Recovering Our Power

Describe your childhood bedroom. If you wish, you may sketch this room. What was your favorite thing about it? What’s your favorite thing about your bedroom right now? Nothing? Well, get something you like in there—maybe something from that old childhood bedroom. Tasks Describe five traits you liked in yourself as a child. Next, write a little bit about why each one appeals to you And a treat: List five favorite childhood foods. Buy yourself one of them this week. Yes, Jell-O with bananas is okay Habits: Take a look at your habits. Many of them may interfere with your self-nurturing and cause shame. Some of the oddest things are self- destructive. Do you have a habit of watching TV you don’t like? Do you have a habit of hanging out with a really boring friend and just killing time (there’s an expression!)? Some rotten habits are obvious, overt (drinking too much, smoking, eating instead of writing). List three obvious rotten habits. What’s the payoff in continuing them? Some rotten habits are more subtle (no time to exercise, little time to pray, always helping others, not getting any self-nurturing, hanging out with people who belittle your dreams). List three of your subtle foes. What use do these forms of sabotage have? Be specific. Make a list of friends who nurture you—that’s nurture (give you a sense of your own competency and possibility), not enable (give you the message that you will never get it straight without their help). There is a big difference between being helped and being treated as though we are helpless. Describe which of these friends’ traits, particularly, serve you well. Call a friend who treats you like a really good and bright person who can accomplish things. Part of your recovery is reaching out for support. This support will be critical as you undertake new risks. Inner Compass: Each of us has an inner compass. This is an instinct that points us toward health. It warns us when we are on dangerous ground, and it tells us when something is safe and good for us. Morning pages are one way to contact it. So are some other artist-brain activities—painting, driving, walking, scrubbing, running. This week, take an hour to follow your inner compass by doing an artist-brain activity and listening to what insights bubble up. Record them below. List five people you admire whom you would feel safe praising publicly. Now list five people you secretly admire. What traits do these people have that you can cultivate further in yourself List five people who are dead whom you wish you had met while they were alive. Now list five people who are dead whom you’d like to hang out with for a while in eternity. What traits do you find in these people that you can look for in your friends Compare the two sets of lists. Take a look at what you really like and really admire—and a look at what you think you should like and admire. Your shoulds might tell you to admire Edison, while your heart belongs to Houdini. Go with the Houdini side of you for a while.

How many days this week did you do your morning pages? How was the experience for you? If you skipped a day, why did you skip it?
Did you do your artist’s date this week? (Yes, yes, and it was awful.) What did you do? How did it feel?
Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it?
Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them. Check-In Theresa Breeden -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#9): https://groups.io/g/creativejourney/message/9 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/89195577/6737026 Group Owner: creativejourney+owner@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/creativejourney/leave/11063485/6737026/872607470/xyzzy [creativejourney.kc@gmail.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-