Beliefs are interesting, when you really think about them. Where do they originate?
We come into the world as a blank slate, right. Why do we adopt them?
While we don’t tend to spend a great deal of time considering what our beliefs are, it’s become an integral part of my recovery.
I began by getting really reflective and digging into who I am at my very core and thinking about what I truly value.
With that, I realized that most of what I’d been doing was based on beliefs I adopted from outside of myself. Those beliefs weren’t based on the things I thought were truly important.
I used to believe that I had to change myself to fit in. Now, I know that what I really wanted wasnʻt to fit, but to belong. Those are two very different things.
Then…
Back then, I believed the clothes I wore and the way I looked in general were a top priority. That will make people want to spend more time with me, right?
I also believed that the car I drove and where I lived were of utmost importance. Those things will impress and attract the people I want to hang out with, right?
I used to believe that I wasn’t a creative person and that creativity was frivolous waste of time. After all, our society celebrates achievements that are heavily influenced by masculine energy, like sports and business.
So it’s not too surprising that I lost touch with a whole other side of myself in my pursuit of that kind of success over the years.
But what was the result of trying to fit in? I lost all connection to my creative side.
Reconnecting to my beliefs through journaling
And I probably would have lost my connection to my creative side forever if it wasn’t for one thing…
That one thing is the School of Recovery. Without this experience, I would have never challenged the belief that I wasn’t creative.
Through the encouragement of my therapist and newfound confidence in my own creative abilities, Iʻve now begun a daily journaling practice. Journaling has helped me stay grounded and connected to whatʻs really important to me and my recovery.
Using a journal lets me express what’s happening in my mind and gives me a place to sit with the emotions recovery brings to the surface. But some days, the emotions are just too scary to describe with words. At those moments, I like to draw, doodle, paint, or even make collages.
However, I found it hard to find a journal that lends itself well to so many different uses. Most journals are made with the sole purpose of writing.
A creative solution
So, I decided to create my own recovery journal. I call it The Recovery Reflections Journal. It has space for your thoughts, goals, gratitude practice, and plenty of room to unleash your own creativity.
If youʻve been living with the belief that creativity is frivolous – itʻs time to smash that belief! I once believed that I had nothing substantial or important to offer the world. But now, I know that nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, the connection that I’ve made with creativity as a way to express myself has also enabled me to see how wrong that belief really is. The Recovery Reflections Journal that I’ve created is getting a remarkable amount of support online in my Kickstarter Campaign. It’s so humbling and so very empowering to know that others see the value in something that I’ve created.
Warrior, where do you find yourself today? Are you in need of a resource to reconnect you to your own creativity, passions, and beliefs? Consider supporting the production of The Recovery Reflections Journal, or at the very least beginning your own journaling practice today.
Who knows what you might uncover.
Awesome article! Thank you for sharing your journey. ? I can NOT believe you used to think you weren’t creative- you are SO talented!! Cant wait to get your journal ?.