Gremlins

I still struggle with what to say.

Or, more truly, I struggle with whether what I say is worth saying...

Is it useful? Is it helpful? Why bother?

Jen says the act of self-expression alone is worth it.

I try to believe her.

I let the paint flow as an act of defiance against the inner gremlin who tells me, 

"Who gives a crap?!"

The piece above is a page from my journal. No perfection necessary here.

It began with an activity we do in The Story of You called Where I'm From.

I filled in the blanks and used what came as inspiration, in stolen minutes over a few days, in between shuttling kids to and fro, from working and packing lunches, and folding laundry....

Those few minutes were magic.

I found Peace there. And Presence. And Delight. The kind of things that made me a little more generous with my kids, a little more loving with my partner, a little calmer, a little more fun to be around! :)

Maybe this is the point? ...that normally silenced voice finally getting some airtime and feeling validated and heard. Maybe it's true... self-expression feeds our souls.

So there, gremlin!

Do you know this gremlin? Has she silenced some part of you that wants to be expressed? Join me in telling her to eff off, in the kindest, gentlest, firmest way of course... by putting pen to paper, brush to paint, by allowing the wild dance to take hold in your body, or the song to sprout from your lips.

Are you in?

You can start where I did, if you want... download and print the PDF here, adapted from a poem by George Ella Lyan. I give you permission to steal minutes from your responsible grown-up life to scribble and color or dance silly dances or sing out loud or all of the above. YOU. Are. Worth. it.

And I would love, love, love... (more than a chocolate sundae!) to hear what insight the voice inside has to tell you. I'm cheering for you!