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Creative Life Midwife

Inspiring Artistic Rebirth

Gut Kicks & Delayed Returning Day 31/31 of (Self) Belonging:

October 31, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

I have been wading around the shallow waters of (self) belonging for the last few days due to – not surprisingly – due to what felt like a piercing of my shield (maybe better seen as a cushion, safe space, another word) of my sacred internal safe space.

I don’t feel the need to write the specifics here, but I was thrown by what happened and had the privilege of expressing my emotions with depth and had support to restore myself.

Another metaphor, from the poem “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver, “the soft animal of my body” needed to go back into my cave and gently, quietly lick my wounds in a familiar, anonymous setting.

A bit of a setback and a bigger space of deeper healing because I allowed myself to feel what needed to be felt, to speak what needed to be spoken and perhaps most important, I allowed myself to receive the gift of belonging from my sister – even when the message I was pushing back on and stumbling along the way was translated through past experiences and the tapes that have played in my mind for years that rang out  “you are wrong, you ruined everything, you are unworthy, you are a problem, you don’t belong” which historically brought me to my dank, dungeon exile, empty of the nurturing tools of love and reassurance.

I can still hear my sister’s light laughter when I recognized she reached out to protect me, to be with me in what had become my danger zone.

I’m not accustomed to being protected. I am grateful she did as it helped me stay in the cave longer and use tools that before would vaporize after an attack rather than become completely numb and unable to access my self-nurturing tools at all.

I realize as I continue to process – my acceptance of protection and taking my time before jumping back into the public sharing is also an example of (self) belonging.

During these last 61 days of 2023, I am getting closer to understanding how to express and live from a space of (self) belonging. What a heart felt victory!

How do you connect with the concepts I’m sharing here in this rough, raw draft?

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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Daily Consistency, Grief, Healing, Intention/Connection Tagged With: 31 Days of Self Belonging, Julie JordanScott, Self Belonging

Week Two Recap: 31 Days of (Self) Belonging

October 14, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

The second week in this self-belonging experiment has been rich in Synchronicity. 

It has been discovered through consistent moving toward and into belonging.

I have been on the inside looking out instead of the outside, looking in.

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

If you look at the words above you will see “invited” “seemed to enjoy me” “forgives” and “glad we are here”. 

When I arrived at the “front door” of the trail, I felt lonely and detached from caring. Only steps into the woods I began to feel as if I belonged, as if I was at home, as if I was forgiven for anything I might have done wrong whether inadvertently or on purpose.

Today, at the end of my work week, I returned to that same trail and the sun was shining rather than freshly rained upon. I found a spot on the Appalachian Trail I had been seeking for months – and will return to as early as mid-week – and as a bonus, re-found a human friend who just happened to choose to hike in the same area at the same time I was who  likes hiking and music, also.

On Wednesday II wrote about belonging in my body because of purchasing and wearing new shoes. On Thursday I went to yoga class for the first time since school started. I’ve had two days in a row with over 10,000 steps,  I hiked three days in a row. I truly feel a deeper sense of self-belonging now than when this week started, 

I can’t remember how long it has been since my body has felt this good.

It was exactly a week ago that I felt completely discombobulated and unseen on the campus where I work and now, at the end of this week, I have plenty of quirky stories of connection and belonging with me being 100% me without holding back due to wanting to “fit in”.

I have practiced belonging to and with myself and miraculous rewards have come about as a result.

What happened this week in your life that thoroughly delighted you?

Also, where do you feel the most sense of belonging in your life these days?

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Rewriting the Narrative, Self Care Tagged With: 31 Days of Self Belonging, Self-Belonging

Intuition & Synchronicity: Day 12/31 Days of (Self) Belonging

October 12, 2023 by jjscreativelifemidwife

Julianne: have you heard of her?


She is the name I use when referring to my highest self: she takes form in intuitive hits and synchronicity, be it the songs I hear or the images that surprisingly show up in my path.

Befriending Julianne by name has made a huge difference in my life, especially when we became deeper collaborative partners.

She will show up in my writing tomorrow, also, because I had a major a-ha during this morning’s writing practice. I know she was the one who tapped those loose morsels through my brain and out onto the page.

It is natural I discovered this sense of belonging with Julianne when she became a big part of my writing practice. 

I had long wanted to have an evening practice that would be a good “bookend” to my well honed morning practice of writing, stretching, planning, intending, praying. I never seemed to “get it right”. 

I still mix it up and find myself shuffling (which is indicative of being human, right?)

My evening writing practice became something I call “Roll Over and Write” and sometimes “Roll Over and Right” because the practice itself makes everything just right, like how Goldilocks finds  baby bear’s porridge, the chair and the bread.

It’s easy: I have a notebook by my bedside. I jot a few notes before I turn out the light and when I wake up, soon after waking, I write again – often in response to dreams I had or insights that come out only when I move my pencil.

Julianne figures in because I usually address her in those pages. I find both Julianne and the Divine there, in my notebook. 

My notebooks, in fact, are my most regular, consistent believing mirrors and conduits for positive change. My Mining for Story Gold runs a close second – which makes sense because that space of writing practice comes in the next phase of my morning rituals so I am slightly more awake.

Julianne – my highest self – helps me remember what belonging really feels like: to live, work, play and grow vulnerably with others within a community who are committed and devoted to caring for one another. Not just talk about caring for one another but acting with care towards one another in a context of transparency, acceptance and openness.

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

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

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

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Filed Under: Creative Adventures, Creative Life Coaching, Creative Process, Intention/Connection, Rewriting the Narrative, Self Care Tagged With: 31 Days of Self Belonging, Belonging to Self, Self-Belonging

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