Intention/Connection – Page 5 – Creative Life Midwife

Shift Happens: Compassion & Being Your Authentic Self

October 26, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Hands in shape of a heart, showing the shift into compassion. Illustrates the power of authenticity and being real.

I overslept today. I feel like crap when I oversleep. I lecture myself, I think of all the ways I am bad and wrong and not worth the butt that I sit on, but something happened this morning to shift me from that harangue of self hate into a much better place.

I got up and set out on my original path, even though it was much later than I wanted it to be.

Seems natural, doesn’t it?

Eventually I got out of bed. I put my pants on one leg at a time – but what I decided to do that was different is I decided to not make myself quite as wrong for oversleeping. Instead I offered self compassion – eventually.

Self compassion, eventually?

It helped to text my friend Kelly and lament at myself a bit more before I got to compassion.

Nothing like public self-flagellation to complete the cycle.

One of the things Kelly said as I whined and kvetched about my lateness fired me up, perhaps in a way she hadn’t expected. She said “And at the same time you are being REAL.”

When being real & authentic is not a positive thing –

I’m raising my hand and being real when I say I believe sometimes people use the expression, “but I am being my authentic self” when they are making excuses or behaving in ways that aren’t acceptable – for example, using language that would make your grandmother’s skin crawl or being rude, arrogant, the opposite of compassionate or list your “but I am being my authentic self” shortcoming.

I can be my authentic self and stretch myself. I can be my authentic self and be uncomfortable. I can be my authentic self and be lonely.

I can also be my authentic self and do better than I have before. I can also be my authentic self and show compassion towards others AND myself.

I can be real and look amazing, I can be real and go out with unbrushed hair and an outfit that looks like I am on my way to a costume party portraying a very down-on-her-luck person.

Being Real isn’t always what it seems

This morning I didn’t do my usual amount of walking, but I am almost to the number of steps that was average at the end of the day in 2019. This makes me feel some sense of accomplishment.

I have made more progress at working my body than if I had stayed on the bed lamenting about how horrible of a person I am.

Both ways, I am being real, being true to myself. At the same time I have stumbled upon the conversation about how people have taken a well known adage, “Be real” and “Be authentic” and use them for their own shortcomings.

Let’s talk & write about being authentic and being real.

Is it wrong for a person to use “being real” and “being authentic” as a way to make themselves feel better for not doing something?

There are probably as many opinions on this as there are for styles of blue jeans. Remember, Levis’s are “authentic” and Coca-Cola has been called “The Real Thing.”

Now, it is your turn to write: Writing Prompts across genre

Journaling Prompt:

“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.”

Brene Brown

Prompt: If I were to describe my true self, I would say…

“Hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity.” Coco Chanel

Prompt: When I think about being more real in hard times, what comes up is…

Copy Writer: Make a case for “Coca Cola” being “the Real Thing” or Levi’s jeans being “authentic”. Play with this fictitious copy as if it was for the most important client you’ve ever had. BONUS: write an article for your newsletter or blog using this writing as an example.

Social Media Post: Encourage people to be brave with their authenticity. Be a role model of courage in the post. Ask for input from your audience.

You can find more prompts from a wide array of purposes in the Word Love Writing Community on Facebook. Beyond prompts, there are people who want to see you succeed creatively – what could be better than that?

How would your writing productivity change if you received varied, niche driven writing prompts daily – also fiction, poetry, entrepreneur, copy writing and video prompts are offered, join the Private Word-Love Writing Community on Facebook by clicking here.

We look forward to writing with you!

Julie JordanScott lives in Bakersfield, California in a house too small for quarantine life. She leads discussions on Zoom and is polishing her most recent memoir and some poetry for soon-to-be publication. If you would like her to speak to your group over ZOOM until travel is available again, she would be happy to talk to you about that OR maybe you are looking for a slightly quirky, very open hearted, compassionate and tender Creative Life Coach. She would love to connect with you soon.

Expanding & Exploring Intuition to Increase Your Personal Effectiveness

October 20, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

I can’t remember when I discovered how intuitive I am. I may have been born with an intuitive gift AND I believe intuition is something I have practiced and stretched and grown over the years. I think having a non-verbal only thirteen-months-younger than me brother was extremely helpful in picking up clues from body language and the most tiny changes facial expressions. My empathy factor is also high, probably higher than most people.

That was just the start. Developing the intuition is like developing any skill set. It takes time, effort, commitment and there are times you will “get it” wrong – or not as right as you might like it to be.

For those of you who are intuitive, this exercise and the writing prompts will help you develop your abilities. Some of you who believe yourselves to be absolutely the opposite of intuitive, for today and today only I ask you to allow yourself to open your mind to consider growing your intuitive skills.

Judith Orloff, MD, Professor at UCLA said, “Highly developed intuition is a “secret weapon.” Learning to develop your intuition will make you better at your work, in your relationships and more.

Simple method to practice and develop your intuition now

Take note of hunches you receive. Write them in a note on your phone or in a small notebook. It is important to actually DO this instead of “just remembering.” Jack Canfield explains further “Your intuition might speak to you as a hunch, a thought, or in words. Your intuition may speak to you in physical sensations, such as goose bumps, discomfort in your gut, a feeling of relief, or a sour taste in your mouth.” You may take the notes you make in your phone or notebook one step further by dialoguing with the hunch. Do this by free-flow writing. Don’t plan what you are going to write, just ask the question of your hunch and allow your pencil to move. You might want to start with, “The nudge to call my former friend to talk about reconciling feels uncomfortable and I don’t like it but if I asked the wise old person who lives inside me what they might say is….
Take a specific time daily for quiet time by yourself with the specific intention to tune into your intuition. This may mean taking a 15 minute walk followed by a 5 minute journaling session. This may be meditating for 5 minutes. This may mean yoga followed by singing scales and listening between the notes for ideas.
Look for connections between seemingly disconnected objects in your surroundings to see what they want you to notice or “hear.” Try it now. Pick up three objects, put them in a row and start “riffing” aloud about them.

An example of how to process Intuition Exercise Results

These were the three objects I chose randomly from my environment:

Meyers Clean Day Cleaner; a coffee pot; the seagull reader (a poetry book I am using as a makeshift mouse pad.)

Possibility One: (First Flash insights using intuitive associations, without intellectual associations)

Be awake when I edit my poetry. (mindful and creative instead of seeing editing and revision of my writing as a chore to rush through)

YES!

This is spot on! Lately I have been writing much more which means I am spending more time in revision and editing. I tend to rush through revision and editing because my intellect thinks it isn’t as fun as the drafting process.

Possibility Two: Very practical – Remember to buy hand soap when I run errands later today. (This has to do with cleaning and other people – may not make sense to you but it does to me. And yes, I did remember!)

Possibility Three: For this response, I used both my intellect and my intuition and went deeper. The results are brilliant. I will make a note to myself to put this into action:

Take time to enjoy your morning practices. Allow the “chore” parts of your day be as soulful and inspiring as poetry.

How to discover and use your intuition exercise results:

Gather the items and look at them, loosely. In other words, don’t stare them down and shout “Speak to me, objects!” instead allow yourself to simply be curious.
What associations come up almost immediately? Write them down.
Go about your business and return to the objects later in the day or the next day. Now consider not with solely your intuition, look with your intellect as well. What associations or ideas pop up now?
Take note of anything resonant, especially if it has relevance in your ife right now or for a loved one.
Experiment with the intuitive hits (or messages) from your objects. Repeat as compelled. Remember to have fun with this!

Writing Prompts for further exploration

Social Media Posts: Use one of the intuition prompts offered in the journaling section as a caption to a post. Ask your audience what they think. When they respond, be curious rather than “provide expertise.”

Video Prompt: Do a livestream video about the topic of using intuition in your business. Prepare for this by writing about a time you used intuition in your business and what happened. You may even do the exercise I used above to develop intuition to practice live. (I have done this before – it is very fun!)

Lifestyle Bloggers: Ask your audience to share their stories of intuition with you. Interview one of them, Q and A style and feature it in your blog, Keep the conversation going to gain clarity about your readers in a different way so that you may continue to offer refreshing content.

Poets: Write a poem about a time when you followed your intuition and things did not turn out like you expected.

Copywriters: Freeflow headlines as outrageous as possible. Just start scribbling, even if they make no sense at all. Set them aside for at least a day or two. When you return, use your strongest editing skill – with an open mind – and see what gold nuggets appear.

Journaling Quotes & General Prompts:

“Intuition is seeing with the soul.”

Dean Koontz

Prompt: When I see with my soul, I notice…

“Don’t try to comprehend with your mind. Your minds are very limited. Use your intuition.”

Madeleine L’Engle

Prompt: My intellect likes to take me down a path of…. and my intuition seems to take me down a path of……. and I wonder what would happen if I….

“Insight is not a lightbulb that goes off inside our heads. It is a flickering candle that can easily be snuffed out.”

Malcolm Gladwell

Prompt: If I started to allow myself to trust my insights more….

For Daily prompts & a flourishing writing community – look here:

We look forward to writing with you!

She would love to connect with you soon.

Sunday Story: Warrior II spoke to an Unlikely Warrior, too

October 11, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Two women are doing the Warrior 2 pose and the Creative Life Midwife has challenges with using "Warrior" or violent words in her writing. This image illustrates her resistance and her willingness to write.

This morning I spent time in the Warrior II Yoga pose. A writing friend suggested it as a “writing invocation” of sorts.

It is a familiar pose and as I have been doing more yoga lately I thought, “Fine, I will try it. Maybe it will strengthen my writing practice.”

I wasn’t immediately convinced.

I resist words that have violence attached, so today, when called upon pose and write “warrior” I felt my way into the meanings ascribed and what a warrior does and feels and is.

I did my best to set my intellect aside.

I have been a protector since my brother was born. I’ve been constantly on high alert, a watchman, a guardian. I have been ready to take on whatever might appear and cause harm. Those skills, those labels are all duties of a warrior.

I have been mastering these skills since Toddler-hood.

I have been mastering these skills since Toddler-hood as my brother was born when I was a mere thirteen months old. I didn’t walk then nor did I have language to translate what I was watching and witnessing.He had down’s syndrome so he was vulnerable. He needed my caretaking. He needed me to protect him, the little Julie believed. We had a telepathic means of communication – partially body language, partially facial expressions, partially spiritual connection.I didn’t question this task, I fulfilled this position with a sense of honor and duty. When he died, my spirit tried to follow him. Once again, the paradox of acting and living as a warrior, too, has repeated in different live circumstances.

I remember when I was helping Estelle, an immigrant who was granted asylum to live in the United States. My task was to get on the plane to Massachusetts to resume her life with her family. After a treacherous long journey from Cameroon to the Unites States she found herself in detention until her asylum case was heard. I visited while she was detained and stood alongside her for weeks. She won her case and all that stood between her and her family was ICE. And Homeland security. And rules about flying without ID, which was taken when she reached the American border and not returned by ICE.

I had spoken at length with the local ICE officers. They had come to know me as a collaborator – as I knew, strategically, being an adversary was not in my loved ones best interest. This was acting as a wise warrior.

This is the same thing I did for my son, Samuel, when I advocated for his education. I entered the “club” by volunteering for the school district, joining committees, contributing, becoming known as a “team player” and an ever ready and helpful resource. This is being a mindful, strategic warrior.

When I waited with Estelle at the airport, the TSA Homeland Security man waved me away. I could not speak for Eunice, she must speak for herself. I paced, I called “my” ICE officer and was sure Mr. TSA Homeland Security man KNEW I was speaking to an ICE officer. It felt like I was in negotiations on the battle field. The risk was great and my mind and heart were intensely focused.

It was scary. My heart was in my throat as I watched the conversation between this young woman I had come to love as a daughter and a representative of TSA/Homeland Security. He went behind a closed door and spoke with someone on the phone, perhaps in Washington, DC. I had researched how this process worked and knew each decision was made both on a local and a centralized level.

What felt like an eternity later, Mr. TSA/Homeland Security came to me and said, still shaking his head no, “We are going to let her get on the flight,” my knees weakened and gratitude flowed from every pore. She got on the flight. She would reach her family. This effervescent young woman who had faced danger for most of her life was about to face her new life.

I was a warrior in those moments and I am a warrior now, though less dramatic. This final example may seem pretty far out, but please keep listening.

Just yesterday I hiked to a spot alongside the river and sat underneath a sycamore tree. I could hear loud children playing nearby like I was once a loud child. I enjoyed their voices.

I watched leaves falling, gently and felt my skin touching the earth. It felt heavenly in every sense. The thing is, I didn’t think I would be able to sit on the ground because I didn’t know if I could get back up. The sycamore tree and I decided to partner on this.

Woman's legs and shoes on the ground in front of a river. It is the writer of the blog, the Creative Life Midwife, practicing how to be a Warrior.

She was strong enough to help me and I so wanted to spend time there with her. This might seem slightly odd, but please keep listening.

A year ago to the day I was in the hospital. I didn’t know it, but Sepsis was about to enter my body and attempt to shut me down. Sitting under that Sycamore tree yesterday was a sort of meditative victory dance.

When I rose back up the tree – I was able to walk up” the tree with my hands and pull with my arms while my weaker knees straightened and I pushed with my thighs to stand straight and keep moving forward. When I went back out on the trail, I became a warrior again. Not someone who fights to kill other people, but a warrior to do the right thing. To be a stand for courage and healing and model vulnerability and love and hope.

I am a warrior, too. How are you a warrior?

Warrior, too prompts are available to the members of a private facebook group in the Word-Love Writing Community. The image showing women in community doing the Yoga Warrior 2 pose illustrates this.

I created some specific writing prompts for the private Word-Love Writing Community. I will share a few here. Every day through the end of 2020 we are sharing niche-based writing prompts based on the same theme. Today’s were especially fun for me to write – and challenging.

Social Media Posts Prompt: Share a photo of yourself in a Yoga Pose. Write about being the embodiment of the pose. Ask questions of your followers regarding what pose they embody. (See also lifestyle blogger prompt below)

Lifestyle Bloggers: Write your thoughts about Yoga. Try Top 5 Yoga poses for _________ (your niche/specialty).

Memoir/Life Writers: Do any of your characters feel like they embody a warrior archetype? How do you make that character more real, less cartoonish?

To receive varied, niche driven writing prompts daily – also fiction, poetry, entrepreneur, copy writing and video prompts are offered, join the Private Word-Love Writing Community on Facebook by clicking here.

Things That Weren’t on My Bucket List that I May Now Add and Cross Off: Part 1

October 5, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Years ago I attended a conference where I heard Mark Victor Hansen of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” speak. He told us all to make a list of 100 Life Goals. I dutifully made a list. It wasn’t called a Bucket List then because the movie hadn’t been made yet.

This particular item was not on my list of 100 Goals.

I wasn’t expecting it to happen. I don’t know how I could have possibly planned for it.

I was mad, after all, very mad. Angry because the business, the service department where I had purchased my car, obviously didn’t care about its customers, how dare they endanger me. How dare they?

The gentleman told me the usual company line, “We can’t enforce, we can only request.”

I continued pacing and waited as he turned over the paperwork.

Look, this isn’t a joke. This is real.” I said.

“I don’t want to be person #220,000 or whatever the count is now. I’m high risk, I hardly go into any businesses for exactly this reason.”

He nodded and told me I could wait in the indoor waiting room – inside the stuffy, no-air-circulating temporary building or I could wait outside.

I motioned for the outdoor waiting area and added, “And I want to know where I can go next time to get my car serviced. I don’t want to come back here, to this place where people don’t take this seriously.”

I chose to wait outside, even with the temperature in the 90’s

and less than optimal air quality. At least I wasn’t risking my life in the short run. I wrote and I read. I calmed down.

I received a text message informing me I would get another text when my car service was complete and to text my service writer if I had any questions. The message was pleasant enough. I kept my head down and focused on anything but the sweat on my forehead.

The next time I looked up, I thought I saw my car parked and ready to go. I pulled out my phone and texted my service writer, “Is my car finished? I feel foolish because I don’t recognize it yet.” and added a smiley face.

“Yes,” texted the service writer. “I am just finishing the paper work,”

When he approached, he gave me a very thorough report on my car, like a pediatrician would give to a nervous mother. He added, “I also talked to my co-worker about what he did.” I nodded, trying not to be bitter. “He said he was hot…” and I shook my head and probably rolled my eyes.

“And…” he continued, “I wanted to let you know I take this very seriously.

“I take this seriously because… because I lost my brother.”

I looked across the table at him and heard a sound emanate from deep within my gut. “You lost your brother?” I asked, as if I hadn’t heard. “To covid?” His watering eyes and nodding head were met with my disbelief, including the ancient, universal language moan in disbelief. “Oh my God, I am so sorry I am so sorry.” I said as I cried.

We sat outside the service department as if we were in a bubble. I was sobbing, not worried about anyone hearing me say over and over again, “Oh my God, I am so sorry, I am so sorry.”

We had further conversation for only a few moments that felt like an eternity before he got up and went back to work.

He got up and went back to work.

I stayed in the same space, rocking slightly, like I would if I was comforting a baby, continuing to grieve for someone I never knew.

I eventually got up and started driving toward home, but I pulled over to sit, just sit. I received a text. “Thank you for the conversation.”

I cannot say I know why I am put into such situations though I will say I am grateful I was able to give someone space to speak and be heard.

What a risk he took to speak to me.

I am so grateful he took that risk. “I take this very seriously,” he said.

In those moments we became more than service writer to customer, we became fellow members of the human community. We became a place for sacred listening, a family of two.

Space was held for caring and empathy and grief.

My life will never be the same.

Julie JordanScott, the Creative Life Midwife, is a writer, a poet performer, a Creativity Coach, A Social Media Whiz and a Mother of three. One of her greatest joys include loving people into their greatness they just aren’t quite able to realize yet.

Julie is also the Creative Director of the Word Love Writing Community. Join us now to invigorate your writing – no matter what it is you are writing – social media posts, journaling, fiction, memoir – there will be prompts and other people there to support you. Right now, we are finishing out 2020 with 100 Days of Wonderful Words. We look forward to seeing you there.

Welcome, October: am I Ever Grateful to See You!

October 2, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Autumn is my favorite season and October is my favorite month within that season.

This honest delight adds to the poignance of October 2019 which I wasn’t able to experience. I look back at this time last year and I had a doctor appointment where the primary plan was to get a referral for a podiatrist for the bunion I have been dealing with painfully for the previous eight years.

The only problem was I was sick when I got to the appointment. I had a fever, a rash, a generalized discomfort which the doctor thought might be valley fever or some random infection so I was sent home with anti-biotics and a follow up appointment where we would dive into the podiatrist referral more fully.

Less than a week later I was at urgent care, the emergency room and the intensive care unit with a fancy combination of illnesses including sepsis which caused many of my organs to fail.

Playing in the pumpkin patches in Tehachapi is a family favorite. Here, four children find the perfect pumpkin.

There was no apple picking, no wild baking, no pumpkin patches or decorating. I was home from the hospital in time for trick-or-treating which I did by sitting on the porch with a big bowl of candy on my lap.

I have never fully explored that time and the healing from it, so here in my blog this month during the Ultimate Blog Challenge, I will share my experiences of those days, the aftermath and the creative lessons gleaned along the way.

I will also share some of the 100 Days of Wonderful Words which we’re using to explore writing in many different platforms and forums in my free community, Word-Love Writing Community on Facebook. If you love words and would benefit from community and prompting, we would love to see you over there. Request membership by clicking here.

I will be posting here daily in October so hold onto your hats, get ready to be inspired, connected and challenged to think newly as we explore health, healing and intentional connection through creative action here at the Creative Life Midwife in October.

Julie JordanScott is the Creative Life Midwife. She fuels creativity in others using artful methods aligned with intentional connection, purposeful passion and soulful rituals. Follow her on social media using the links above.

You Can’t Get You Wrong (and other Truths We Sometimes Forget.)

August 27, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

You are the expert in all things you. I have realized lately that many of us wander around not knowing who our own, unique “you” really is, even after reading all the personal development books and taking more courses than we ever imagined.

You may see your face in the mirror, but you haven’t yet learned who that face belongs to underneath all the coatings of “what other people want” or “what other people said” or “other people’s opinions based on what they value which in truth have nothing to do with me.”

There is no wrong, there is simply…

One of my favorite sayings is, “There is no wrong, there is just writing” or “right-ing”. That seems elemental on the days when I am feeling good, when the circumstances I am in line up with what I most want. However, when I am triggered because someone is challenging what I believe or what I stand for or what I most love, I sometimes find myself wobbling off course.

Does that ever happen to you?

Something magical has been happening during this pandemic, during these uncertain times we are living through in this oftentimes chaotic chapter labeled 2020.

Magical pandemic? How is that true?

We have been given the freedom to explore who we are – in depth – and mindfully strip away the layers of who we are not.

It might help to say that aloud: “I have the freedom to explore who I am and now I have permission to mindfully strip away the layers of who I am not.” If you have NOT gotten to those interior spaces yet, the good news is as long as you are here – there is time.

Now is the time to recognize AND embrace AND integrate those areas of life we are able to control in order to experience freedom purposefully, even if that seems ironic or impossible. These remain the same no matter what our circumstances are, so if you are living your paradise existence on Malta or are on lockdown because of an illness, these are areas in your control.

You are free to….

You are free to control your opinions. You are not in control of what other people think about your opinions. You are free to not respond to what other people say about you and your opinions.

2. You are free to control your choices – and you always have choices. As long as you are living, you always have choices. You cannot control other people’s choices.

3. You are free to control your actions and your inactions. You cannot control other people’s actions and inactions. You are free to keep your opinions about other people’s actions and inactions to yourself.

4. You are free to control the words you use. You cannot control the words other people use. You are free to control your response to the words other people use.

You are always able to choose. Or Not. Both are a choice, like this:

Right now I am indoors because of the smoky air caused by the fires raging here in California. I could make the choice to go outside and walk or run or bicycle, I am free to do so. I would rather feel better than worse, so today I am choosing to walk energetically around my house. I am even making it fun!

I recognize all of this may sound downright weird to you. I feel slightly worried you may judge me for it. I am allowing myself the space to feel hurt by your opinions and sad about what you might say AND I am free to move along without a trace of concern or attachment.

That feels so much better!

Finally, I have some “end of the blog post” inspiration for you from a popular musical from my childhood.

Remember “Free to Be: You and Me”?

I was surprised and not surprised to learn it is currently in a revival! As I listened to the soundtrack his morning, it came clear to me why it is finding a new audience today. While aspects of it are dated, the message comes through loud and clear.

“Take my hand, come with me, where the children are free

Come with me, take my hand, and we’ll live

In a land where the river runs free

In a land through the green country

In a land to a shining sea

And you and me are free to be you and me”

Listen and watch this newer version by Sara Bareilles, especially for the class of 2020.

My intention is to collaborate as we create this place described in the song. I’ve always hoped for this world for myself. Now I know I am able to create it starting with my household as well as in how I present myself to the world while simultaneously build a world with others as we are each free to be ourselves – fully free, collectively.

What would it mean to you to be free – even amidst the current circumstances we are in right now. Not “someday when this is over” but right here, right now.

Are you ready to discover and practice How to Write for Magnetic Attraction? You’re invited to be a part of the ten day experience beginning September 21, 2020. To receive an email with a private video message, writing tips, community livestreams and more during our next free writing experience, please subscribe to now to our #5for5BrainDump Email List:

To participate in conversation with other participants, join the Word-Love Writing Community Facebook Group where the conversation and livesteam sessions will be accessed in a safe, private writing community.

Portrait of creative life coach and creative life midwife Julie JordanScott

Julie is also one of the Founders of Bridge to the New Year. Access the visionary prompts from the mid-2020 #Refresh2020 to reflect, connect, intend and take passionate action to create a truly remarkable rest of 2020 as well as to prepare for the end of 2020 and create our next Bridge to 2021, join the private facebook group now.

How Connection Shifts & Grows & Makes Everything Better

August 13, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

My lousy mood had no chance when I created a Connection and Gratitude Breakfast Sandwich. Add in a cup of yummy coffee and the rest… took care of itself.

One of the sure-fire ways for me to get off course is for me to be in a bad mood.

If I am in a sour mood, I find it difficult to get work. I find it difficult to focus. I find it difficult to create a shift which I know would make everything get better almost instantly.

Maybe you are one of the people in the world who is full of sunshine all the time. I tend to be an optimistic, happy person but recently, it has been more and more difficult to lift myself up and out of a not so great mood.

This morning I found myself in a grumbly, frowny face state of mind. Little annoyances piled into a leaning tower of inner bickering. A chorus of bad vibes were pointing and laughing, taking note of short-comings from as long ago as seventh grade.

This was how I felt before my livestream #5for5BrainDump today – when I was to talk about connection. Being in a foul mood when I am scheduled to talk about one of my favorite subjects was like disappointing a most loved friend. I dreaded the livestream yet I knew I had a date with – less than perfection.

I was connecting to less than perfection whether I wanted to or not. Full steam ahead.

I started like I usually do – with breath exercises and focus and suddenly, as I breathed the light of connection into my heart space, everything felt better.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was better. I felt better – and the livestream went on.

Was it my best ever live-stream? Not at all.

Did it provide value? Yes! It did! Here is the prompt we used and you may use now, too:

We are connecting both this week and next week for #5for5BrainDump sessions. If you would enjoy participating, join the Word-Love Writing Community Facebook Group where the conversation and live-stream sessions will be accessed in a safe, private writing community.

Julie is also one of the Founders of Bridge to the New Year. Access the visionary prompst from the mid-2020 in #Refresh2020 to reflect, connect, intend and taking passionate action to create a truly remarkable rest of 2020.

How to Choose Aliveness Over… (Insert Bleak Sounding Term for “Uncertain Times”)

August 11, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Most of my days I wake up away from home because I house sit for a friend who has been quarantined away from Bakersfield. Lately I have been waking up, walking my way into a haiku poem and photo and getting home in time to fix breakfast for Samuel and myself and starting my work day in my home office.

Today I was shorter on time than usual because I host Ta-Da Tuesday at 7:30 am and I had my #5for5BrainDump writing session to facilitate at 9. I didn’t have time for a lengthy walk and I wanted a walk. Oh, how I wanted to take a walk and it was making me grouchy that I wasn’t able to walk longer and just cavort according to my own choosing.

I arrived at one of the parks I sometimes enjoy spending a slice of time in the morning and felt ornery when I heard leaf blowers. And then I heard lawn mowers. And then I almost didn’t get out of my car to walk because “the noise was ruining my experience (how dare they.”

I remembered I have the luxury of choosing what my responses are. I have the joy of choosing whether or not I walk or whether I take a photo and write a haiku.

I opened my door and stepped out and into the parking lot and immediately smelled fresh, cut grass. I smiled. Yes. I made the right choice.

I walked across the parking lot and as I lifted my foot, I saw a spent hypodermic needle. I shut my eyes and felt the tendrils of anger rise up from my gut. To the west of the park is a methadone clinic. Naturally there will be heroin addicts around.

I took that anger and breathed love into it. Tonglen meditation says to allow the revulsion to be there and breathe in the revulsion of the many and exhale relief for revulsion. In this moment I breathed in compassion and prayer for the pain of the addict who used the needle. I exhaled relief, I exhaled peace for the person and for other junkies who may have dropped needles in other parks.

All of this was done as I continued to walk. I paused as I walked toward the pond where ducks were swimming to inhale the scent of grass, mounds of freshly cut grass filled me with delight. I went on a short trip in my mind to my elementary school classroom. My heart thrilled at the side-trip.

I realized how sunrise was still putting on a show and felt such joy. I admired the mallards and the other, not-identifiable probably “mutt ducks.” I noticed the pigeons on the roof of the bridge. I smiled as some started circling and dancing and playing as if they were celebrating the sunrise and the freshly mown grass and they were flying around to celebrate the feeling good rather than feeling lousy. I am not yet able to circle around in flight, so I pulled out my notebook.

I noticed as some of the pigeons were not stereotypical looking. One was brown with white spots. Another pigeon was smudged with shades of black. The other pigeons didn’t seem to mind, though in their pecking order I am sure some may hold their beaks in a particularly superior way, but I am not one to pass pigeon judgment.

I didn’t want to leave the park but people were waiting. The rest of my life was waiting.

Because of the seemingly inconsequential choices I made, I was filled up to the brim with passionate aliveness even with noise, even with ugliness, even with any number of things I might have, at another time, labeled as wrong.

This morning I chose passion above being a grouch.

This morning I chose movement above staying stagnant.

This morning I chose tonglen meditation over grumbling about something I stepped over.

This morning I chose peace over spilling anger and aloofness.

This morning sunrise found me, unexpectedly, as I found myself back to people I connect to with love.

Today, what will you choose?

For the Love of Intention: Acting with Flow for Your Best “What’s Next”

August 8, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

You are worthy of positive results: set your intention and create a path, always. Person walking through tall grasses, blazing a trail.

Do you know that person? The one who is always stopping you when you’re on a roll, talking about something you’re setting forth, a hope a dream a plan and then that voice pipes up, “What’s your intention here?”

That person speaking up is more than likely me, if we’re together.

Here’s the secret underneath that chronic question: When we start with with intention we are claiming and activating something similar to when we pull back the bow and release the arrow. We are engaging ourselves to take energetic steps on this same spiritual road the arrow takes toward a destination. Do you follow?

Intention is the road, it is the journey, it is the path.

Intention may initially feel like full steam ahead in a linear sprint but here’s the beauty: the road isn’t usually straight and I don’t believe arrows are actually perfectly straight, either.

How about we just let go of the idea that straight one-way-only push push push is the only way to approach life or business or love or anything that matters?

We’re stepping into intention because it matters to have an idea of where your heart most wants you to end up. Like my friend Henry David Thoreau was talking about when he said ‘If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.’

When I throw anything the air is a part of the journey, even if the destination includes a mud puddle.

Basket of possibilities: a beige basket with towels and flowers, an image of self care

Let’s pick up our basket of possibilities and have the courage to consider taking aim. There’s no wrongs possible here. You’re good and you’re surrounded by good.

What’s your intention here?

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The Joy of Writing for Magnetic Attraction: Title in a Circle to Set Your Words Free + cursive writing

We’re opening our hearts and our notebooks for our next Writing Adventure Challenge: Writing for Magnetic Attraction: the series to amp up your writing. For exclusive content via email, sign up for the list below. To participate in the writing community join the Word-Love Writing Community Facebook Group where the conversation and livesteam sessions will be accessed in a safe, private writing community. You may also find us outside the group (if groups aren’t your thing) on Facebook at Writing Camp with JJS, pn my YouTube channel and on Periscope (so if you are on twitter, you will see it there at the same time).

Julie is also one of the Founders of Bridge to the New Year. Access the visionary promps from the mid-2020 in #Refresh2020 to reflect, connect, be inspired and re-start your 2020 even if you have been hopelessly stuck in the “everything sucks” space. The Bridge to the New Year Space is welcoming, it includes weekly goals and intentions AND it is free to be a part of it – simply invest your energy in the community and it’s all good!

Refresh Your Beliefs: the 2020 Version

July 22, 2020 by jjscreativelifemidwife

A teal tabletop flatlay with a coffee cup, paperclips and pencils. A new Way to Work with Beliefs While Living Your 2020 Pandemic Life

One of the most helpful writing prompts I have used with my students, coaching clients and with myself is “I believe.”

Lately as we have become more fractured and unfortunately too often stuck in the underlying fog of “us versus them” and “If you are one of them” (someone not like me) than I can’t talk (work, play. Collaborate, talk) with you.

This is why in the pop up #refresh2020 group that when I asked people about what they believe I qualified it like this:

Before you hit reply and respond with a lot of what you have said before please spend a few moments (or longer, perhaps write in your journal or go for a walk or listen to music or watch a TV show you love or have a conversation with this question hovering n the background of your mind.)

What do you believe – about what has been going on in your life right now?

What do you believe when you see situations that upset you, that you can’t control or influence?

What do you believe when you have been at the top of your game and the world and the people you love are praising you for no other reason than you showed up in the same space they are in?

What do you believe when you are lying under a canopy of stars or you were just in a car accident or are sitting in a hospital or close to death or just witnessed the birth of a child?

What do you believe when you can’t live like you always have before?

What do you believe when you are sitting in the rubble or are face to face with your greatest fear?

Finally, add any scenarios that will help you to move beyond what you might have written or thought before… allow it to simmer… and when you come back to the questioning space here – share examples from your direct experience about what it is that brings you to that belief.

Feeling back into what we believe is crucial to creating and living out our vision as we finish out this rocky, tumultuous, unexpected, confusing, beautiful, unwanted year of 2020.

Whenever I am invited to share my beliefs, a song by Blessid Union of Souls starts playing in my mind. Today, I would like to share a bit of that song with you. If you would like, watch the video.

Here is a change I made in my beliefs in 2020, a modification that is in alignment for my long standing belief that love is the answer, the quetion and the action plan.

Today I am thinking and feeling I believe in haiku. I believe in the power of daily creative practice and sharing that practice with a receptive audience. This makes me laugh – but my daily haiku practice….has shifted so much for me… and it was started BECAUSE…

(lyrics from the Blessid Union of Souls single “I Believe…”

Open up your mind and then open up your heart

You will see that you and me aren’t very far apart

Cause I believe love is the answer

I believe love will find a way

Before you leave this blog, I would enjoy hearing your first thoughts – not your final thoughts on this way of looking at what you believe in general, but choose one of the scenarios and make up a first draft response. Clarity, feeling better and healing are right at the end of your keyboard.

Julie JordanScott typing a love poem on the edge of a foothill of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Julie is also one of the Founders of Bridge to the New Year. Join us now in 2020 in #Refresh2020 to reflect, connect, intend and taking passionate action to create a truly remarkable rest of 2020. Click the graphic below to join the Private Facebook Group to join the conversation!