Compass

Heal. Grow. Thrive

Hello and thank you for subscribing to this newsletter/blog/essay.

For newcomers - Hope Springs Healing Arts Studio is a virtual studio of resources to help people heal, grow, and thrive. Resources will vary from articles, to on demand classes, to live opportunities to come together as a community.

For those of you who have been around for a bit - it is my intention to make this particular version of the Studio more flexible and accessible.

My vision is to offer a virtual studio of services to support people and organizations as they work with their strengths to build resilience and hope.

Why Compass? Each of us has a mountain built with our choices. Things that stand in our way. Navigating our mountain requires any number of tools and perhaps a guide. Think of me as your guide and Compass as notes I’m providing to help you make your way along your path.

Acceptance

So here we are, thinking about areas where we want to heal, ways we would like to grow, and how it would look to thrive. Our heads are full of ideas.

We gather information, make lists, create vision boards, talk to friends. All the things. We make lists and set goals. We might even enlist a coach or therapist.

You are living your life. Accept it as it is through compassion for yourself.

You are the most perfect you. Are you willing to feel that?

This might help -

Sit back, close your eyes, breathe deeply as an image comes to you of who you really are. See yourself going about your daily life, doing what you do, thinking and feeling as you move along. '

What would your life be like if you accepted and loved it as it is?

When you say YES and embrace your life, you have already changed.

I invite you to move forward from this place of self-acceptance. To forgive yourself and begin to choose all the things that will allow you to feel good about yourself. You are free the moment you are willing to accept it all.

Take a look at all your plans with fresh eyes. See yourself as perfect and worthy.

Willingness

If there are things you want to do differently, you will need to find the willingness to stop beating up on yourself. Let go of the punishing, the criticizing, and judging. Let go of all the things you do to “improve” yourself.

Willingness is defined as “the quality of being happy to do something if it is needed.” Another definition is:  “the quality or state of being prepared to do something; readiness.” (If you work a Twelve Step program this connects well with Step 6 - “were entirely ready.”)

We often find willingness to make different choices when we have suffered enough from our UNwillingness to accept what is. To do anything, we must be willing. Our effort to do anything is linked to our willingness.

You might be bursting with reasons for your UNwillingness - obstacles that are in your way. Taking a look at the things you have decided are in your way can be helpful in clearing your path.

Journaling

Journaling is a powerful tool for exploring your thoughts and feelings. Given a choice (and we always have a choice) we will choose our feelings over anything we know to be good, better, best for us.

I encourage you to add this tool to whatever daily practices you have. Are you a list maker? Maybe a bullet journal. Like to draw or paint? Maybe art journaling. Love to write? Grab a notebook and pen.

Start by making marks on paper. Maybe those marks are letters, maybe angry scribbles, or maybe a portrait of your inner critic. If the thought of journaling is uncomfortable, feel that and remember no one ever died of being uncomfortable.

Just start.

Here are a few prompts on obstacles that I hope you find helpful.

Willingness to accept who you really will involve a little practice. With practice you will realize that you are a loveable person, capable of scaling any obtacle.

You are the most perfect you.