I enjoy doing visual journaling while I have my morning tea. I draw a simple picture and do some writing along with it.
This practice brings me into the present moment, so it’s a meditative way to start my day.
I had been using a plain journal with artist’s markers, similar to magic markers that kids use. This was a simple process that honored my creative flow.
However, for a while, I have done this practice intermittently, in spite of its value to me. So, I began to get really curious about why I didn’t do it consistently. I started looking at what I might be telling myself about it that could be getting in the way of my doing it every morning.
As soon as I started looking at my thoughts and feelings about this practice, I realized that artist’s markers weren’t “my thing” (ie, my native style). I draw with ink and watercolor, and yet I wasn’t using my native style with this visual journaling routine.
Amazingly, I wasn’t conscious of making this choice! I had somehow told myself that ink and watercolor would take too long, and that the markers would be more expedient.
I decided to revert to using ink and watercolor to draw while I have my morning tea, and to see what happened. The results are incredible! I’m enjoying it even more. I’m doing it consistently. It really primes the pump for my creative flow during the day. I look forward to doing it, so much! And, it doesn’t take any longer than when I was doing it with the markers. (Busted!)
If you have something that means a lot to you, but you find yourself not doing it, I’d recommend that you explore what you are telling yourself about it. You might just be surprised at the answer.
I was coming into the house from another dog walk when this heart shaped piece of an oak leaf caught my attention.
One night, in minus 50 degree F wind chills in February, I went out with my dogs Harper and Cinnamon, for their evening constitutional.
When I become present in any moment, there is a palpable feeling of spaciousness.
In some cultures, storks are associated with newborn babies and birth.
I am continually amazed at the moments I have just missed in my life, when I was somewhere else in my mind.
In my continuing promise to myself to pay attention to the moments of my life, I caught not only this sunset, but also the reflection that popped in for just an instant, while I took the photo.
At just the moment of sunset last night, the world lit up in a wash of color.
We’ve had a lot of very cold days this winter, giving us some frost and ice magic.
We braved the ice-covered driveway and the minus 15 F’s wind chills to go for a dog walk, a rare occurrence this brutal winter.