This is an archived blog from when I ran Conscious Public Relations Inc. from 2008-2018. Excuse the potential outdated-ness!
Anger and self-nurturing
I really need the green day today.
I am finishing up the final week in The Artist’s Way and one of the challenges from the previous week was to do one self-nurturing thing each day for a week. As someone who usually requires ice cream to feel good, this can be a difficult thing.
One common thread in the book is on treating yourself gently and going on weekly “artist dates” with yourself to nourish your creative, playful side. It’s a side of myself I am still working on getting in touch with and is pretty foreign to me, but on my walk a few days ago I really got to breathe in the gratitude for being able to walk in public wearing what I want, listen to the music I want, during a time when I want to be outside and not inside. I know that other places in the world lack this privilege. I am also realizing how important fresh air is. My powerful reading a few months ago suggested that I needed to be out in the sun every day so I have been making a point to do that even on the days when I am doing yoga indoors or don’t have any exercise scheduled. Walks do wonders.
I also got angry for the first time in a while yesterday. Technology and situations were not working in my favour and I was really losing it. I used a nebulizer I was gifted for the first time and used the “Liquid Sunshine” blend intentionally. And it worked. It’s amazing what scents and some breathwork can do. I also thought about what kind of work really fires me up and came to the conclusion that I am overdue for some change. I know that it’s coming, but the impatient child in me doesn’t like waiting. As adults we need to recognize that not all days are going to be sunny and aligned with my intentions (especially in Vancouver).
Last week I was telling a colleague who ‘didn’t believe’ in meditation about some of the great entrepreneurs I know who meditate, including Jim Hoggan who I wrote about on Tuesday. I’m thankful that I’ve been practicing Transcendental Meditation almost daily for two years because I’d probably be more angry if I wasn’t. That included the moment when I heard that someone didn’t believe in meditation!
Each week I am learning about the importance of reflecting on myself and how I treat myself. The artist in us is the best part of us, and so it needs to be nurtured someway, somehow. I’ve scheduled in baking for Sunday.
What nurturing practices do you do for your inner artist?
