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Creative Life Midwife

Inspiring Artistic Rebirth

Is the Train Moveable? Joyful Haiku… Waits.

July 7, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Confession: these first few days of July have been an energetic, emotional slow motion train pause… not really a wreck but definitely a something that doesn’t feel good. Maybe train stuck on the rails without any knowledge of when it will move.

I am transparent about my relationship with depression. I have hit that familiar wall many, many what variations of over and over again can I say clearly? I was taught early on smiling through tears is more acceptable than grumbling or grousing or worse yet, letting people know how lousy I might be feeling – and because of my willingness to get deeply close with this “no make up wearing private side of myself” I knew I was both close to tumbling into depression AND close to the next wonderful “thing” – so this morning when I woke up cranky and wanted to cancel my first work session of the day what did I do?

I negotiated with myself and took a quick shower.

I got up and got dressed.

I walked down the stairs and shifted halfway down the stairs, almost like I was a stern version of me telling myself to lift my chin up. “Aim high in steering” from sophomore in high school driver’s ed, “keep going even if you don’t want to” that I have done more in the last four years than in the previous two decades.

Interesting to note when I looked at this photo the first thing I notice is the cut across my knuckle. The sort of cut it could be so easily torn back open. In running my thumb across it, I can’t even feel where the cut begins. It is healing well. Just like I continue to heal well, too, emphasis on the ING, the process, the movement in the stillness and the stillness in the movement.

I have started the process of creating Beta Reader Packets. This is HUGE hello HUGE! It is also a new thing for me so naturally between finishing my book and doing this, resistance showed up and is teaching me now to remember to be with the ING, the process, the movement in the stillness and the stillness in the movement.

Ahhhh, paradox again.

From both photos you can see it would be wise of me to clear my space again. I will, soon.

For now, I am grateful to be feeling better and more movement is afoot, in my knuckles, in my knees, in my makeup free face, in the deep and quiet joy I’m feeling right now.

I’m so 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.

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 by clicking here.

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Filed Under: #377Haiku, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process

Shopping Cart Haiku + Assemblage Art

July 6, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Haiku 346/377 

ship wreck stuck in time

on a deserted island

where is the captain?

My first photo of a shopping cart was in 2013. Many people think this is a downright bizarre fascination. Abandoned shopping carts, photographed in “the wild”. My one rule is I cannot take photos in a grocery or big box store parking lot.

Each shopping cart photo tells a story. The one for this haiku was on a center island on Ming Avenue near New Stine in Bakersfield. I almost passed it by on the way to “something better” but after I saw a second abandoned shopping cart I knew I had to go back and honor the unheard storyteller who left his or her shopping-cart- home behind.

When I looked at the photos and realized none of them clearly illustrated how this cart was on a median, in the middle of a busy street, distinctively on an island…. this haiku fell onto the “page” here on my phone in an instant.

I’m reminded of the movie “The Dead Poet’s Society” when the boys climb on their desks and say, one by one “oh captain, my captain” as their beloved teacher Mr. Keating leaves the classroom. Administrators meant his dismissal to be in shame and for his students, it wasn’t shame they felt at all, it was honor and love and compassion and understanding.

Your task today if you choose to take it is when you come upon someone you haven’t taken the time to see lately, pause and see them, wholly and holy.

*This is an excerpt from Julie’s soon to be published book, Living the Haiku Life*

Julie JordanScott is a Creative Life Coach, an award-winning storyteller, actor and poet whose photos and mixed media art graces the walls of collectors across the United States. Her writing has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers List, the Amazon best sellers list and on American Greetings Holiday cards (and other greeting cards). She currently lives in a manse in Sussex, NJ, where she is 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 by clicking here.

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Filed Under: #377Haiku, Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Daily Consistency, Mixed Media Art

How Stream of Consciousness Writing Makes Everything Better

July 6, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

How Knowing What You Want (Even in the “Little Things” helps with more than you might think) … and putting your desire awareness in the forefront of your subconscious mind helps with even more than that

What my morning writing practice told me:

It came up over and over during my morning writing practice.

What do I want? What are my true desires right now?

I spent five minutes to investigate via writing, stream of consciousness style, the most basic of what was happening right then, what happened yesterday, and what was the plan for today:

I am doing my morning writing practice. Is this what I want? Yes, it is good to be here again

I had a conversation with Marifran yesterday. Was that what I wanted? YES. Definitely.

I went to that pizza place yesterday. Did I want that? Meh. That was an “I settled for that.”

Today I am doing double open mic duty. Yes, I definitely want that.

Today I wanted to be outside and walking before 6 am. Did I make it? I was outside at 6:03 and had a marvelous time before coming here to write with Rob who is working on his screen play. Stakes, he reminded me of stakes. Did I want that? 

I wanted to be outside and I was close to being on time so that was a win. 

Did I want to work with Rob? I was looking forward to working with Andrea so was surprised when Rob appeared  – and was immediately engaged and reminded “What are my stakes?” in my own writing projects.

 Even though I didn’t realize I wanted that, now I see the desire is always underneath, to connect and be inspired.

Were my wants all met and did I only do what I believed I wanted? 

No, they weren’t all met and no, I didn’t only do what I believed I wanted and YES I am satisfied, content and ready to face the day with much more happiness – and devotion to following my desires, finding the place where my desires and wants in the moment match my vision for the day and my 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 is 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 by clicking here.

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Filed Under: #377Haiku, Content Creation Strategies, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Daily Consistency, End Writer's Block

Haiku: Leaps to Steady the Course

July 4, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

I was doing my best to stick with my normal routine this morning but had very little success due to connections not working. I did some testing – all appears to be well now but I also felt strongly I was meant to go for a haiku field trip.

I ate my breakfast and headed out to Liberty Loop Trail, 12 minutes from my house and a part of the Walkill River Preserve like the Wood Duck trail.

I was reminded how a change in scenery, even quite brief, changes so much.

Bridge over the Walkill river with this Haiku written on it.
Haiku 6/37
Yellow pike lifts, leaps
 black shoes hover above ground
scales flop, meet water

I’m now sitting at the Winding Waters trail where an AT thru hiker just moseyed by, also. I have seen quite a few hikers this morning as the Appalachian trail intersects with rhe Liberty Loop.

Many are wearing shorts and I temporarily halt the Mom in me from saying “are you wearing repellant? There are ticks around here!”

Both of these trails are flat and easy loops – perfect for this sticky weather.

If you wonder how I got to be such a good fish identifier, google is magic, as is my bird call app which just informed me within 1 minute 9 different birds were singing alongside me. Later I will listen to each of the 9 and continue to practice listening more faithfully.

I knew a fish 🐟 was jumping near me, shallow jumps – so I was primed to spot this grand leap. So I googled and found “walleye” which they also told me is also called a yellow pike. There is a lot of fishing here and they stock the river with these….seeing as I’ve only managed to catch one fish in all my years of living, all fish ought to feel safe around me. 🐠

The first year I wrote haiku was also the first year I saw a fish leap like the Yellow Pike did, today. I believe it is something about practicing close, quiet attention and presence.

I did not want to do much of anything today, but the devotion to writing haiku every day because you might be looking for it dragged me up and out of my doldrums to be on the Liberty Loop Trail and experience these moments of haiku with you.

Do you ever use apps to identify the nature around you?

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Creative Process, Daily Consistency, Storytelling Tagged With: Julie JordanScott, Liberty Loop Trail, Walkill River

Best Tasks to Assign to ChatGPT or Other AI for Writers & Bloggers

January 12, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

I get stuck with writing effective titles more often than I care to admit.

I still get tangled up in wanting to be the just right level of attractive, engaging and “Will this intrigue a newcomer to my writing to want to read more?”

On Monday’s blog post, I was in my usual quandary of not knowing what to write for my title so I asked both ChatGPT and Canva’s Magic Write to share with me their best titles.

Now it is your turn to choose which title is most likely to stir your interest enough to continue reading:

ChatGPT titles: “The Seedlings of Self-Discovery: Uncovering Hidden Strengths”

  1. “Growing Through Struggle: Nurturing the Seedlings of Healing”
  2. “Finding the Medicine Within: Harnessing the Power of Self-Discovery”
  3. “The Journey Within: Cultivating the Seedlings of Personal Growth”
  4. “Nourishing the Seedlings of Change: A Guide to Overcoming Inner Struggles”

Canva Magic Write titles:

  1. The Power of Love: A Journey of Resistance and Growth
  2. Nurturing Our Seedlings: How Love Overcomes Resistance
  3. The Invisible Force of Resistance: Love as the Key for Growth
  4. What Does Love Mean? Exploring the Meaning of Love in the Context of Resistance
  5. Planting the Seeds of Love: Overcoming Resistance to Encourage Growth

If you are curious about the original blog post these bots helped me to title, you may find it here. Do you think I made the right choice?

Yesterday, my blog post was almost 100% AI generated. To see how that turned out, you may see “Is Artificial Intelligence for Blogging the Right Choice for You?” here.

Please share in the comments your thoughts – especially about which title resonates the most with you – and if you think Artificial Intelligence will help or harm your writing in the 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 is working on finishing her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

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

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

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Filed Under: Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Writing Tips Tagged With: Artificial Intelligence for Writers, ChatGPT

Is AI for Blogging Your Right Choice?

January 11, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Experimenting with ChatGPT and Canva’s Magic Write

A woman cheering surrounded by chat boxes to illustrate her excitement to use ChatGPT for her blogging needs

A few weeks ago I used artificial intelligence as a writing tool by using Canva’s tool, Magic Write. While it isn’t perfect, immediately I was using it to do things like write lists for social media posts, taking longer bits of writing and turning them into twitter threads, creating top 10 lists to then turn into reels or short form video.

I love writing, but there is some writing I don’t like – such as coming up with titles.

Today I used it to generate titles for yesterday’s blog post. In that instance, I had both ChatAI and Canva’s Magic Write generate titles.

Ways I Have Used ChapGPT & Magic Write

If you read saw my blog post yesterday, you saw me use the title “PLANTING THE SEEDS OF LOVE: OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO ENCOURAGE GROWTH”. In tomorrow’s blog post, I will show you what other titles these two artificial intelligence writing companions suggested.

Finally, this is straight from the ChatGPT bot wrote when I requested “Write a 500 word or less blog post including 3 bullet points about how ChatGPT may help bloggers, please”:

As a blogger, you’re constantly on the lookout for ways to streamline your workflow and improve the quality of your content. One tool that can help you do both of these things is ChatGPT, a powerful language generation model developed by OpenAI. In this post, we’ll explore three key ways that ChatGPT can help bloggers to improve their craft.

  1. Generating high-quality content: ChatGPT is capable of generating text that is indistinguishable from text written by a human. This means that it can help you to produce high-quality content that is engaging, informative, and well-written. Whether you’re a blogger who struggles with writer’s block or simply wants to improve the quality of your content, ChatGPT can be a valuable tool to help you achieve your goals.
  2. Streamlining your workflow: ChatGPT can help you to streamline your workflow by automating the process of generating text. This means that you can spend more time focusing on other important aspects of your blog, such as sourcing images and promoting your content. Additionally, you can use ChatGPT to generate text for multiple blog posts at once, which can help you to be more productive and efficient.
  3. Improving your SEO: ChatGPT can also help you to improve your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts by generating text that is rich in keywords and phrases relevant to your niche. With the help of ChatGPT, you can ensure that your blog posts are optimized for search engines, which will make it easier for your target audience to find your content.

In conclusion, ChatGPT is a powerful language generation model that can help bloggers to improve their craft in multiple ways. Whether you’re looking to generate high-quality content, streamline your workflow, or improve your SEO efforts, ChatGPT can help you to achieve your goals. As long as you use it responsibly and cross-reference the contents with facts, ChatGPT can be a valuable addition to your blogging toolkit.

What ChatGPT wrote isn’t bad, but it also doesn’t sound like me.

Of all of the AI I have used in writing social media posts, I have edited slightly to make the words sound more like my voice.

Have you thought of using ChatGPT, Magic Write or other AI tools in your blogging?

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Content Creation Strategies, Creative Process, Writing Tips Tagged With: AI for Writers, Artificial Intelligence for Writers, Canva Magic Write, ChatGPT

Planting the Seeds of Love: Overcoming Resistance to Encourage Growth

January 10, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Hands touching rich, dark soil and a young seedling showing a nurturing energy

Early in the day, everyday, I start with writing practice. Today, it led to something rather extraordinary.

I was reminded as a theater director and writing teacher, facilitator and coach, how much I value process work. Sometimes that is where the gold is found even more so than the final product.

Today, I am going to be transparent and bold, sharing with you my process of drafting wrestling with my thoughts through words. What you will read is the question I asked at the end of the “Mining for Writing Gold” process I created and use.

I always end with asking a question of myself and then free flow writing for five minutes. This time, it was longer than five minutes because I knew there was more there for me to explore.

My hope is you find value in witnessing the process. I’m also wondering if you ever enter into loving, open-hearted conversations with yourself? Maybe you view your inner conversations differently. I would love to hear more, hopefully after you gain some gold nuggets from my process.

What are the seedlings – the sprouts – to overcome my struggles that seem so inherently cooked into me?  I can’t see or taste or notice them in me and yet they are there, like a virus or allergen that makes me sick at times.

I find myself wanting to go elsewhere. I want to look up quotes or google something. I don’t want to just sit with the imagery and the question I carefully crafted. I will stay. I will ask myself the question again.

What are the seedlings, bravely pushing through the rocky soil of resistance – the invisible destructive force, not the airy, gracious force I also say is there yet I don’t always act as if that is the case. I stay in the unripened state, the inert, filled with great question that sits in the core of the seed, not yet initiated into the seedling stage.

It is the potent question and the belief there is healing medicine within the answering of the question, the living the question where the seedling grows.

Giving space for the answer to rise – the seedling then, is the question + space + light + nourishment + belief – 

I take my hands away from the keyboard. I am onto something.

I am going to pause for a few moments and re-read, allowing the seedling I have just managed to create to bring more to us, right here right now,

The seedling grows when it is surrounded in love: the air it breathes, the water that brings it nourishment, the space around it is drenched in love. 

Once a coaching client asked me, “What does love mean?” and I had no idea what to answer.

From the perspective of the seedling:

Love is staying with me, not turning away frustrated when you don’t understand what I am trying so hard to tell you.

Love is bringing me your innermost secrets, your uniqueness – not holding back. How can you be afraid of me, a little seedling, when all I want to do is make this world a better place – just like you.

Love is witnessing the people we meet not at the surface, but at their core. Love is seeing the uniqueness of each one and the similarities we share. Honoring the uniqueness and delighting in the connections.

Love is being willing to set down the rushing agenda to be with the mindful agenda where we both find value in mutual restoration.

Second part: how to nourish the medicine within the seedlings as they grow and become stronger?

I went longer than five minutes. 

The second part may come up later. We’ll see.

Woman (Julie Jordan Scott Julie JordanScott) seeming to burst through a broken wall on an abandoned home.

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Creative Process, Daily Consistency, End Writer's Block, Intention/Connection Tagged With: Julie JordanScott, Nurture outselves, seedlings, Writing Exercises, Writing Seedlings

How to Take One Prompt to Create Multiple Forms of Content

January 9, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Woman's profile in a dry, desert setting. Quote from Terry Tempest Williams:

"When one woman doesn't speak, other women get hurt."

Writing Prompts help us practice taking the best action, even if it feels risky at first. Practice facing the next similar situation by courageously remembering and in effect rewriting “What happened next.”

Prompt: Have you had a time when you wish you spoke but didn’t and someone got hurt? Share the story.

Two examples:

One friend, I’ll call her Maureen, got fired from a job. Another friend, Frank,  got promoted to Maureen’s job. No one in our friend’s group said anything to Maureen about Frank being promoted after she called Frank.

She called me to ask if I knew Frank got the job. I could hear her disappointment that I didn’t speak up. She was incredulous, “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

The most common response was we didn’t want to hurt Maureen’s feelings. None of us thought, “Well, maybe Maureen will find out, anyway – and she will discover we didn’t care enough about her to let her know.”

Put the Other Person’s Desire Above Your Discomfort

More than a year later, Frank had more good luck career-wise. I took a deep breath and called Maureen. “I just wanted you to know… in case. I remember the last time…”

Maureen wasn’t upset by Frank’s success and she was grateful I remembered and acted differently than I had in the past. It was worth my discomfort and risk-taking.

New Scenario, Familiar Trauma and Trigger

Last week, my coaching client Sharon had a moment when her heart leaped into her throat and wouldn’t let go. 

She unexpectedly stumbled upon was a disagreement between family members – or rather one family member was mad at another and attempted to drag Sharon in it via a posting on social media.

Internal triggers and memories of years of loneliness and disconnection pulsed each moment Sharon did nothing. The drumming in her ears increased with each moment she did nothing.

Creating a new way out of her panic, she reached out to her closest family member to warn her what she would find the next time she opened her social media account.

“I didn’t want you to be hurt by what was said or how I was implicated in the posting.”

It was risky. It was scary. Yet Sharon felt instinctively it was better to reach out first. The swollen block in her throat diminished, even though for the next day or so she didn’t feel quite right. “How would I feel if I saw that, unprepared for it?”

Terry Tempest Williams wrote, “When one woman doesn’t speak, other women get hurt.”

Be devoted to being the one to prevent other women from getting hurt.

More Writing Prompt Variations to Use:

“When one woman doesn’t speak, other women get hurt.”

Terry Tempest Williams

To create a neutral gender phrasing, simply insert “person” and “people”

Questions:

  1. Have you had a time when you wish you spoke but didn’t and someone got hurt? Share the story.
  2. Have you been hurt when someone didn’t speak up for you when you couldn’t? Tell the story.
  3. What are some things you can do in your life now to build community between yourself and other people?
  4. Lists: Make a list of 1 to 10 things you would like to be forgiven for by someone else.
  5. Make a list of 1 to 10 things for which you would like to forgive other people.
  6. Bonus: Take action. Write a note of forgiveness to one of the people you want to forgive. Write a note of apology and request permission from those you have hurt.

Traditional Writing Prompts:

I remember when I spoke up and….

I remember when I didn’t speak up and….

 # #  # #There are no rights and wrongs as to following the prompts here. There is only showing up for your life and your creativity and using what inspires you to fulfill your dreams, passion and purpose.

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 is working on finishing her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.

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

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

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Filed Under: Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Storytelling, Writing Prompt, Writing Tips Tagged With: end writer's block, Julie JordanScott

How Do You Nourish Your Creativity?

January 2, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Torn white paper and blue background encourages the viewer to know they are able to nourish and nurture their creativity.

What does it mean to nourish creativity?

Like food for the body provides nourishment, food for the writer’s life nurtures us so that our creative output not only increases, we also feel more satisfied and fulfilled in the process. I was under stress yesterday – much of it self imposed – and I ate a hunk of chocolate.

It wasn’t even good chocolate. It definitely left me feeling empty and the opposite of nurtured.

I didn’t feel nourished at all, I felt pretty dumpy. This morning, I prepared nourishing snacks in case I happen to get stressed out again I may have a much more satisfying afternoon sweet – with cranberries and oranges rather than processed fluff of temporary feel good and crash.

I use creative, spiritual practices to nourish my creativity. I have had a daily writing practice for more than two decades now and while I am not perfect at it, I show up at the page not to create the next chapter or be instantly brilliant, but because the page calls and this daily “writing to stretch like a runner stretches or a singer warms up her vocal chords” makes everything in my life run more smoothly – NOT only my writing.

Most recently adding meditation allows me to be calmly focused and again, life flows better when I add these two together.

Since my near death experience in 2019, I have been almost chronically at the ready for the next crisis – and as many have come, this is to be expected. Meditation is incredibly helpful for writers in a variety of iterations. You may choose writing meditation, art meditation, walking meditation or the old-school meditation practice I have going now all nourish my creativity in different ways.

For example, nourishing creativity might look like this:

✨First and foremost, continuing my daily creative and spiritual practices, partnered together. Writing Practice and Meditation practice. Both will be done in the first hour of waking. This starts my day focused and keeps me open to ideas, insights and wisdom beyond my own.

🌟Secondly, I will focus on honoring my planning practices and implementation with a focus on follow through and follow up.

💝 Finally I will utilize healthy doses of personal kindness, forgiveness and grace as I seek to improve and am bound to fail. Failure is a welcome creative teacher.

🎭 Also on my mind is I will be beginning a local theatre project, my first in New Jersey since I was 11 years old. My intention is to build community and mindfully study how the script, the writing and the art of theater intersects with my anchor art of writing. My role is a fun, supporting character role – the character development has begun – looking forward to read-through tomorrow.

You may nourish your creativity with experimentation

🙋🏻‍♀️❓How are you nourishing your creativity? How is that working?

In this New Year, perhaps it is time to try some new activities to nourish and nurture your creativity.

Three ways to nourish your creativity in 2023

  • Take time to explore new things – try something new each month or maybe more often depending on your schedule or what is most inspiring to you. , like taking an art class, visiting a new museum, exploring a local park, attending a live improv show.
  • Connect with others – attend events, join a club, or collaborate with other creatives. Talking with others can help you find new perspectives, collaborate on ideas, and stay inspired. Open the door for possibilities and follow through with other creatives you resonate with the most.
  • Set aside time for creative thinking – dedicate at least 30 minutes a day to brainstorming, daydreaming, and exploring new ideas. Allowing yourself to be open to whatever comes to mind can help you come up with new and innovative concepts.

💝 📚📒

💡 Your presence here makes me feel grateful. 

✍🏻 I am a writer first, writing & creativity coach, multi passionate creative next. Writing has always been my anchor art and to her I always return. Thankfully, with great love.

🎯My aim is to create content here that inspires and instructs – if there is ever a topic you would like for me to explore, please reach out and tell me. My ultimate goal is to create posts, videos and more that speak to your desires as well as mine because where these two intersect, our collaborative, joyful energy ignites into a fire of love, light and passionate creativity.

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Content Creation Strategies, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Goals, Meditation and Mindfulness, Mindfulness, Self Care Tagged With: #5for5BrainDump, free flow writing, Meditation Practice, Writing Exercises, writing practice

Tradition: Every Sunrise a New Beginning

January 1, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Morning sunrise photo from Northwest New Jersey

My tradition of watching sunrise on New Year’s Day began twenty years ago today. 

On that day it seemed sort of extreme: Mom of little children, cavorting in the earliest light of the sun. Now my babies have (for the most part) flown the coop and sunrise, on New Year’s day, remains.

This was also my first New Year’s Morning in New Jersey since the 1970’s. 

To say sunrise 2023 was phenomenal is an understatement.

This morning I chose to watch sunrise on an open field two miles from where I live in. The field is just east of the intersection of Possum Glen Road and Unionville Avenue in Wantage, NJ.

Tradition calls me to spend at least 20 minutes with the sunrise, admiring the light and walking around the field. I have spent some sunrises in my car, some out and about – but right now, I knew I wanted to be “with” the sunrise, close to it.

2021 New Year’s Image

Dawn is such a beautiful time and as often happens, I wanted to use the experience to coax both my soulful and my creative spirit into creative play. I didn’t remember to bring a notebook, so I decided to take photos and listen and put what I was experience into memory.

At first I basked in birdsong: birdsong I did not recognize. I listened to a bird duet. One would sing and then the other seemed to sing back. I smiled and looked up at my invisible companions.

Far away, I could hear my geese friends but none were visible.

My geese friends have been known to fly by my bedroom window in the early parts of the day, before the roads get busier and the minor hustle and bustle of rural New Jersey begins.

I enjoyed watching as the dark sky got brighter and the sun crested the mountain in front of me.

Sussex Borough is in high country, so there are lots of hills and different heights for the sun to reach up and over. It was a glorious view. I decided to walk to see what I could of the cemetery. At first I didn’t notice there was a path that would lead me there – but once I did, those of you who know me well knew I had to get a closer look. This is not a currently-in-use cemetery, it is a falling apart cemetery I love, deeply.

I walked back toward the field and I noticed tall grasses/flowers past their prime and decided to take a quick video, but at first it was blurry, which lead to more questions.

I wondered how to make the video more clear which lead to a simple experiment.

I poked the screen and immediately there was a clear screen. I laughed and thought about the ephemeral nature of hopes and wishes. Unspoken, I thought, without our breath and intention, clarity stays out of focus. 

I kept hearing the geese but there were none nearby. I wished I could take a video of them, flying but, oh well. I decided I wanted to type what I had noticed into my phone while I stayed in the field with the sun and the weeds and the small invisible birds. 

Naturally as I was halfway through the second sentence of writing into my phone I heard the geese, very close and they kindly gave me enough time to notice and even get my video camera ready to take the video.

I started filming before I could even see them.

Oh, my heart – my heart was beyond words thrilled. I didn’t bubble over in laughter because I was so in shock at the wonder of the view.

“Happy New Year, Goose Friends!” my heart said as they flew in a circle, playfully, no “eeyore thanks for noticing” energy, instead purposeful, connected, “Happy New Year” flock of geese laughter energy. To see the moment, a link to my Instagram Reel:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julie JordanScott 📝🎭🎨 Creative Life Midwife (@juliejordanscott)

What a phenomenal New Year’s Morning. So much better than staying in bed, late.

This eccentric tradition directed me to start the morning and the year on my feet, outdoors, blissful, aware, appreciation overflowing. Looking back I wonder if this sunrise love on New Years Day inadvertently spilled into watching so many more sunrises – and even inspired the beginning of my 377 Projects.

Back at the keyboard now, later in the day, my hands are literally buzzing in excitement of the several hours old memory.

Two questions for you to respond in the comments: do you have any unusual traditions?

How did you begin 2023?

May your year be blessed, abundantly.

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

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Filed Under: Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Daily Consistency, Storytelling Tagged With: Creative Practice, Geese, Julie JordanScott, Ritual, Traditions

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