CreativeJournaling Prompt:Write a free verse poem describing a time when you overcame an obstacle.
Here is my poem:
The night, a slithering snake. Long enough to devour my consciousness. I didn’t know how to escape the clutches of its fangs. Wondering if I would ever escape its scales. One scale already a month’s worth of traveling. Sleepless. Would I ever see the day where the snake, Insom, slithers away.
I concentrate. Focus. Sit where Insom rests in the subconscious realm. I catch her and lock her away for a night.
I can finally rest and step into another realm where I’m free. I can see the sun again. The brightness hurts my eyes.
You can also find this prompt here in the Mighty Poets group on The Mighty.
What’s something about yourself that you’re coming to terms with?
My Reflection
So much reflection, so little time. 😅
I feel like I’ve learned more about myself in the last three months than I have the past 15 years. Maybe I’ve said this before, but I’m being so serious 😣. Something I’m understanding more though now, is just how important it is for me to open myself to new experiences — without fear or hesitation. I thrive in moments where I feel free to express myself fully and hope to create those type of moments in my life. I don’t want to feel restricted or dampen my creative potential anymore.
What about you? Is there anything you’re coming to terms with about yourself?
You can also find this prompt here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
Activity
How do you define family?
Reflection
I’ve been thinking a lot about family lately 🤔. When I used to think about family, I only equated it with the loved ones I’m related to — but that definition is long gone now. It’s taken on new meaning for me over the past few years. I’m curious if any of you feel the same.
Now when I think about family now, I include everyone here on The Mighty, people from NAMI-NYC, friends, and even the people who I no longer speak to that had a great impact on my journey.
What do you think? How do you define family?
You can also find this prompt here in the Chat Space group on The Mighty.
What flame do you want to ignite within yourself more? What are you working on getting better at?
🔵🔥 Blue Flame: Confidence
🌕🔥 Yellow Flame: Self-awareness
🔶🔥 Orange Flame: Creativity/self-expression
🔴🔥 Red Flame: Self-advocacy/standing up for yourself
Note: Feel free to also choose your own flames in the comments below!
My Reflection
I choose all four flames! I want to continue working on my growth overall, especially when it comes to my relationships, creativity, and career. I also want to work on being confident in my decisions and staying true to my intuition.
You can also find this prompt here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
Today I will listen to my body and go at a pace that is best for me. I will also eat a filling breakfast, do my work, and help my mom as best I can with grocery shopping and running errands.
Warm reminder: You are worthy of self-care and taking the breaks you need today.
You can also find this prompt here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
I’ve spent most of this year grieving, feeling like I lost so much. Chasing after validation and the affection of other people’s presence. Wondering where I went wrong, why I felt so alone, and why I wasn’t worthy or couldn’t be worthy of the love I so desperately thought I needed.
Twelve months in and I finally understand why I was placed in a space where I couldn’t go anywhere but into myself. I’ve faced and battled with the uglier parts of me, one part being the thoughts of unworthiness largely due to how the little girl inside of me felt.
She thought that no one loved her and she wasn’t good enough just as she was. She thought that she had to change and shift into what others liked so she can finally be accepted and finally feel love, too.
But, I’ve sat with that little girl and told her that she’s more than worthy of all the love that’s out there WITHOUT having to change or hide one single thing about herself. She can enjoy organizing, and reading books, learning, trying new things, and comfort items… so many comfort items! She can be scared and feel all her feelings. She can be sensitive because that 100% OK. She can be creative and show love to others. She can be goofy and tell funny jokes. She can even make mistakes and feel uncomfortable, too. She can stand up for herself, work on her relationships and be loved while STILL BEING 100% herself.
I want that little girl to know that I love her. I know she still gets scared sometimes. I want her to trust me when I tell her that I got us and she doesn’t have to be scared anymore. That we are powerful and stepping into our season of deserving.
Affirmation and intention for 2023: I am a celebration. I am worthy of love and love flows to me effortlessly. I don’t chase, I attract. I am a magnet for abundance. I release any and everything that isn’t a part of my higher purpose. I am walking in my power.
I release any and all energies that do not belong to me. I align with opportunities and experiences in my highest timeline. I continuously radiate and attract love. I’m ready for what’s next.
How’s everyone’s day been? For me I’ve been struggling.
I didn’t realize how hard this pandemic has affected me until I started to reconnect with others. Having perceptions of safety and holding to my boundaries made sense when I built a safe place alone, but it becomes real when something “triggers your inner untapped wound”, and for me its my fear of abandonment. The thought that no matter what, everyone will leave eventually or no matter how hard I try no one can reciprocate the love I feel for them especially when I love them…a lot. I tend to run away in embarrassment because “I love someone who can’t love me too”.
This in my nervous system manifest as PTSD, anxiety, and a slab of persistent depressive disorder.
I talk a lot about reflection and healing, but that’s because I know how it feels to experience a mental health condition. Healing my nervous system has been my biggest challenge so far in my life. If you know what it’s like to have a mental health condition, know that I see you, I feel you, and I love you. This journey doesn’t make you weak because it isn’t for the weak.
Just the idea that I can be perceived as “mentally ill” has kept me from exploring new relationships, but I don’t want that for myself. I deserve to be loved by others. I can be loved by others. I will be loved by others. I’ve healed a lot over the past two and half years, but THIS WOUND? It really HURTS.
In this new season of my life, I know I have to work on this pain specifically and I know it’s going to HURT A LOT. Pushing myself to open up fully, be transparent, and unapologetically love without fear will break me to build me back up.
I know I will make mistakes and some people won’t understand me, but that’s OK. I still want to spread unconditional love and kindness to others.
Thank you for reading. Continue to journey with me ❤️.
A major lesson I’ve learned this year is that I have the capacity to unconditionally love; myself and others. The pain that comes with realizing that others don’t always feel the same love for me has been really painful yet transformative, however. I realized that everyone’s on a different journey and have different experiences that don’t always include me, but that’s OK, I still want to continue to practice unconditional love even if that’s from a distance. Everyone deserves to be loved and receive love in return despite that discrepancy.
Affirmation: I am love. No matter how others feel about me, it’s still OK for me to love myself and spread love to others.
For those celebrating a holiday today or going to celebrate a holiday soon, stay safe and enjoy 💝.
What’s an important experience you’ve had this year?
As we head into the home stretch of 2022, let’s reflect on something important that we’ve experienced thus far. It can be an experience you’ve learned from or an event/moment that’s impacted you positively or negatively.
My Reflection
I’ll go first! An important experience I’ve had this year was getting closer to my mom and building a safe relationship with her.
Check out this prompt here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
Activity
Make a list of three words or phrases describing your goals for the end of the year.
My Reflection
My three phrases are:
1. Content with my progress. 2. Calm and at peace with myself. 3. Organized and ready to take on another year.
What words are on your list? 🙂🌟
Check out this prompt here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
Activity
Write a reminder list to guide you through the week ahead.
Let’s prepare for the week ✍️.
Either in your own journal or in the comments below, write a reminder list of important things you want to remember or accomplish this week.
My Reflection
Here is my list:
Therapy
ETS Presentation with NAMI-NYC
Food Shopping
Paying the bills.
Mighty work
Sparkly work and projects
Check out this prompt here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
So very excited to announce the NAMI-NYC Expressive Arts workshop event I will be hosting at the end of the month! This event will be via Zoom and on the NAMI-NYC website. You can find the link by typing in the link in the flyer here and clicking the Expressive Arts Zoom link for October 29th, 2022. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to send me a DM or email. The time of the event is in Eastern Standard Time.
**I will share any updates or changes and keep everyone posted.
Here are some details for the event:
Title Show And Tell
Description “Show and Tell” is a creative and fun event focused on reflecting on our achievements and accomplishments. Starting with an ice breaker, we will sketch an image and write about a moment when we felt really proud of ourselves. The main activity will then be to pick one of two activities. The first activity will be to add to your ice breaker activity and sketch a series of images that remind you of your favorite accomplishments, and the second activity will be to write a descriptive poem about how it felt to achieve a goal that was important to you. Lastly, we will close by sharing our works of art.
Materials Paper, writing utensils (pen, pencil, markers, or crayons).
