Week 4 Into Week 5

Wow, week 4 really flew by for me. So, what have we all been up to? Well, we have been:
Stretching, Getting excellent Self-Care, Finding Joy, Remembering our own Value, Reveling in Excitement, Noticing the details, Finding beauty, Recognizing our accomplishments, Encouraging ourselves, Naming our critics, and so much more. I'm really thrilled to be part of such an amazing group. You are all such brave, talented, fascinating, creative souls (and yes, that means you!) So, my deepest gratitude for all you've shared, the support you've doled out, the risks and baby steps you've taken. Remember to celebrate what you have done instead of beating yourself up for what you didn't!

This week we worked on a sense of balance. I did find a bit more balance in my life this week as I've been incorporating some art into each day and I also managed to do some walking and some yoga. Once again, this week's theme, Uncovering a Sense of Autonomy, seems to have such serendipitous timing. It just so happens that Wednesday is my last day at a job I've been at for 6 years. I'm about to undergo a major career shift, one that requires a lot of self-discipline and self-direction (something that doesn't come easy to me.) There are things that make it easier, such as knowing what works for me and what doesn't. Learning what works for us and doesn't is so important. For me, that takes some time to figure out, so I want to pass on a couple of things I've learned doing Cameron's books, in the hopes that it will help you find what works best for you. I've tried it both ways, reading the chapter over the course of the week and reading the whole thing the first day and I've found that it's better for me to finish the chapter early, so that I can process the information and work with it throughout the week. If I don't have time to read the new chapter during the weekend, then I at least like to read the divining rods. Some of them take a little planning, so it's good to know what they are ahead of time.

Doing this work in such a big group, it can be hard to keep up with what everyone else is up to. After the first week or so, I decided to make a bloglines folder for all the Finding Water blogs. This way I knew when people had updated and I wasn't wasting my time, clicking on all the blogs when maybe only a couple had a new post. (I heart bloglines.) It takes some time to set up, but once that's done it makes life much easier. While I'm speaking about the blogroll, Jessie and I have removed a few people who have said they can not continue with the book for various reasons and some who it seemed were not participating. If we have taken your blog off and you are still participating, please say so and we'll add you back immediately! Or if you are on the list and know you are not continuing with the group, feel free to comment or email and we'll take you off the list. I figure it's easier to remove links of blogs who aren't doing the book, so there will be fewer blogs to check in on! I'm not upset if people are not continuing on with the group, I believe Jessie said that this was to be expected in her initial post. This book won't be for everyone and for some the timing will be all wrong. That's ok. For those of us that are getting something out of it and are struggling a bit, hang in there, keep trying, don't give up. You will get out of this process what you put into it, whether that's a little or a lot, it's all good. I've enjoyed seeing the connections made, making new connections, and being inspired by all of you.

I think this process, particularly the artist's dates and morning pages are about building self-integrity. You are committing to treating yourself as the beautiful, creative soul you are and from that space, it's so much easier to bloom. It's snowing here in Massachusetts, big wet flakes, but my art is all about spring this week. I think it has to do with the growth I'm feeling under the surface of my own skin and all around me, in you. Remember to take especially good care of yourself!

xoxo,
Leah
Creative Every Day