I already knew what I wanted to write about this week. I have been thinking about it for a while and I am trying to create a short e-book to go with the topic. Alas, my short e-book gets longer every time I work on it.
(This has been going on for weeks!) Since I cannot present you with what I thought I was going to write about I have had to cast about for another subject.
What should be no-big-deal from anyone else’s point of view seems to be huge to my BLOCKHEAD. (My all-knowing-bossy-expert-on-all-things-Diana internal critic is named Blockhead and is alive and well, thank you very much.)
I won’t bore you with my blockhead statements, but I can bet you know what it feels like to be confronted by small and not so small disappointments:
• Not doing what you said you’d do
• Not starting or completing a project like you’d planned
• A project not turning out like you’d hoped
• This list could go on forever
It takes such an amazing amount energy to live with disappointment, guilt, regret, self-recrimination, and grief that it is no wonder we don’t do our art or resist doing what we love. If you have to run the gauntlet of these feelings before you can resume your work, how can you expect to physically and mentally make yourself move forward?
I say, we need a daily forgiveness ritual.
• Goofed off yesterday? Forgive yourself!
• Left the cap off the tube of paint? Let it go!
• Didn’t finish your e-book? Grant yourself a pardon! (You deserve to live!)
Do you know that sound of the needle being pulled across a record to stop the music?
I can hear it right now as the thought of forgiveness brings my idea to a screeching halt.
Blockhead says: “You are letting yourself off the hook. You are tolerating bad behavior. You’ll never create anything if you don’t hold yourself accountable.”
What is unforgivable is already done. You can allow your blockhead to have his or her way with you and wallow in the muck or you can choose to give yourself a break and start where you are.
Creativity Energizer Break:
Put the needle back on the record and play the music to the commercial that McDonalds used for years. “You deserve a break today…”
• Give yourself a break today.
• A forgiveness break.
• A letting-go break.
• Beg your own pardon…and grant it.
Don’t get hung up on the term, “forgiveness.” The root of the word forgiveness means to let go. Or you can always pardon yourself. I like that too.
Start your day or your creative project by forgiving you for all the stuff you didn’t do; or do well enough; or didn’t get marked off your to do list.
Humming that little song, “You deserve a break today…” made famous by McDonalds is your trigger to let go.
And of course, if you need more help, use our friend, EFT.
Have a creative, guilt-free week!
Hugs,
Diana