Tag: Creativity

Step 10: Learn to trust your Self

Step 11: Find value from within

Posted on March 27, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 11: Find value from within

Looking for Self-worth from outside is like expecting somebody else to breathe for you

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

In the past few weeks I have shared 10 actionable steps you can take to reduce stress and increase Creativity, thereby boosting your quality of Life. Your task has been to take in the information and apply it in your day-to-day. Have you been challenged?

With just two steps to go, the finish line is in sight. Let’s get to it then!

Find value from within

Think back to a time when you’ve completed a project or task that was difficult, overwhelming, or emotionally burdening you. Upon completion, you likely had a sense of accomplishment, maybe you were glowing within or felt deep feelings of relief or joy.

Now recall whether those soaring emotions were dampened by a “wet blanket”, or someone who stole your thunder. That must have been pretty deflating and discouraging!

People who don’t support, energize, or encourage your growth are straight up wet blankets. They put out your fire of passion, knock you down when you are high, and create dissension and dis-ease.

These people are energy blockers in the physical form, and they will stifle your flow of Creativity and keep you in an activated stress state. Do not expect them to help or support you in your growth Journey.

External vs. internal Self-worth

Just as it sounds, with external Self-worth your sense of value and worth come from outside of yourself. For example, love, respect, and care for yourself that are based solely on material gains or adoration from others.

Examples that provide external value can include sex, drugs or alcohol, food, people pleasing, perfectionism and accomplishments, and physical attractiveness.

Internal Self-worth, on the other hand, is when your sense of value and worth come from within. Your internal value comes from doing the hard work of examining your Self and clearing the shadows out of your closet, so to speak.

Examples that provide internal value can include standing up for yourself, advocating for yourself or someone else, working through a difficult project or situation, and responding to a situation outside of Ego.

Just as we learn to let others determine our value, so must we unlearn this harmful thought process. Take a moment to look at the patterns of how you love, care, and respect yourself. Find one place where you might be relying on external validation and actively work towards inner validation.

There is a connection between Self-nurturing, Self-worth, and Self-respect.

If you can learn to respect your Self more, you will want to take better care of yourself, and in turn, will find your value and worth from within rather than without.

Similarly, if you nurture your Self a little every now and then, you will inevitably grow to respect yourself more and the result is higher feelings of Self-worth.

Incorporating these 11 steps (and the soon coming 12th step) into your daily, weekly, and/or monthly routines of Self-care are one sure fire way of getting the ball rolling.

Some other tools include: exercise; meditation; prayer; disconnecting from electronics for extended periods of time; reading a book; utilizing essential oils, Earth crystals and gemstones; taking a hot bubble bath; getting a facial, manicure, or pedicure; journaling; taking a weekend retreat; walking in Nature; changing your diet; and surrounding yourself with love and people who uplift you.

Until next time,

Interested in catching up on this 12-step journey? Find them all here:

Step 10: Learn to trust your Self

Posted on March 26, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 10: Learn to trust your Self

Let your Body and Intuition be your guides

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Today, in Step 10, you will begin learning some tools to help you learn how to tap in to that inner intuition so you can begin exercising those Self-trust muscles.

Like building muscle, it takes a little bit of work over a long period of time.

Self-care is not easy to maintain, but it sure is easy to neglect! As we near the end of our Creative Journey I encourage you to short-hand these steps and keep them nearby where you can see them daily. Tackle one at a time, in your own time, and remember to be graceful with yourself.

The opposite of Trust is resistance

Once the fog has cleared and you begin to get a clear sense of who you are and what you are doing, the Creative Energy will flow freely and you will experience no strain. You’ll soon find your stress on a steep decline as you increase in space, peace, and joy.

When you resist what the Energy of the Universe is showing or giving you, or where it is trying to take you, your Energy will slow to a halt and become blocked. This will manifest in many ways in the short- and long-term. You may experience a shaky, out-of-control feeling; anxiety or depression; physical symptoms such as headache, stomach ache, lethargy, and more.

Your immediate response might be to shut down the flow of this Creative Energy to regain a sense of control. In other words, you may slam on the psychic brakes, putting your creative output at a complete standstill. The purpose of all this shutting down is to alleviate fear. This is the Ego response for Self-preservation.

Rather than turning to workaholism, food, sweets, alcohol, or other excuses to alleviate these fears (in the form of palpable symptoms), simply try trusting your intuition and your desire.

Easier said than done.

The first step to alleviating these often mysterious symptoms that seemingly have zero connection to Life is to become aware. Awareness of Self, of thought, of body, of environment, and of Energy. Pick one as your starting place.

Because of the beautiful design of the body, your brain is wired to alert you to these Self-limiting fears before you even have a chance to cognitively register them. The key is to understand how to read your body’s unique signals, and to use those signals to help you in your Creative Journey toward healing.

Depending on your disposition, you can check in mentally or physically and employ some techniques that suit you well. Mentally you can engage in thought blocking, affirmations, positive reinforcement, or other mindset technique to help alleviate the fears and their accompanying symptoms.

If you are more sensitive to physical and sensory stimulation, you might consider checking in with your body. Learn to recognize the physical sensations you feel and connect them to the emotion(s) you are experiencing at that time. Notice the location and intensity of the sensations, and be honest with yourself about the emotion(s) you are experiencing in that moment.

Moving forward, when you begin to notice recurring sensations in your body you will more easily recognize your emotional or Energetic state. You can use these as signals for how to proceed in handling any situation.

Adopt Life-giving practices

Checking in with yourself periodically throughout the day is crucial to your Energetic body. Think of your Energy as a battery. The more you expend on other people and their problems, or on worrying about … (what others might think of you, what you said in an old confrontation, or how you will be able to tackle the huge load in front of you), the less Energy you maintain for regular daily living.

As you begin adopting Life-giving practices for Self-care, your Energy will be in constant flow of motion. As you deplete some of your Energetic battery, you will in turn be recharging it through these practices.

Create a brief inventory to figure out which Life-giving practices resonate with you. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or fancy, but should be thorough and Creative; think deeply. Your inventory should include any persons, places, foods, activities, behaviors, items, or words that bring you peace. Think of selections that make you feel energized or help you achieve a state of flow.

Always be mindful of your Energy expenditure. Use Self-care techniques, such as the tools given over the course of these 12 steps, to replenish your Energy supply. When you find yourself in a situation that is mentally, physically, or emotionally draining for you, it is a sign that you are expending too much Energy. Scale it back some, and be sure to devote some time to recharging your battery.

Until next time,

Interested in catching up on this 12-step journey? Find them all here:

Posted on March 25, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 9: Recover your enthusiasm

Put fear in its place by rediscovering what excites you!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Today, in Step 9, you will give your perspective a thorough checkup. If your perspective is not serving your goals for growth and expansion, then it’s time for a shift.

Find value in every single experience, all the time

You are 9 steps in. Are you committing to taking action to grow and learn along the way? Does your Energy feel lighter? Are you feeling more inspired, at peace, or renewed over these past weeks and months?

Energy is meant to be in motion at all times. When Energy gets stuck or stagnant, you lose your ability to think and perform creatively.

Creativity, as written about here, includes everyday problem solving, creative meal planning, stunning works of art, and everything in between.

A common occurrence is to recognize the changes you have made and the results they have produced, then to think the work is done. As you will recall, Energy must be in constant movement. So the moment you stop doing the work is the moment the flow of Energy and inspiration will begin slowing to a halt.

We often and incorrectly label this stagnation as laziness. It’s not laziness, it is fear, and it is a byproduct of having unrealistic expectations and impossible goals. Fear looks different for every person. You may have a fear of failure or a fear of success; a fear of abandonment or a fear of attachment; a fear of fat or a fear of change. Whatever it is that scares you, it is often characterized by the subconscious thought that if you are going to engage, it better be worth it. Is that a risk you’re willing to take?

These fears are often rooted in your childhood realities, but that does not mean you have to allow them to continue controlling your present. (Read here about abandoning old Ego scripts and exercising true Will in your Life.)

The key to controlling disabling fear is to A) recognize it as FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) and B) give yourself permission to begin small and move forward one baby step at a time.

Grace is a beautiful gift for both the sender and the receiver. When you show grace toward your Self it expedites expansion and growth; it’s like food for the Soul! Reward yourself for each achievement and celebrate every success, no matter how small.

Recover your enthusiasm

It is safe to gander that enthusiasm was once a part of who you were. As a child without a loud inner critic, Life is simple and it’s easy to play with reckless abandon. It’s likely that, if you are here, your enthusiasm has fizzled or died due to malnourishment.

What makes you giddy, happy, and squirm like a kid in a candy store? When you feel passionately about something, chances are you will be naturally good at it and you will be able to keep the Ego in check.

Discipline proves fruitless when you are not enthusiastic about your Creative experience. What better way to increase stress and decrease quality of Life than by trying really hard to perfect something you’re not emotionally engaging with.Similarly, if you reach for the moon and stars in your passion, you will often become overwhelmed by the great task of such lofty adventures.

Find your muse and the rest will follow. Start small, and keep your eye on the small picture for a while. It will serve you quite well.

Until next time,

Interested in catching up on this 12-step journey? Find them all here:

Posted on March 24, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 8: Accept that you’re never too …

… old, young, rich, poor, good, or lowly to begin your growth Journey

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Today I am sharing with you Step 8, and it’s a real eye-opener – regardless of age, skill, IQ, or station in Life.

Tweaking your perspective will open up a whole new world for you

The grace to be a beginner is the best prayer for someone on a growth Journey. The humility and openness of being a beginner leads to exploration. Exploration leads to accomplishment, and all of it begins with the first small and scary step of beginning.

As a Self-saboteur, you love to pretend that you can never begin because it is too late.

A fearful person asks: Do you know how old I’ll be by the time I learn to (play the piano, cook/bake, drive a car, sing like Mariah)?

The answer is the same for all of us: The same age you will be if you don’t. And the caveat is that you will probably be much more unhappy or unfulfilled if you don’t.

Your Ego (there it is again!) plays tricks on you to keep you from getting started. Remember that the Ego’s psychological purpose is Self-preservation. So it will flex its muscles to prevent you from doing anything that could lead to pain, heartache, or failure.

However long it may take to progress from beginner to intermediate may seem like an eternity, or too much time to invest. Your Ego will have you believe that there are so many other more important things that you could spend your energy, time, and money on.

Instead of allowing yourself to begin a growth Journey, you instead focus on the length of the trip, inevitably, never taking it.

If you can remember that each day is one more day with some motion toward a very enjoyable goal, you are more likely to be flexible and graceful with yourself. And who knows, you may actually enjoy yourself along the way!

Little by little, inch by inch …

By the yard it’s hard, by the inch – what a cinch! Never stare up the stairs, just step up the step. Little by little, inch by inch.

Beginning just takes one small action, and getting overwhelmed by looking at the big picture will lead to shut down.

At the heart of starving yourself of growth and expansion, you also starve yourself of delight and process. Taking a Journey of growth, awareness, and evolution is not about achieving some great elevated state. It is about the process of getting there, thus the term Journey. Finding joy in at least some of the little, mundane experiences in your day-to-day will culminate into a big picture view for your future Self.

Live every moment as if it were your last. This is not to say you should act wild and crazy or go on dangerous adventures. Instead, if you were to pass in this very moment and come to your Life review, would you feel a sense of pride or joy in your experiences? Would you feel like you’ve finished enough of your business here on Earth?

If yes, then you are on the right track. Keep moving forward and course correct as necessary. If no, then maybe it’s time to begin some introspection. Go back to Steps 1-7 and see where there are some limitations holding you back, or where change needs to be made.

Until next time,

Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:

Posted on March 23, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 7: Kick perfectionism to the curb

Perfectionism is not a quest to be the best, it is a pursuit of the worst in yourself.

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

As you cross the half-way mark in these 12-steps, it’s important to take a deep dive within and really see what is and isn’t working for you. Step 7 will do just that.

If it does not serve a purpose in your Life, let it go

True Joy comes from paying close attention

Creativity flows just under the surface, like a river, and if you are open minded and willing, that river of inspiration can be tapped into at any time.

The beauty in Creativity is just that – it is intrinsically linked to inspiration. Everybody wants and needs to feel inspired for any number of reasons. The key to finding what inspires you is to engage yourself Creatively.

Creativity as referred to here includes any form of creative engagement. Everything from everyday problem solving to creative parenting solutions to meal planning. Creativity can even be applied to budgeting, getting dressed for an occasion, and determining how to use your available time.

Creativity can be found in everything you say and do, and it is essential for the flow of Light Energy through you.

People who go looking for inspiration will often return empty and disappointed. For many, this experience is often followed with thoughts or statements like the following: What was I thinking? Who am I kidding anyway? I can’t (fill in the blank: cook, paint, dance, sing, write)! It’s silly; I need to prioritize, take care of myself (my family, my partner, my pet, my parent(s)), not fill my precious time with stupid things like (playing tennis, reading a book, learning a new language!

Sound familiar? That is your inner critic (see Step 1), otherwise known as Ego. Psychologically speaking, Ego’s primary function is to protect you. It is the parental figure in your thought process that prevents you from taking action on all of your curiosities, especially the absurd ones.

Although Ego has good intentions, it is the dominating force behind Self-sabotage. While it believes it is protecting you from harm or danger – all in the name of Self-preservation – it hasn’t gotten the memo that you no longer need certain protections.

The quality of one’s Life is always in proportion to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.

As you grow and evolve, elevate your vibration and expand your thinking, your interaction with Ego must also change. It becomes your duty to cultivate Self-awareness. By paying close attention to Ego and his/her chattering, you will regain a sense of control and free will.

First you must acknowledge the rote behaviors that are triggered by Ego to protect you. Next you must ask yourself, What is this really about? What is this triggering for me, and why? When have I felt these feelings before? Last, it is your duty to choose to respond differently; to put Ego, and yourself, in check, so to speak.

How does perfectionism serve you?

It is perfectly acceptable to have bouts of perfectionism from time to time. There are Life situations that require the absolute best from you, and in those situations having an attitude of perfectionism can be a benefit.

However, if you are roomies with perfectionism, it is important to ask yourself what purpose it serves for you. How does it help you to live a happier, more fulfilling Life? How does perfectionism help you attain good overall health? If you can answer these questions honestly, that is a good indication where Ego change needs to happen.

Perfectionism, that cynical inner critic who judges every thought, every interaction, every production, is your own refusal to let yourself move ahead.

This is based in FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real).

It is not a quest to be the best; in fact, it is a pursuit of the worst in yourself. The part that tells you that nothing you do will ever be good enough; that you should try again.

But let’s be real here, you know you won’t try again. Why set yourself up for another disappointment? Usually, when you say you can’t do something, what you mean is that you won’t do something unless you can guarantee that you will do it perfectly. Your Ego has succeeded once again!

If you can listen closely, you can hear your Ego nudging you towards Self-sabotage. If you can learn to recognize those negative patterns, you can stop them in their path to Self destruction. It is only then that you can begin tapping into the flowing river of Creativity, and inspiration will find you.

Until next time,

Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:

Posted on March 22, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 6: Trust in your Spiritual Source

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Whatever your beliefs about Spirituality are, Step 6 is sure to help you continue on your growth Journey.

Advocate for yourself by nourishing your Self, and Spirit will take care of the rest for you.

How many times have you limited yourself from really living Life and doing things that seem joyful because you feel you can’t afford it? Or you don’t have enough time? Maybe you are putting it off for a later date when your head is in the right place. Excuses are deal breakers for living a Life of joy.

Fear is just a prayer for what we don’t want

The truth is, if you could just spend a little money, a little time, a little energy on the things that bring you joy, your Spiritual Source will provide for you in bounty. In other words, when you take care of your Self, so too will your Spiritual Source.

Trust your Spiritual Source

Unfortunately, there is a societal belief that many have incorporated to be their own that equates difficulty with virtue. Difficulties build our Moral fibre, they say. Something that comes easily must be some sort of cheap trick and should not be taken seriously.

This is flawed thinking. Your Spiritual Source wants you to be happy, joyous, free, and to engage in the things that you are good at – whatever they may be. It’s when you transform this model for thinking and acting upon that goodness begins to flood your Life as you raise your vibration.

It’s common belief that committing to your own happiness comes with the hefty price tag of an empty wallet, pain, isolation, or otherwise, and it could never work out. It is just easier to stick with “what works”, even when it is not working for you. But this is not true.

Creative flow of Energy comes from your Spiritual Source, and that same Spiritual Source is fed by engaging in Creative acts of Love toward your Self and others.

If you could learn to trust your Spiritual Source, that (He, She, They, It) wants you to be Creative, joyous, and free, then you will find inspiration around every corner, free from the shackles of judgement and Self-criticism.

The often surprising bonus is that you will always find the financial means, time, energy, and resources to enjoy yourself!

Until next time,

Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:

Posted on March 21, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 5: Learn to let go

🎶 ‘Breaking up is hard to do’ 🎶 but sometimes it’s absolutely necessary! Break up with beliefs that are no longer serving you

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Step 5 will truly change your Life if you can even begin to tackle it. Let’s get started!

Learn to let go of Self-limiting beliefs

Change can be really hard. It puts you in a position to leave your comfort zone and venture into, sometimes, unknown territories. This fear of the unknown can keep you from a beautiful and varied Life, especially when it impacts your willingness to grow and evolve.

From the minute you breathe Life into your lungs, you are bombarded with messages from the environment around you. For example, structure and order in your day – before you are even aware that you are a living human being – gives you the message that events happen in a certain order and that Life can be predictable. This is important for a newborn and for well-adjusted development.

However, not all of the messages you take in, a majority of which are subconscious and unconscious, are as generous as a structured routine in your early days of Life.

Before the age of seven, your subconscious mind has set itself as the foundation for all of your future decisions and behaviors. That’s a lot of messages, in the form of stimuli, to take in. This is especially confounding because in the first seven years of Life you are still trying to make sense of the world and your place in it.

These messages become internalized on a subconscious and unconscious level, and become the foundation for your belief system. However, they are based on the sender’s own belief system, which came from generations prior. It is an endless lineage of belief systems and messages, both conscious and unconscious, that you take in to be your own.

For example, on a personal level you might believe that making a living by writing is not a fruitful career. That message likely came from someone close to you, maybe a parent or teacher. On a broader spectrum, you might believe that it is inappropriate to go into a grocery store without shoes on. This is more likely a belief that came to you via society.

Regardless of where the messages have come from, it is up to you to become aware of your beliefs and decide whether they truly align with your personal belief system (the beliefs you have chosen on your own). This requires of you some high level processing and in-depth work. Some may align, others will not. And that’s where I’m going here.

Let go of Self-limiting beliefs that are no longer serving you

Nurturing your Creative flow of Energy can be a very spiritual experience because, in doing so, you are also nurturing ties to your Spiritual Center. Disconnect from your Spiritual Center leads to fear, confusion, creative blocks, and more.

Your Spiritual Center is from where Creativity flows freely. Keep in mind that Creativity, in this sense, can mean everything from everyday problem solving to masterful works of art.

One way in which you might prevent yourself from living a more fulfilling Life is by holding on to the belief that your Spiritual Source dishes goods in limited proportions.

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “I don’t want my luck to run out.”, “I don’t want to jinx myself”, or even, “I’m afraid that something will go wring since things have been good for a while now.”?

Many folks often set limits on how much good they can receive, and when given in abundance, they will turn around and send some back in the form of negative thoughts and attitudes, or believing that they are undeserving.

These are Self-limiting belief systems and need to be corrected in order to reach new levels of vibrational healing and living. You must be willing to fully and truly believe that you deserve good in abundance, and only then will you open yourself to receiving all that is good.

You must learn to let go of the need to control where the sources of good in your Life comes from, and begin believing that your Spiritual Source wants and wills good for you in due time.

Part of the Journey to this acceptance occurs when you nurture your Self, and your Creative Self, by doing things that you love and enjoy.

Until next time,

Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:

Posted on March 20, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 4: Become open to change

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Step 4 is a truly difficult one. But because you’re here, I know you will do just fine!

Unleash your personal power, and open the floodgates of opportunity and success all around you

When you have found a way that works for you, it’s easy to keep on truckin’. Why change what isn’t broken?

An alternative perspective might be this: if nothing ever changes, then nothing ever changes.

Begin thinking differently

As you continue on your growth path toward greater Self understanding and opening your flows of energy, you will eventually find yourself thinking and feeling differently. Things that never bothered you before (helping Susan rearrange her living room in place of your own Self-care) will now seem like unreasonable requests.

Be open to these changes! Others around you may not like or appreciate these changes, but they are for the betterment of your Self, and therefore, the betterment of everyone around you.

Those who are genuinely interested in your evolution and personal growth will support and encourage you rather than deflate you with their jealousy and negativity.

Embrace the change

Be honest with yourself and others about these changes you are experiencing. The people in your Life with poor boundaries might not like the new you, but anyone who truly and deeply cares for you will be delighted at your growth.

By embracing the changes within you, you begin to reclaim your personal power. When personal power becomes convoluted, shamed, or challenged, it leads to a direct blockage in energy flow.

In order to reduce your stress, increase your flow of Creative Energy, and raise your quality of Life, it’s crucial that you embody your personal power.

One way to do this is to say what you mean and mean what you say.

For example, if you have been wronged by someone, rather than say “it’s okay”, ask yourself whether it really is okay. If it isn’t, choose a different response to the infraction. One that will not demean you or allow others to penetrate your firm boundaries.

By establishing firm boundaries for your Self care, keeping a close eye on your perspective, and saying what you truly mean, you will accelerate your personal power and open new flows of Creative Energy in your Life. Watch as you begin to attract new opportunities, Love, and success into your Life!

Until next time,

Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:

Posted on March 19, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — 1 Comment

Step 3: Accept criticism as beneficial

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Today we will cover Step 3 to increase flow of Creative Energy and reduce stress for a higher quality of living.

Learn to spot an Ego script that is harmful and re-write the script

We live in a hyper-sensitive world right now, where one might not feel truly free to say, do, or be whom they want without receiving criticism, backlash, anger, or judgement.

In order to navigate such temperamental waters, it is crucial that you free yourself from your own criticism, backlash, anger, and judgement. These can be toward yourself or toward others.

Acknowledge and accept

You may not believe that you are critical, judgmental, angry, or otherwise. “What criticisms?” you might say.

They are there, buried deep down in your unconscious. They form the script from which your inner and outer dialogue stem; just a part of who you are when you are being authentically you.

The first step toward acknowledging and accepting criticism is to first recognize it within yourself.

In order to do this you must practice, practice, practice stepping outside of your Ego – the seat of internal parenting and Self-preservation – and re-write your script.

Take a moment to recognize the judgements, criticisms, anger, and backlash in your own words and behaviors that you have toward yourself and others. Then, take as long as you need to acknowledge the feelings and let them pass over you. This is a very different experience than stuffing them down (akin to switching the subject when you experience uncomfortable feelings).

It is common, and even OK, to feel angry with yourself for any number of reasons that may have contributed to feelings of powerlessness.

These feelings are meant to be acted upon, not acted out.

Dealing with criticisms

Criticisms are often Ego-driven and dished in an unhealthy manner, and are therefore received with a bad taste in the mouth.

Especially harmful criticisms are typically the result of a person acting straight from their internal script. This script is our own personal compilation of rules, admonishments, fears, and agreements that we stored up in our subconscious during the first seven years of Life.

As you begin to awaken, you will become more away of your inner dialogue and will begin to recognize when a criticism is coming from an Ego script and not meant to be helpful.

Find a place within yourself to accept it – however salty or bitter it may taste – rather than get defensive. This will help your Energy centers remain open and flowing with light energy, which will keep you feeling in balance and flow throughout your day.

The following are specifically chosen tools for dealing with criticisms during your Journey toward Self-rediscovery.

Write them down, post them where you can see them, and remember them:

Receive the criticism all the way through and get it over with.
Jot down notes to yourself on what concepts or phrases bother you.
Jot down notes on what concepts or phrases seem useful or could be useful to you in the future.
Do something very nurturing for yourself – for example, recall a compliment or praise, take a few deep breaths, or step outside for a few minutes.
Remember that even if you have made a truly rotten mistake, the criticism may be a necessary stepping-stone to get you to the next level in your Life.
Take a moment to examine the criticism. Does it remind you of any criticism from your past – particularly a shaming childhood criticism? Acknowledge to yourself that the current criticism is triggering grief over a long-standing wound.
Write a letter to the critic – not to be sent, most probably. Defend your perspective and acknowledge what was helpful, if anything, in the criticism.
Get back on the horse. Make an immediate commitment to store the gleaned information and use it to help you the next time these feelings arise.
And most importantly, be kind and gracious with yourself.

If you can spend enough time recognizing within yourself your own judgements, criticisms, or anger, you are more likely to spot them in others. Once you begin to notice these behaviors in others, you will be able to apply what you have learned here to help you to evolve to the next level in your Life.

Until next time,

Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:

Posted on March 18, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — Leave a comment

Step 2: Nurture your Self

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Today I am sharing the second step in reducing stress and increasing Creative flow, to have a more Life-giving Energy and raise your quality of Life.

Keep away from the drama queens and skeptics; they will only drain your Energy

OK, so you’ve worked through some of your core negative beliefs and have reframed them into positive statements. As you continue to repeat those positive reframes (which will eventually become new beliefs), you will begin to notice changes within yourself.

This is what it feels like when your Energy centers begin to open up. You will start attracting positivity and good vibes into your Life. Notice when things happen, and don’t forget to celebrate every small success.

Stop putting others before yourself

In nurturing your Self, it is necessary to believe that you are worth your priority. When you don’t make yourself a priority, it’s easy to put everyone else’s needs before your own.

Stop putting others before yourself to a fault, and start setting aside real time to nurture your Inner Child.

In the first post introducing this segment, I mentioned that your Inner Child is the part of your Self that, so long ago, played with reckless abandon, freely, imaginatively, and surely without Self-judgement.

When you focus your time, attention, and responsibilities on others, you create blocks in the flow of your Creative Energy. Likewise, when your flow becomes blocked, you tend to put more emphasis on others than Self. Additionally, you likely believe such behavior makes you a “good” or highly decent person. It doesn’t; it only drains you further of your Energy and makes you extremely frustrated and burned out.

Get in touch with your Spirituality and stay away from drama

Creativity flourishes when you have a sense of safety and Self-acceptance. The key ingredient to freeing your Creative Energy lies in nurturing your Self. Through nurturing your Self, you nurture your ties to your Spiritual center, which is from where Creativity flows freely.

While trying to attain a sense of safety and Self-acceptance, it is important that you avoid being dragged down by those around you whose personalities create storm centers. These people are charismatic but out of control, long on problems and short on solutions. They like drama, attention, and are irresistible to we who love to “fix”.

If you are involved with someone (or more than one) who fits this description, it is important that you admit to yourself that this person will only prevent you from exploring and attaining freedom.

Skeptics, expert blamers, drama queens, disorganized, and destructive, these people will find every reason for you not to achieve safety and Self-acceptance. Keep them, and yourself, in check.

Until next time,

Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:

Posted on March 17, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — 3 Comments

Step 1: Reframe negative beliefs

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

In the coming posts I will be sharing 12 actionable steps you can take to increase your quality of Life. Your task is to take in the information and apply it in your day-to-day. Are you willing to be challenged?

Break through barriers of fear and negative beliefs, which are partners in crime

Acknowledging your core negative beliefs is one of the hardest things you can do as you begin to grow and expand.

Beliefs are thoughts that we have on repeat. They are often subconscious and automatic, and most often we are unaware of them. However, our beliefs determine our behaviors, perceptions of the world around us, and interactions with others.

These are some commonly held negative beliefs. Please add to the list some of your own thoughts:

I can’t (quit my job that I hate, be less stressed, take time for myself) because:

Everyone will hate me.
I will hurt my friends and family.
I will abandon my friends and family.
I can’t spell / draw / paint / build / sculpt / act / sing / dance.
My ideas are not good enough.
It will upset my mother and/or father.
I will have to be alone.
I will have stupid ideas and not know it and look like a fool.
I will feel too angry.
I will never have / make any real money.
I will die of embarrassment.
I will feel bad because I don’t deserve to be successful.
It is too late / I am too old.

Creativity is the natural flow of Energy, and all of Life requires us to be Creative – in problem solving, in the handling and managing of relationships, as well as simple acts like cooking and baking.

The Creative Self is directly linked to the Inner Child. The Inner Child is that part of each of us that, many years ago, used to play with great imagination, freedom, and was free from Self-judgement.

Recovering this carefree state of Self requires slow and gentle baby steps. First, you must recognize that judgement comes from a place of fear and feelings of lack of control.

Self-judgement impacts us on a vibrational level. The Universe responds to our thoughts and feelings, and we are attracting what we put out.

In order to begin releasing yourself from Self-judgement, you must first be willing to let go; be silly, treat yourself to things, and admit that this will not be an easy or quick process.

Do these things freely and acknowledge any feelings of judgement that arise. Then, just like that, release them into the wind. It does take some practice in letting go, but as you cultivate feelings of freedom and control it will become easier and more natural.

Replace negative beliefs with positive alternatives

Once you’ve identified your core negative beliefs, spend some time writing down positive alternatives to them.

For example: I can’t have nice things because I grew up in a home where practicality was a necessity. If it’s not practical, I don’t truly need it and therefore shouldn’t have it.

Replace with: I will treat myself to these nice things because they are fun to experiment and play with, and having them brings me joy.

For example: I can’t build this business because it will fail and I’ll be discouraged and humiliated.

Replace with: I will adjust my expectations and start slow and steady to avoid failure.

Allow yourself to invest in clearing your Creative flow of Energy by breaking through barriers of fear and core negative beliefs, which are partners in crime.

Using positive affirmations to replace these negative thoughts and beliefs will help you achieve a sense of safety and hope.

Until next time,

Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:

Posted on March 16, 2012June 12, 2023 by Rita H — 1 Comment

12 Keys To A More Creative & Stress-Free Life

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.

Clean up your energetic diet to allow creativity to flow, and watch your transformation unfold

Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck and unable to articulate why? Maybe you’ve called yourself lazy or a procrastinator because you are slacking on taking care of a pressing matter.

You are neither stuck, lazy, nor a procrastinator. What you might be is energetically blocked, and it’s leaving you feeling unfulfilled across many dimensions of your Life.

I hear people all the time say that they were born without the gene for creativity, or that they don’t have a creative bone in them. But Creativity is a natural flow of energy that we are all born with.

The action of being Creative is simply tapping into that flow of energy and using it to produce something – material or immaterial.

Creativity is often tied to the idea of creating works of art. It is either looked down upon as childish and simple, or beyond reach and for the select few with talent.

However, we can be Creative in our day-to-day lives in profound ways; in problem solving, in our thoughtfulness, or even in our interactions with others.

There are the many varied forms of junk food for the Soul

As we participate in Life and lose and find our way over and over again, we smother our flow of Creative energy.

Sugar, alcohol, drugs, over-work, under-play, bad relations, toxic sex, over stimulation, under-sleep, and so much more are junk food for the Soul. They taste mighty good in the moment, but can really mess with your ability to function.

Nothing changes, if nothing changes

If they way you’ve been living is no longer working for you, then you should seriously consider changing the way you’re living.

That sounds like a huge and overbearing feat – where do I begin in changing what’s not working for me? How do I even identify what it is that’s not working for me?

12 steps to a higher quality of Life

Over the course of the next 12 newsletters, I will share key changes that you can incorporate into your Life for a far more fulfilling journey. These 12 steps are aimed at helping you to look more closely within yourself, to identify the toxicity that is preventing you from moving forward and becoming your dream.

I encourage you to embark on a challenge of Self-discovery and Self-care with these 12 steps. Write them down, post them somewhere you can see them daily, and tackle one at a time.

Once you feel you have nearly mastered one step, move on to the next. If you are diligent, you will witness an amazing evolution within yourself that will propel you in a new direction!

Until next time,

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Interested in catching up on this 12-step journey? Find them all here: