am here because I see the good in you, Julie.”
I don’t know if I have ever said that to myself.

I see you, I am listening to you, I am honoring you

One of the reasons for this exploration was to find areas where I could strengthen my awareness – and this is a definite gift because seeing the good in others and expressing that good that we see is like rolling out the “belonging red carpet.”

I see you; I am listening to you; I am honoring you.

Today when I advocated for the student whose path I just-so-happened to cross, I encountered a whole new group of people, I spoke in a language I sort of know, but I’m stretching my use of it on purpose in order to connect with her. “I am making this honest effort to help you because I see you, I hear your heart and I value you.”

Reaching out to those who are at risk of being lonely and roll out the “belonging red carpet” as best as I can is something I have done since I was a very young child. This is unique about me, something that has been true about me for my entire life. 

The student has now been invited into a social event that will help her with language and hopefully make new friends, I have collaborated with her language teacher to help her fit in through conversing in both of our native languages and I had that deeply satisfying feeling that comes from helping someone simply because we are two humans on this planet.

Vulnerability: an Indication Belonging is Near or Here

Vulnerability alert: I have tears in my eyes as I even think about morphing the words of belonging I thought towards a student I don’t even know:

 “I am making this honest effort to help you, Julie,  because I see you, I hear your heart and I value you.”

This isn’t about parroting phrases of self-love.

These are true statements I am learning and yearning to fully embrace.

I will check in at the end of the week about my overall progress and this study of and usage of unconditional positive regard to myself will be an excellent measuring stick of how I am honoring myself and inviting myself to higher levels of self-belonging.

Do you recognize yourself in anything I have shared here? I would love to hear how you are connecting with my words. Hearing how you are connecting (or suggestions as well) will help me grow to hear how these concepts are landing with you and if you have any questions for me as I continue to develop this series.

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Goals, Healing, Self Care, Storytelling

From Nightmare to a Small and Mighty Action that Made a Big Difference

September 28, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

As the day wore on yesterday, I got more fussy and cranky. I was planning to go to a poetry event in Newton and instead of not going because I was fussy and cranky, I showed up anyway. I was not my sometimes ebullient self AND I showed up. WIN!

I have been having challenges staying asleep, so I did the entirely wrong thing by procrastinating even going upstairs until way after my preferred time. I went to sleep late and my sleep was interrupted because I thought a war had broken out in Sussex Borough and tanks were rolling down Unionville Avenue shooting recklessly at the homes and churches and were headed to the (tiny) downtown. WHERE WAS MY PROTECTION! Then I remembered: this is what the thunder and lightning of my childhood felt like. 

No wonder I ran away crying from “lightning bugs” aka fireflies.

When I woke up later than I like, I decided I needed something different. I had planned to go for my morning walk – which I did very briefly and then…. I decided to experiment with my morning roll over and write and instead, make it roll over and walk, write outside after the walk. This was nothing short of miraculous. Sitting in the rocking chair with my journal and writing for only about five minutes made me feel completely refreshed – and this was even before coffee!

I wrote longer than I might have made it AND it warms my spirit  to share these moments in time with you.

I went from being grouchy to having a nightmare and being grouchy to taking a simple action that shifted everything.

Is there an action you might take, no matter how small, that has the power to make a big difference in your attitude right now?

A five minute walk might become your miracle (or a five minute brain dump session or a quick phone call to a dear friend or a 15 minute cup of tea gazing out the window.)

Let me know in the comments (or send me a direct message) to let me know what tiny and meaningful action you are willing to take in the next 24 hours to may make a big difference in your life now.

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

Follow on Instagram to Watch exclusive reels, 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

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Filed Under: Affirmations for Writers, Creative Adventures, Healing, Storytelling Tagged With: creative process, Julie JordanScott, Manselife, This Writer's Life

Lesson Gratefully Learned: The Freedom of Boundaries

September 17, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

I am a week into my period of self-imposed isolation, though I popped onto twitter last night to make one post. This mindful experience of boundaries is different than when I miss out on social media because life is frantic and I can’t post because of a lack of time.

This “I have time but I am purposefully disconnecting” as a conscious choice feels better and it is still strange… different… not what I would have expected.

Sometimes when I have known people to disengage from social media I have questioned their rationale. Some people feel disdain for social media, like it is an enemy or something to conquer. I have always seen social media as another point of connection, not a tool of influence or something I must do, I see it as something I choose to do like choosing to open a gift or not open a gift. 

Allowing those words to appear on my keyboard allows me to see my choice differently. The meaning speaks to me in a deeper, more interesting way.

I initially chose this dark period  (that is the theater term for when there is no production scheduled during a certain period of time.) as a way to minimize the possibility of experiencing more pain than I have the bandwidth for, with this being my first week back at school while grieving the death of my mother. I didn’t know how I would feel, I didn’t know how crushing (or not) my emotions would be.

I didn’t see this time of quiet as a gift to myself, I saw it as an exercise in strength because I receive a lot of energy from hearing your voices reflect back to me in your comments and interactions with me. By choosing to go dark it meant I was taking away the energetic exchange from you to me as well as from me to you. 

A week into the dark period and two days into the school year, I am above fair-to-middling. I am in a space where I can remind myself to smile as I walk around campus, for example. I was able to make a new friend yesterday – the school librarian! Such a natural! I haven’t cried publicly which is good. I have agreed to sing the solo on church on Sunday I was rehearsing the morning I got the call Mom had died which I was scheduled to sing the week she died.

I am taking gentle risks, allowing myself to roll out the soft landing repeatedly without rush or shouldas or if onlys.

As I am writing this I have ten more days to go. In real time when you are reading this, I am probably back. 🙂

I am, as always, grateful you are here, reading.

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 has recently finished her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Grief, Mindfulness Tagged With: Boundary Practice, Julie JordanScott, Time Out

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How to Use Your Text & Other “Throwaway Writing” to Make All Your Writing Easier.

Trust in Creativity: Start with What’s Wrong

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Your Beliefs: Foundations of Your Creative Path to Peace

Introduction to “The Creative Path to Peace”

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