Hey, it’s Flourishing Friday! Do you ever push yourself beyond your capacity? And it’s still not enough? If you’ve been working too hard (like me), or you feel depleted, dissatisfied, or unworthy, today’s 5-minute creative practice is for you (jump below).
Follow along in the video above, featuring my ridiculous alter-ego Queen Poopicina, a spontaneous song, and the potty-mouth ‘Holy Sh*t’ 💩 version of the tool. Or jump down for text prompts.
I did a brave, creative thing. 🙌🏽
Submitted an essay to the generous contest offered by
on the theme, “How to Save the World by 2050.” After a late night of last-minute edits, I woke up utterly depleted. I knew at least 42 edits could have made it stronger, clearer, more persuasive, compelling, and more like a pitch.Is that Perfectionist Monkey talk? 🙈 Or a woman who longs to master her craft?
I’d written the concept before, so I figured it’d be a simple task to re-work it. Wrong! It took weeks to write, re-write, brainstorm, mind-map, research, record, read aloud, re-craft, share, start over, structure, bring back things I’d deleted, fill in gaps, finally figure out what it’s about, get more notes, and edit maybe 10 times. Writing is hard.
At the same time, my sweetheart injured his lower spine (again). He’s in severe pain. As we jump through insurance hoops so he can get treatment, he can’t sit, stand, walk, or shower. He needs my help to put on his pants, socks, and underwear, to make coffee, tea, and food; to set up alternate sleeping arrangements in our living room; to put on his sheets and blankets; to take him to daily appointments; to manage his meds, soothe his spirit; and to distract him with positive media. (He can breathe, read, crawl to the bathroom, and eat, though it’s tougher lying down.)
I feel depleted just reading this! You’ve probably got even more piled on top of your overworked soul: raising kids, going to work, driving through rush hour traffic, etc.
Yet, I’ve loved it all. Even the demoralizing, dark-night-of-the-soul times. Reflecting on 3 weeks of my “Three Months to Live” experiment, I would choose it all again (but I wouldn’t skip self-care routines, honoring Mama Earth with songs, beach walks & cold dips).
Today, let’s celebrate all the ways we continue to show up and leap over our hurdles, inside and out. Let’s fill our creative cups with a sense of Enough. Wanna join me? Let me know how it goes. See you in the Comments :)
Today's 5-minute game: Full Vessel
Full Vessel: How can I feel a sense of enough?
CONSIDER a time when you felt empty, envious, dissatisfied, unworthy or just not good enough. BREATHE deeply. Let out a big “ahhhh...”
IMAGINE visiting a beautiful, fresh, clear spring. Notice the surroundings, any colors, light, or any breeze.
ENVISION holding a vessel. Notice its weight, shape and color as you bend to scoop up water.
DRINK long and deeply. IMAGINE the taste of this pure cool water, that it can fill you in all ways.
REFILL your vessel from the ever-flowing stream. CONSIDER how life brings you what you need. What if there was always enough, to refill you?
REFLECT: “I’m noticing...”
Make it Real: Cultivate the deep well of Enough
EXPLORE: Complete these 3 phrases aloud: “I have enough... There is enough... I am enough...”
CREATE: Write or share about this experience.
MANIFEST: This week, notice when you feel a lack of something (time, space, energy, money, etc). It’s ok. Breathe into your heart. Then notice something you do have enough of (air to breathe, sky, etc.).
🗣️ How about you? (your comments make my Heart sing 🥰)
Do you have enough clean water to drink, bathe, cleanse, and refresh?
Do you express gratitude for basic things like water, air, and sky? How?
What tends to make you feel empty, wrung out, dissatisfied, or unworthy?
What brings you a sense of enough?
Thank you for drawing from the well of Enough. If this encourages you and your creative voice, will you drop a heart or comment? Someone needs to hear this today. When you share, restack, and subscribe, it truly helps more brave souls find us.
As Brave Creatives, we face the Monkeys of Fear when we share our voices. 🙉🙊🙈 Let’s befriend our Monkeys together, so we can reveal our truth. (Why listen to me? My work has appeared in Time Magazine, feature films and television, newspapers, YA fantasy novels, on stages, and in therapy offices and bathrooms across the USA 💩 More at HeartsQuest.com.) 💗
Your Cup of Enough