We are more than half-way through the month and I have been collaging regularly.
Wow. What a difference collaging for self-discovery makes. Not only do I feel more inspired in my life and in my writing, my dreams have also become so much more colorfully vivid.
Having a collage journaling practice is something I have enjoyed doing for myself in recent years. And now I’m sharing the process with others and making more time for it.
We live in a world that is so focused on external results that it often feels challenging to prioritize our internal life. But I declared this year to be my opportunity to dive deep and express myself more than ever before. Just making this commitment feels good. And every time I pull out my collage materials I feel like I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.
If you would like to join me, I encourage you to check out my new Collaging For Self-discovery Accountability Group.
If you are not convinced that making time for yourself to do something like collage journaling is important or even necessary, here are five reasons time for you is crucial to your health and happiness. Once you have a regular collage journaling practice — or any kind of daily creative practice — these results can be yours!
One. Distinguish Yourself From Others. Never underestimate the hypnotic power of three spells in our society: codependency, sexism, and perfectionism.We all do the best we can, of course. But how are we supposed to heal, grow and love when we are continually grappling with this three-headed monster? By spending time on self-discovery each day, we activate the power of our individual uniqueness, which is the best immunization against negative forces around us. When we embrace who we are, we can activate our power and create a life we love based on positive self-expression.
Two. Practice Making More Choices. The world invites us to make choices every day, but many of us are overwhelmed by the sheer volume and variety.Collaging helps us become more decisive. By choosing what makes us come alive we become happier. When we have a daily creative practice like collaging, we practice sifting and sorting, rejecting and selecting. We seek our particular type of happiness rather than whatever version of the American Dream is currently being promoted.
Three. Spend Time With Self Daily. Americans have made an art out of distraction. We live in a high-pressure, hyper-busy, discouraging world and it will continue to feel this way unless we reclaim our time and point of view. You can spend big chunks of time alone each day and still not give yourself permission to do your inner work. But once you reclaim time for yourself daily, you re-encounter yourself. When we make time for ourselves, our self-esteem instantly and automatically goes up.
Four. Notice Soul Stirrings. I believe we are not merely people, but souls. Our souls are huge, bright, beckoning parts of us, but we can spend a lifetime resisting them. Having a daily creative practice puts us in touch with the power of our souls. When we are in touch with our soul power, we can make a bigger impact on the world with less effort. We can tap into the power of the infinite in the everyday.
Five. Wake Up Sleeping Potential. We are each born with so much to offer, but we can keep our potential at arm’s length, hide it and even bury it. There are many factors that can cause us to lose touch with our personal power, but regular time for self-expression wakes us up to our full potential. Who cares why we didn’t tap into our personal power before? We can do it now, do it daily, and live our most expressive life starting today.
A daily collage practice may not seem like any big deal from outward appearances. But making time for yourself is still a radical act in our society, especially when you do it in a way that activates personal meaning in your life.
I hope you will join me in embarking on a daily creative practice this year. I have changed the pricing structure of the group to pay-what-you-will. Check it out!
When I have something to say, this blog is the place where I give myself permission to say it. So, though I often write about writing and creativity, I also write about issues that are important to me if I think my point of view might help others. I help folks become more creative for personal enjoyment, professional development and transformational growth. I am a veteran journalist, author and coach with over a decade and a half of experience and a wealth of techniques to share. Whether you are a professional creative or hope to become one some day, I can help you embrace your personal strengths, explore your creative possibilities, and evolve incrementally into your most inspiring self. If you are ready to achieve creative consistency in your life and career, email me about monthly coaching calls. Looking for more fun in your life daily? Then join us for Collaging For Self-discovery, my online accountability group. To learn more about increasing your creative confidence, please check out my online school. Stay tuned for ways to save money by becoming a Beta User for my next new course by subscribing to The Prosperous Creative. And don’t forget to get these blog posts delivered to your inbox, so you never miss a post. If you appreciate my work—school, products, blog and social media posts—you are welcome to make a contribution of any size at any time. Thank you for your support!