Forcing, Shoulding & Creating in Joy

I was really feeling the desire to connect with you, to record a podcast and do a little blog post/newsletter writing. Yesterday on my morning walk I was absolutely overflowing with inspiration, but I was out in the woods, and I knew if the ideas were keepers they would come back. I didn’t have much creating space until today, so my plan was to take action. However, every time I sat down at the computer, I was empty. I noticed my mind searching for ideas.

What would you want to hear? What problem might you be experiencing? What questions might you have?

Crickets. 

I asked my Inner Being, who is quite chatty, and I didn’t receive anything but a nudge to go pick highbush cranberries in the woods. Okay, I thought, I get lots of inspiration while I’m out in the woods, so the podcast idea will plop right in. 

I had such a joyful experience picking berries, but when my containers were filled,  I realized I still didn’t have a podcast topic. But I had so much space to create! And I hadn’t created a podcast in a while! I needed an idea! These were the thoughts filling my head. 

I went home and decided to stick myself in front of the computer, like famous authors sometimes describe, getting their butt in the chair and writing. Ugggh, I stared at that screen and nothing.

Again, checking in with my inner being, the nudge was to use the space to prepare for a harvest party we are hosting. That nudge felt juicy, and I had the awareness that I was trying to force inspiration for creating in a specific way: writing and a podcast.

Truly, what did feel fun was to create in the kitchen. I made high bush cranberry simple syrup for a special harvest cocktail, chaga crackers, goat cheese whipped with garden onions and herbs, and prepped a smoked salmon app.

I was in such a state of presence and joyful flow, and of course the realization popped in that THIS was the type of creating that felt aligned. I was accessing the flow state by redirecting my energy from the shoulds. And then, plop, in drops the podcast idea, and my question for you, dear friend. 

Are you forcing or shoulding in one area of your life, when you really want to be creating more in another?

Perhaps you have perceptions about what is “important” to focus on and you are prioritizing that over what calls to you with the song of joy. Let me ask you, what is truly important, feeling joy in the now, or actions or behaviors that your mind thinks you should be doing? 

Of course, we all have chores and obligations that perhaps we wouldn’t define as joyful. (That’s a whole ‘nother podcast!) But with your sacred free space, are you allowing the joy? In my experience, joyful creations create more to be joyful about. 

Second question: Are you judging what brings you joy?

For a long time I judged that food brought me so much joy. My mind would say that I had problems with food because I enjoyed it so much, that I spent too much time preparing a meal, that I could be doing more productive things with my time instead of making something just to eat it! And then there’s the whole time in my life when I denied myself the joy of food because I was paranoid it would make me fat and unlovable. 

How do you wish to spend your sacred free space? What brings you joy? Can you fully embrace that, and trust that the energy of joy creates more joy?

One last thing: Care to share your EBTIECHI experience? I would love it so much! Click here.