Creative Life Midwife

Inspiring Artistic Rebirth

What don’t you see? What experiences are you missing because you don’t look again?

by

It is only the third of July and it feels so much later in the month than that, probably because two days ago my right knee had another flare up and that caused me to face plant emotionally. 

The good news is I learned so much in these last two days that would have been buried in my lack of awareness and busy, busy, unrelenting busy schedule and sometimes superhuman expectations I have for myself. 

Today my knee is sore, my hip is slightly sore, and I had the best sleep I have had in ages.

When I arrived at my desk this morning, I was without an agenda except for “to settle into” my day and here I sit, gloriously grounded even if the last week iteration of me would have been frustrated with the pace, the ever-expansive me is taking that last week me and holding her close saying something like “husssshhhhh, husssshhhhhhh, you have plenty of time to do all the things you feel like you must get done…”

Normally during the last week of the preceding month I set up the documents for the next month with my regular spiritual practices and my creative entrepreneurial plans.

It is July 3 and I didn’t set up one of my favorite, grounding, off-the-charts-effective “Mining for Storytelling Gold” daily writing practice.

I looked across the screen to my focus mate partner and said, “In this session, I am going to settle in…” having no idea what that really meant and I wrote “Good Morning, Love,” (my daily message to my facebook followers) and then realized I wasn’t ready to start “Mining for Story Gold” because I hadn’t taken the time to set the document up yet.

I then took the one step that changed everything: I decided to start the August document now.

I scanned last year’s August photo album and found the perfect photo.

What I had never noticed in that photo was glaringly obvious now.

What do you see in this photo?

What have you missed seeing in your everyday life lately?

Please let me know in the comments – 

Facebooktwitterpinterest

Spread the Love: Day 20/31 of (Self) Belonging

by

I wrote a long post and decided not to publish it. Instead, I am offering the opening line from my original post. a belonging quote, a prompt and a short road map to creating your own (self) belonging community.

Yesterday started badly (and processing and choosing to step away, mindfully, helped me to present something more aligned with who I am as one who belongs with you today.

“When you know and respect your Inner Nature, you know where you belong. You also know where you don’t belong.”

Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

What was a moment in time in the last three months where you felt like you absolutely belonged, without a doubt?

Take three minutes to write about this experience in detail.

If you can’t recall a moment in the last three months when you felt like you absolutely belonged, consider a small action you may choose to take so that three months from now you will be guaranteed to have an experience where you felt the deeply transformative feeling of belonging.

Ways to Create a (Self) Belonging Community

  1. Ask one to three people to help you with your own belonging project. Invite this person or people to be mutual believing mirrors – look at one another with authentically open eyes and reflect back what you see about each other that is remarkable, unique, significant – and back that up with tangible evidence and witness because concrete visions of “remember when” bear a great deal of meaning, more so than vague concepts. Tune into developing ways to see your inner nature through other people’s perspectives.
  1. Choose to add an action-step to daily times of quiet time. One of my quiet times of the day is driving without the radio, a podcast or playlist going. It gives me space for my mind to wander. This is when discovery deepens – and adding action to those insights questions  like “With whom do I feel the most sense of belonging and satisfaction? Reach out to one of those people via email or actually make that phone call.” These quiet times followed by action will be another tangible way to make friends with your inner nature and your highest self.
  1. Notice the features and qualities of people in your everyday life that you would like to emulate. I have a co-worker who sets the treadmill to walk uphill for twenty minutes a day, for example. I may say to him, “Your walking uphill on the treadmill reminded me I could do that, too, in order to become a better hiker. I won’t start with 20 minutes, I will start with two minutes and work up to ten to start.” Not only does this help you, it helps the people in your life feel a sense of belonging, too. 

Spread the (Self) belonging love!

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

Facebooktwitterpinterest

Hold Space for the Process: Day 17/31 of (Self) Belonging

by

This morning I wrote a mish-mash of notes and I decided to share them here because sometimes the growth towards belonging includes a lot of messy, cluttered, uncomfortable thoughts and examination that doesn’t fit nicely into carefully curated containers.

Last night I forced myself to write a poem about what happened after my mother died and I experienced an episode of extreme anti-belonging. The antithesis of belonging. Another variation of not being seen, not being heard and as a result, being left out of the services for my mother.

I really didn’t even want to write that here.

I didn’t want to put it in black and white.

I wanted to sidle into that reality sideways, not telling the whole truth and instead leave context clues but my fingers on the keyboard forced me further.

Last night I forced myself to write a poem of the extreme pain of the aftermath.

I wrote a sentence and then wrote a poem using the words of the sentence as the beginning of the poem. 

I found it difficult to finish. It most likely won’t be shared, but there is a high value in the process of shaping those words meaningfully.

Sometimes belonging to myself means guiding myself down a cragging unsettled path, like when I walk on the rockiest parts of the trail. The trail hurts my feet and my ankles as I balance and move slowly, methodically, my eyes on the ground to steady myself. I wonder in these moments why do I proclaim how much I like to hike? 

Who cares about hiking and healing and belonging if it feels this tortuous to get here?

Sometimes belonging means I must do the things I want/don’t want to do.I must face the most painful aspects of my stories.

Slowly and methodically I am picking up the pieces of grief and examining them and in order to do that, I need to dust and vacuum away the aftermath – the pain I experienced after Mom died, indirectly as a result of Mom’s death that was and wasn’t about Mom’s death. 

The pain is an echo of my core life stories that have caused me the majority of my sadness, my off-and-on-again relationship with depression and the internal battles I have fought for decades.

In order to heal the pain, I need to give myself room to examine it with not only love and compassion and hope. I need to allow the red hot coals of anger to be at the metaphorical table, too. Tthe difference is, perhaps for the first time only. I am recognizing anger directed toward the outside instead of deflecting anger back into myself – which is what reflects the adage from Sigmund Freud, “Depression is anger turned inward.”

In reading an article from Downtown Somatic Therapy’s blog post, I read “love” and “anger” in the same breath. Anger is love? Anger has a component of love? 

For now, at this stage, I am going to engage with anger and let it help me find my way into a deeper sense of belonging to and with and for myself.

Even as I write this, I brace myself for people who will say some variation of “get over yourself and move along” but what is vulnerability if not knowing people may not understand the value of the work and the healing I am doing and going forward, anyway? Isn’t this an example of belonging as opposed to fitting in?

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

Facebooktwitterpinterest

Grief & Belonging: 31 Days of (Self) Belonging

by

Belonging in Grief: Grief is among the most difficult periods of life. We often shy away from talking about grief or death because our culture has norms that are more accepting of thriving, health and youth than “failing”, not being well and aging.

This is exactly what makes belonging within the context of grieving so difficult.

My mother died in mid-August and my grief has only just begun – and complications due to feelings of not belonging have made it even more difficult than it might have been. 

There are times when grieving helps create more belonging. From an unlikely source today, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, we read about NFL Football coach Tony Dungy, who built his team to be successful from having habits to help them win. When Dungy’s 18-year-old son died from suicide, the team became a space of belonging and used that longing to triumph.

This is a bittersweet story. 

Then there are the words of meditation teacher Tara Brach who writes, “A sacred space of true belonging allows us to thrive. We feel seen, understood and valued. We are free, safe and held in love. In this place of true belonging, we have some protection of the darkness found in our world.

“We feel deep grief when this sacred place of true belonging is severed.”

Claire Bidwell Smith, in her book “Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief” discusses “Designing Your Own Resilience Plan” which is easiest in the company of at least one understanding, trusting person with whom you share a feeling of belonging. Use the planning to attract more people who may become your circle of belonging during this challenging time,

Start with one person, baby steps, and allow yourself the room to go slowly. 

You may have a team or organization, a church, a club who may gather to support you in a larger way like the Indianapolis Colts did. You may prefer your experience of belonging to be quiet during your experience.

If you love someone who is grieving, overcome your discomfort in small steps, too. The best step is by letting them know you care about them enough to be uncomfortable. Offer several choices for your friend to choose how to be supported: “Would you like to drive through Starbucks with me or would you like me to drop off a coffee?” might work for some people.

Grief and Belonging don’t naturally seem like they are likely to intersect and it is critical to cultivate belonging after a loss, whether you are the person who is grieving or if you care about the person who is grieving.

This barely scratches the surface AND I think it is important to bring up and talk about, together.

What are your initial thoughts?

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

Facebooktwitterpinterest

Day 3: 31 Days of (Self) Belonging

by

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Unconditional Positive Regard Intersects with Self-Belonging

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vulnerability: an Indication Belonging is Near or Here

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Facebooktwitterpinterest

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

by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Facebooktwitterpinterest

Trust: Building a Life, One Step at a Time

by

On an almost autumn morning last year I came downstairs to my home office and started tidying the desk. I heard a weird sound from outside. Was it Wally, my housemate who some of you might call a pesky woodchuck or groundhog?

I lifted the curtain and there was no Wally in sight and the sound stopped so I put the curtain down and the sound came back.

I gazed out the front window and saw one of the neighborhood wild turkeys marching through the front yard. I haven’t named them yet. I raced to the front door so I could get a clear photo without the window screen getting in the way but by then the turkey was on to my exuberance and he had one again, moved out of sight.

I wondered, “What has happened to make the manse more fairy-tale-like with all these wild animals showing up and hanging out with me?”

I have always heard the geese fly by with their morning greetings. These new friends just keep making everything feel even more magical than it already did.

My affirmation for today comes from Teresa of Avila:

“I trust I am exactly where I am meant to be.” This continues to hold true, even a year later.

Even after a number of occurrences that didn’t seem like they were on the bright side.

I persevered and I trusted. I trusted I was in the right place, ground hogs and all.

Julie JordanScott Comeback Crone Creative Life Midwife

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

Facebooktwitterpinterest

The Day’s A-Wastin’ (Or Is It?)

by

This is what happens when you start your day reading an emotionally rich, well written, best selling novel: in this case it was “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano

Haiku 17/37

Entire head stuffy

Each and every feeling –

Stories connect us

I don’t think that final line is the right one. I’m being impatient because I want to get on with my day. It’s 7:18 am the days a’wastin’!

I have no idea where I picked up that phrase, but being the daughter of an early riser and having given birth to early risers may be a part of it.

I read more than 150 pages this morning, I’ve been reading since 5 am and refused to move until the last words in the book. This doesn’t feel like wasted time, it feels like enrichment.

I would have loved “Hello Beautiful” even if it didn’t pay homage to Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” but with many twists and turns along the way. William isn’t Laurie – or is he? I always thought of Laurie as Thorea-like, but William is… much more like a blend of my son and me. The book opens and closes with words of him and words spoken by him.

“But if you’ll allow me, I’d like to help.” Spoken by William, who was a newborn in the first line of the book, “For the first six days of William Water’s life, he was not an only child.”

That first sentence from the book is almost like a koan, one of haiku’s cousins.

I have more to say and that last line of the haiku to rewrite, but a red cardinal is outside telling me to get on with the day. Last night perhaps it was the same cardinal who flew quickly toward the porch and then darted away before it sat down close to me, seeming to be shocked by my presence.

It is time to go downstairs and begin my day. The clogged head from tears cried and tears held back has lessened.

What is favorite book you have read in 2023?

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.

Facebooktwitterpinterest

Haiku: Leaps to Steady the Course

by

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.

Facebooktwitterpinterest

How to Take One Prompt to Create Multiple Forms of Content

by

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.

Facebooktwitterpinterest