How to Use Journaling to Become Clear on Your Weekly Goals – and Beyond

November 15, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Because I am an artist, I have a lot of friends and coaching clients who are also artists – and many of my creative friends have an aversion to setting goals. While I know this is true in other fields, I must confess in my informal research from years of working with people on reaching their goals and fulfilling their hopes and dreams, we turn away from naming and claiming our goals for several reasons:

We are afraid to speak our goals because if we speak them and we don’t achieve them, we convince ourselves this will mean we failed. It doesn’t mean we failed at all. If our goals don’t work out exactly as we planned means your results were different than expected. You got feedback. You experimented. You won!
We are embarrassed about where we are or by what we want. People won’t understand us, won’t want to spend time with us anymore and worst, will judge us, abandon us and no longer associate with us. I can tell you, some of my wacky goals have helped me immeasurably in the “I don’t want to get tangled up in other people’s opinions” categories, so if I want to set and work toward a goal of leaving 100 pennies in random places for people to find, pick up and feel happier because of it – you and others may think I am incorrigibly silly. And that’s ok.
We don’t believe we can achieve the goal anyway so… while the heart-call is there, the energy isn’t so we ignore it. Ignoring or denial is among the most dangerous actions to take. This is where block begins to build. When we resist the desire and pile up lots of over-thinking, underappreciative energy on top of the overthinking, the mindclutter can translate into life clutter. Even taking micro-actions will keep energy flowing and will help you gain evidence that you CAN begin and you CAN move forward.

Even if it is just for this week, try this exercise as an experiment.

If you feel doubt seeping into your thoughts, consider this wisdom from Eckhart Tolle, best selling author and thought leader who wrote, “When the basis for your actions is inner alignment with the present moment, your actions become empowered by the intelligence of life itself.”

We gain clarity when we write without editing, judgment or forethought. Our inner wisdom is given room to roam. We can explore what we truly want without letting other people or our own negative thoughts get in the way of becoming energized and empowered to move forward.

Write using a stream-of-consciousness or free flow,journaling style for five minutes following the framework in the prompt:

First free flow write or journal for up to five minutes using the prompt:

This week I want – and consider what you want to feel, what you want to achieve, who you want to connect with, what you want to let go.

Build on what you want by creating a connection with

This week I intend: and base your intentions on what you discovered from writing about what you want.

How often are our intentions the same thing we have automatically been speaking for weeks, months or a season but not related to our heart’s call?

Using journaling as a tool of clarification will help you align your desire with your intention and then tie back together with what actions you will choose to take in the final prompt:

This week I will choose….which is where our goals, intentions, and vision takes form. You can want something for years or decades but if you do not set intentions and goals and move forward with love through action, you will more than likely find yourself ten years in the future in a very similar place now to where you were when you started.

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:

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Sunrise at the Manse: An Invitation to Deep Healing & Creativity

November 14, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Earlier was a morning like most other mornings: leaning against my pillows after writing brief notes in my journal and experiencing a morning meditation, I felt peaceful and calm.

Soul Practices Open Windows in Many Ways

I was looking with a soft gaze that caught the sun as she peeked over the horizon and shone her rays of light into the window across from my bed. It was as if the sun was a young child, waving as she reaches up from under the covers, “I am here, let’s play again….” accompanied by the soft exhale with the slightest projection of the intention “this is going to be a good day.”

Tears fill my eye in the memory of earlier this morning and for so many sunrise mornings across my years.

My life is so different than it was a year ago yet also in many ways the same.

I am across the country from where I was, in the mornings I face east as is my favored direction.

Clear Desire: Spoken and Repeated

I am not sure how many years ago I boldly proclaimed, “If I ever move, I must have a house with an east facing porch and a bonus would be having a bedroom that faces east.” I know I said so, repeatedly – without expecation or attachment.

In my house in Bakersfield, the living room faces east. The kitchen faces east. These are the spaces I was often in as the day began. Many mornings of writing when my children were little started at the kitchen table in the dark. They would file in and sit beside me – knowing simply by silent association this was important Mommy time. When my three pages were done I would look up and address whatever it was they might desire.

Now my children are grown and I am living for a time in a manse beside the church where my daughter works.

By a miracle of divine appointment, the house has an eastern facing porch and the sun makes her appearance every day through the window of the bedroom I chose when Katherine asked which room I would like as my bedroom I asked, “Which one has the best morning light?”

An Unexpected Invitation to Healing

I am experiencing a season of deep healing I didn’t realize I needed as badly as I do.

There is a part of me that struggles to explain what it feels like to realize these blessings are safe to receive. There is a bigger part of me that is self-trolling or gaslighting, urging me not to be crazy enough to share such vulnerabilities as I am in writing and sharing this moment with you.

How can I not share how dreams come true in ways unexpected and beautiful?

How can I not share the rewards of healing after so many years is still possible, sacred and holy?

I will continue to hold these moments close AND share them wildly and as widely as the invitation calls. Maybe this resonates with you on some level – synchronicity happens – and perhaps this invitation is for you as well as for me. Speak up (if you would like) or pause, wait and reach out to me later. These blogs will continue appearing – invitation, issued, repeatedly.

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What Happened When the Inner Critic Crashed the Forest Bathing Party

November 10, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Woman writing in a notebook in the middle of the forest. Words say "Hello, Inner Critic! Fancy meeting you here!"

Forest bathing is one of the most pleasant experiences anyone may enjoy – it doesn’t require equipment or skills or new shoes. All it requires is one have a willingness to be in a wooded area – a forest or park – even an urban park or a back yard with numerous trees will work. The technical definition (if you don’t know it yet) will show up later.

Last Monday, I visited High Point State Park in Sussex County, New Jersey which is where I am living right now. I brought my notebook with me to possibly write, but that was a second part of the plan. The true plan was to be with trees and hug a tree or two for good measure.

How did I end up laughing in the Forest with my Inner Critic?

Even as I typed the words “Laughing in the forest with my inner critic” I realized how foreign or flat out wrong this may appear to some people. Who laughs with the villain?

Who chuckles with the one who makes us feel unworthy of praise?

Admittedly as a writer and as a writing coach, I have some unconventional ideas – and trusting the process is one of them. Stay with me as the story unfolds.

These moments among the trees were like a tree fest of profound, beyond language joy. Gratitude is a close description and the feelings were – if possible to understand – so much more than simply gratitude.

Definition of Forest Bathing.

My plan was to do some forest bathing and tree hugging. What is forest bathing? National Geographic defines it like this: “The term emerged in Japan in the 1980s as a physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku: “forest bathing” or “taking in the forest atmosphere”.

I brought my notebook “just in case” it felt right.

There, in the forest, I came upon a companion black oak tree which invited me to take a seat on a makeshift stool and experience forest bathing with words.

This is where my inner critic (or perhaps the spirit keeper of the woods) stepped in when the very first two words off the tip of my pen were “majestic oak.”

Woman sitting at the base of a tree, writing in her notebook. Julie Jordan Scott (Julie JordanScott) is the writer.

Smack! I felt the energetic sting of a ruler on my pale, bent fingers cradling my trusty writing utensil. I kept my head lowered as I mumbled, “I know. Horrid. What was I thinking?”

This is when my Inner Critic and I started laughing.

My inner critic was being helpful. That’s what editors do, after all, they make our writing better.

How often do writers trot out the most maligned and overused meaningless words in the beginning of their writing?

Here I was, sitting in a forest surrounded by oaks of orange, brown, and assorted mottled spotted leaves. There were enormous green-yellow leaves on baby oaks that didn’t seem capable of bearing the weight of them. Deep blue sky over head with wispy clouds like smoke from candles that have been blown out. Leaves, sounding like foam on the Atlantic’s waves or perhaps imitating rocks on the flow of the river.

Woman hugging an oak tree in the forst. Tree hugger who is forest bathing.

Here an oak, there a beech, similarly covered with lichen.

It was possible, when I close my eyes, to smell the leaves returning to soil.

I noticed there wasn’t evidence of many other feet walking here in recent days.

My focus pulls aside when I turn toward the hum of a truck on the highway. After the truck I notice the hum of a small airplane, a motorcycle, a sports car.

The trees patiently wait for me to notice them again.

The tallest yellow tree, an eastern oak, seemed to call out to me.

“Let people know we are here,” he said, seeming to give my notebook and pen a half nod. “Let people know we are grateful for when they visit us and sit a while.”

Looking more closely, I see signs of a broken bough, a torn branch or two up his spine. This tree, like me, is healing and whole at the same time.

Just like I am healing and whole at the same time.

Just like so many writers and creatives are both healing and whole at the same time.

Somtimes that wholeness is when we are able to laugh when our inner critic gets it right and she becomes a collaborator. Special note: you are best knowing how to write free flow style well before you allow the inner critic to interject her corrections and suggestions.

One of the reasons I was able to shift gears into better writing was because I knew my word choice was tired and cliche almost as soon as they tumbled off the tip of my pen. I didn’t respond to the appearance of the tired, cliche words with a gasp or a barrage of negative self talk, I laughed.

What would happen if you decided to play with your inner critic instead of making your inner critic wrong?

The most effective way to work WITH your inner critic

The single best thing you can do is give your inner critic space to help you AFTER your first draft is complete, after you have allowed your words to flow wherever they wanted to flow – even if the first words are trite and cliche.

Did it occur to you if my inner critic hadn’t showed up and overstepped her boundaries while I was forest bathing, you would not be reading this? Maybe YOU are the exact reason she showed up with me while I was minding my own business, enjoying nature with my notebook and pen in hand.

Consider this an invitation to take your notebook outside and find some trees to spend time with soon. Bring an open mind and heart. Enjoy finding words that fill you with delight as much as the experience fills you with delight.

Reach back here and tell me when your mission is accomplished, please.

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Make Space for Hopes, Goals, Dreams & Passion in Your Calendar

November 8, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

I know what it is to be a busy, creative entrepreneur with a family, a business and outside commitments that keep me busy. Sometimes it is a challenge to ask ourselves straight up questions like:

What items on my calendar reflect how I honor my hopes, dreams, goals and passions?

Because I know how important it is for each of us, I am going to go through the process myself. Warning: I get very vulnerable and honest. You may or may not feel comfortable doing the same AND that is completely fine. The best place to start is where you are right now.

Through this exercise I learned I needed to start on the edge of where I am right now.

I recently moved 3,000 miles from home partially because my calendar had been prioritized almost exclusively on making life work better for other people.

Assess What Went Wrong with Authenticity and Honesty

When I look back, I can say “I don’t know how this happened!” or I can be honest and see the slow moving tilting into “other people’s things matter more than mine” and “people seem to love me more when I do things for them at the expense of moving my projects forward.”

If only I had started looking at my calendar according to me hopes, dreams, goals and passions I might have been able to stop the downward spiral before making such a drastic move.

Maybe I could have made this move because it feels good instead of because I was too afraid to even begin to put it into words what was happening.

Maybe if I stopped worrying about what I should be doing and instead took a more balanced approach between what would best serve my goals and ambitions and what would serve the ambitions of my children, my partner and my collaborative partners – there would have been breathing room left for me to work on the callings of my heart.

Step Back So The Reality is More Clear

Now that I have stepped back, I can see the genesis of this schism started due to trauma layered upon trauma layered upon trauma without taking time to heal, stretch or process in between the traumatic events.

I went to therapy intermittently, but I didn’t ever go deep enough or out far enough beyond the traumatic episode to make peace and completely integrate the trauma.

There was always a sense of one of these:

“Hurry up! There isn’t enough time!”
“People need me, I am only valued as far as I am needed so I better make myself indispensable now!”
“Be prepared for the next crisis!” Any ringing phone in the middle of the day meant there was a crisis at school which would require my instant intervention. I can’t work normal hours, I can’t take in many clients again after what happened that last time and an escalating sense of … I can’t…I can’t…. I can’t….

Even while reading this short blog-post-in-progress I think “I can fictionalize this me character so no one knows.”

Remember the most important Life Coaching Questions?

When I work with clients, some of the most common clients I ask them are also questions I am best off asking myself, too.

What am I afraid of?

Will you please take a deep breath with me? (and then repeat the question).

What am I afraid of?

Another deep breath.

What will it take to calm the memories of trauma right now?

One more deep breath –

I am safe now. I have plenty of time to do what I need to do. I am loved.

If these questions ring a bell for you, please use them as journaling prompts so that we can get back to the core of the initial question:

What items on the calendar reflect how you honor your hopes, dreams, goals and passions?

Here are examples of how I responded to these questions, unedited and raw:

What am I afraid of:

I am afraid people won’t like, value or believe in me as a creative life coach if they see how fragile I can be at times of personal stress. In reality, there may be people who won’t value or believe in me as a life coach -and those are not people suited to me or my coaching practice, programs or courses.

What will it take to calm the memories of trauma right now?

In this circumstance I wrote this blog post, even though vulnerable.

I affirmed in writing and meditatively “I am safe. I reminded myself the memory is not what is right now. There is plenty of time to do all I need to do. Plus I am capable of making adjustments as necessary. I am safe.”

I reminded and practiced: I can always take calm, slow breaths. I can practice square-breathing. I can practice alternate nostril breath.

Return to the Real Work Once the Space has Been Held and Cleared for Movement Forward

Now I can clearly assess my calendar to see how I have done to create pockets of time for what is important to me.

Have I scheduled time to develop my most important projects, ones that will help me reach my financial and professional goals?
Have I scheduled time for my passion projects?
Have I scheduled time for self-care?

Immediately I feel better.

CS Lewis wisely wrote, “”You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” Your calendar may be out of balance right now, but paying attention will allow you to take action towards better solutions that may begin right away.

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What Does Tree Hugging Have to Do With My Niche?

November 5, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

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….

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.)
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.
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.”
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.

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The Important Link Between Gratitude and Abundance

November 4, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

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:

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Sometimes Grief Slams Against Us, Unexpectedly… Like It Did Yesterday

November 2, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

If I had been paying attention, I might have realized there was going to be an all saints sort of theme at church this week.

I clearly wasn’t paying attention.

It feels like too many losses to count.

I have experienced numerous losses this year: my father died, my friend was murdered, because of my father’s death my mother moved into assisted living so there is no denying her frailty, their house was sold so there will be no more holiday memory making in Flagstaff, I moved from my home of thirty years for a year – my eyes were filling with tears as soon as I saw the centerpiece on the table at church. Memories. Deaths. Losses. All losses were piled upon losses were piled upon losses.

The service was an honoring of lives.

The intention was to bring joy to the memories of loved one, to honor the grief and the loss.

The intention was to honor the grief and the loss: words on a pink lavendar and orange background.

It might have been if I was emotionally prepared. Even before I got to church I had been feeling more low than usual – I wouldn’t call it lonely but I was aware of the aloneness as I faced Halloween in an unfamiliar neighborhood without friends to invite me to a party or the usual neighborhood kids looking cute in their costumes as I gleefully ohhhhhh and ahhhhhh and pass out candy.

Halloween has always been the beginning of the holiday season for me.

Since my daughter died more than thirty years ago, it is the time when I brace myself for what is to come.

What lessons has my grief taught me as we face the holiday season?

These five are the beginning – there are many more AND these will help you to begin having a more intentional – and more joyful – holiday experience.

Being emotionally prepared before the day descends is always more helpful than not paying attention.
Having a friend or two on stand-by if I need assistance or have that overwhelming “I just can’t do it” energy rise up.
Recognize the day may be marvelous without any preparation at all – and mindfulness always serves my greater good than happenstance.
People don’t mean to upset me when I am caught off guard by an event.
I am grieving the best I can – whether I am in denial or fighting back tears or guiding others through their emotions – I am grieving – and living – in the best way I can.

Emotional preparation goes a long way to intentionally experiencing the holidays while we are grieving.

If you have friends who are experiencing grief, please remember them as we get closer to other holidays which may cause them to feel upset. If it is you who are grieving: I am here, sending love your way.

I also created this video in case you or someone you know is looking ahead for the holidays and is nervous about it:

She is also offering a new Create an Intentional Holiday Season While Grieving Coaching Circle beginning on November 16, 2021. For details on that program please click here.

Introduction: Who Enjoys Writing a Bio?

October 31, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

In the Let Our Words Flow Creative Community we recently polled our members and more people confessed writing biographies of all sorts for social media account, for public speaking introductions, for event programs, for blurbs on the back of books and “about me” pages is the worst sort of writing assignment to complete.

I decided to try a simple template to write a simple bio to introduce myself to new people here at my blog. When you’re done reading, I would love if you would share one thing we have in common from what you have read here.

Results from a Bio Writing template:

Julie JordanScott is an experienced writer, a creative life coach and an award winning storyteller and actress. Driven by a desire to leave her community and the world better than how she found it, she takes pride in providing the best personal development and writing courses possible.

As a writer, her goals include completing her two current book projects and continuing to build up the people in the Let Our Words Flow Creative Community, a private facebook group. Her work has been on both the New York Times Best Sellers list and the Amazon Best Sellers list.

As a creative life coach, her goal is to continue offering life altering courses to help people break through their blocks of belief and create books, blogs and social media content that will not only benefit their clients, it will also build a better world.

Julie has also been recognized for her commitment to the arts community in Bakersfield, California and special education departments throughout California. She has worked with students learning English from across the world as well as with refugees.

What makes an expert?

Her expertise expands to blogging, social media and livestreaming. (Note to readers: the expertise is made from experience, words crafted, livestreaming from know how. All of these came from time invested and practice.)

She started blogging in 2004 – and prior to this she had several newsletters (then called Ezines) with more than 15,000 subscribers.

Her three children can each do a fine impression of Julie lapsing from “mom at home Julie” to “Julie Creative Entrepreneur makes a live stream video or talks to students in her zoom courses!”

Information, Edutainment and Connection

I tried to include enough information in this bio so that everyone who visits will be able to find some way we may connect. I attempted to be interesting, to provide crucial information and hopefully hold their attention so that they will keep reading.

Please comment so I may get to know you better, too. Which part of this introduction did you connect with the most?

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Top 7 Writing Micro-Goals for Creative Entrepreneurs

September 18, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

I’ve seen this happen with more of my coaching, healing arts and creative entrepreneur clients than I can count – and I have even done it myself. We plunk down at our desks at our designated writing times and absolutely nothing happens.

Here’s the thing: creating a small, micro-goal specifically aimed to help you with consistent content creation is deceptively simple. Try one of these on for a week. If it doesn’t appeal, try a different one for seven days. Repeat as necessary.

My secret success is from having one solid “writing not for content but for exercising the writing muscle” practice, for me it is a daily stream of conscious journaling in the morning, and then have a second micro goal I mix up and serve differently, like a writing buffet.

Watch the video here and read below for more details for each tip.

My newest accidental micro-goal is a daily #RollOverandWrite. That’s it. Wake up, roll over and pick up the notebook you placed at your bedside before you went to sleep and write a few sentences.

Write an affirmative intention daily in the morning. “I am capable of writing effective blog posts.” “People enjoy what I write.” “My sales letter is both effective and engaging.”

Exercise for 20 minutes and write immediately after. Set up your writing space before you go for your walk, job or attend your zumba class. If you work out someplace besides your home, bring a notebook with you and write in your car or at the gym or at a picnic table in the park. Your subconscious is watching to see how important your writing is to you by the consistent time you give it.

Journal/free write for a set amount of time or set number of words/pages each day. You may write as few as 250 words (approximately one page) or for three minutes. The amount of writing matters less than simply flowing with your writing rather than attempting to mold it or edit as you go along. That comes later – and believe me, if you can get the words on the page to begin with, editing will come easily.

To practice writing concisely and with the most writing “bang for your buck” write a daily haiku, six word story or American Sentence poem. Any of this “very micro writing” will help you be use your best words. It will help you write compelling copy and/or characters with a more curated conversational style than you may usually write. It will teach you to cut out unnecessary words that often bog down our readers.

Write a 5 item gratitude list before you go to sleep. You may also make a list of “What went well today” or “5 Good Things that happened today” list. Thesetrain your brain to focus on what is constructive and helpful in your life. A bonus is the subject of each item on the list may easily become a blog post, a social media post or a chapter in a book or poem.

Use a timer to write 5 minutes a day for 5 consecutive days, #5for5BrainDump style. You may try unprompted or prompted writing. In the Let Our Words Flow Creative Community we have prompts and videos to guide you as you practice this – plus it is free to join the group which also has a thriving community, lots of tips, video teachings and daily discussion for creative entrepreneurs.

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Would you like more delight, more personal growth and better storytelling?

September 8, 2021 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Challenging myself to new methods of cataloguing and enjoying my life and growing as I do so. I have collected quotes, gratitudes and good things. I took 365 Self Portraits before Selfies were “invented” and I did so by pointing my camera lens backwards and took photos blindly.

In other words, this sort of “I love trying new things!” challenges have been going on for a long time.

This month I started a new self-challenge at the last minute so I didn’t have a chance to blog it or share it officially on any of my usual platforms.

The better news is I have continued not perfectly – but steadily – so this month’s results are much better than my August 2021 Fail-a-thon.

That’s another thing about me: when I don’t do what I set out to do, I give myself grace and offer forgiveness readily because I learned long ago the only positive notion to beating myself up is initiating a faster fall back into feeling depressed more consistently and that is definitely not something I want to do.

Here is how I am adding more satisfaction in September in addition to my 377 Tree Hugs – which are continuing very well after I got over a bit of a struggle between 150 and 250 tree hugs.

To have more Daily Delights, set your intention plus document daily

I am tracking 3 Daily Delights every day in September 2021.

Every day, I stay open to finding 3 things that fill me with the giddy feeling of delight. It really is delicious and makes me smile a lot. So far I have had unique things like seeing a bird sitting on a fire hydrant singing to purchasing a gatorade and shopping with a young man I had never met before. You get to decide what delights you. You may note it or not – again, you are the rule maker for all of these challenges.

To experience personal growth, pay attention to what opportunities are catching your attention and keep track of them.

Every day, I take note of up to three growth possibilities that show up on my horizon. This week, for example, I am journaling about messages “from the universe” and last week I journaled about “what my future self would like for me to learn.”

There are multiple reasons this works well. First, it teaches me to collect my ideas for self improvement. It also helps me to be detached from results and curate what possibilities I want to move forward. If I have the same growth possibility it will get to the point if I don’t accept that mission from the universe, I may be in for a lot of discomfort along the way.

To become a better storyteller, create stories beyond words.

Have you heard the expression, “a picture is worth 1,000 words”? I was introduced to visual narrative several years ago and have found it to be tremendously helpful in stretching myself as a storyteller and writer and visual artist. By the way, I never would have thought I would ever be a visual artist so be prepared to fall in love with visual storytelling.

There are two different ways I approaching visual storytelling: one is to create visual stories with props (for me these are items I find along the way – and the photos are like mini three dimensional art journals that usually only exist in my documentation. I have found these are great for intuitive growth and insight.

The second method is more of a photojournalism approach which I have been using primarily. As I am out and about living my life, I am aware of images/scenes that call out to me. Lately I have taken a lot of images that are seedy or “less than” beautiful by conventional standards AND if I challenge myself I know I can find a different subcategory.

In fact, I may do that for the rest of the week we are in because it will help my creativity from seeming one dimensional as well as help me to “see” more.

If any of these subcategories appeal to you, feel free to jump on board and try them out and follow along with me on my Writing Camp with Julie JordanScott Facebook Page. It is the simplest way for me to share largely no matter where I am from day-to-day. If you would also appreciate “behind the scenes” I also have a free private facebook group called “Let Our Words Flow Creative Community” where many creative people participate in conversations along these themes daily.

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.