Last week on my show we did a little exercise called “Finding Your True Colors.” When I was making up the series, and the angels gave it to me, I went to bed frustrated. I thought it was too silly to include in the show. “Trust,” they told me. “Try it tomorrow.” So I did the exercise the following morning.. and sure enough, I discovered a lot about myself that I’d forgotten.

I’ve struggled all along the way creating this show! I love living the material, dreaming it up, and filming it. I love seeing how it changes viewers lives! But oh, what a task it has been to structure the material! Taking years of my life and coalescing it into 90 pages of notes has felt like such incredible work,” and I’ve not enjoyed that part. In doing the angels’ exercise I was reminded how much I love creative expression. So I shifted my perspective and looked at structuring the classes as something creative. Lo and behold, it became a joy.

The revelations didn’t stop there. I remembered how much I missed playing with my art supplies! I started an art journal where I am currently doing watercolors and marker art, suited at best, for a kindergärtner. I don’t care if it’s “good” or not, the colors give me great joy! It is engaging a part of me that went dormant, and all of the sudden ideas are starting to flow in all areas of life.

I remembered, also through this exercise how desperately I need be out in nature. I began hiking again… Such joy! I almost gave up the day I planned to hike because the skies were threatening rain, but instead I decided I’d bring my own sunshine! The clouds parted and I enjoyed a glorious day in the forest.

We are indeed filled with so many beautiful and diverse sides to our personality. I’m extremely busy and can easily make all sorts of excuses about why I must ignore some of these, and yet I know that when I feed these diverse parts of myself weekly doses of joy, no matter how small, then all sides of my soul become stronger.

I exercised this morning and suddenly sat down and wrote two newsletters before I’d even had time to shower. Spending energy on something that uplifts you creates more. Spending time on something that gives you joy, inspires and enlivens you. These things are not duties, nor are they a waste of time. The things that give you joy are never a waste of time! They are instead, food for your soul!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email