Welcome to a 10-minute writing exercise.
Before we begin,
I would like for you to locate a space in your home that could be a sacred garden for you.
Look around and find a space that will make you comfortable.
Lay out some pillows,
Mats,
Just make it very comfortable for yourself.
Bring your pen,
Your favorite pen,
Bring your notebook,
Because we're going to enjoy a writing exercise together called Inner Garden.
It's all about nurturing and growing.
If you can think about your emotions,
Your inner self,
Sort of like a garden,
It needs constant tending and pruning to,
Keeping all things aligned and in order.
Sometimes we tend to neglect our gardens and we can see it grow wild and into a state of disarray.
And this garden is no longer breathing and living a helpful place for growth.
It's unattended.
The bigger those emotions and thoughts that come to our minds may become so big that it really is there to attract our attention to it.
And so then now we can attend to our garden,
Our inner self.
No longer any confusion,
No more any struggles,
No any fogged mind or decision making that is being difficult for you.
But having a clear space,
A creative space and the space to just flow with your ideas.
Writing is one method you could use to get back to being you and start listening to yourself again.
You can begin to notice and acknowledge your emotions.
It can be a way of sorting through your tangled thoughts and finding clarity because that is the goal.
Clarity and focus.
We are beginning into a new year and this is the first quarter of the new year.
We can begin to see our lives not as day to day or month to month,
But we can actually put our lives and our goals into increments,
Small increments.
And those increments within the whole year can be in quarters.
The first three quarters,
The second,
The third and the fourth.
And by the end of the year,
You have accomplished way more than you imagined to accomplish for yourself.
And instead of overwhelming yourself with lots of things in your outer world,
Let's pay more close attention to our inner selves and our inner world and bring harmony there.
And so in return,
Our outer world will reflect how we feel inside.
So let's begin.
Taking time for ourselves.
So first,
You're going to acknowledge what comes to your mind and just write that down on paper.
The first thoughts that come to mind.
Don't be judgmental.
Don't guess or overthink it.
Just allow things to flow with ease.
Whatever comes to mind,
Even when it seems nonsensical or unimportant or silly,
It's just a way to train yourself to listen and stay connected with who you truly are.
In a world today where things are just so busy and we are in a daily rat race of paying our bills,
Working,
Building,
Taking care of our families,
Not having enough time to really connect with our friends,
But just being so busy and bogged down with our day that we really truly forget about ourselves.
And that is the most important.
So before you pick up the pen and begin to write,
Let's just take a deep breath.
At the count of three,
I want you to inhale deeply and pause.
Let's begin.
One,
Two,
Three.
Inhale.
Hold.
As I count down from four down to one,
I want you to just to slowly release.
Slowly release.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Taking a deep sigh,
Just allowing your body to rest.
Allowing your shoulders to just drop down with ease.
Allowing yourself to be present in this moment is important.
This is where you get your power back.
Taking back control of just who you are and reconnecting with yourself.
So as we write things down and we think about the things that come to our mind,
Let's pick the pen back up and begin to continue to write.
But this time,
Do it intentional.
Oftentimes things are going by so quickly and so fast for us and we have to make quick decisions.
But this time we are going to stay focused and take our time.
It's only through listening to yourself that you can really get to the heart of your mind and the chatter that follows.
What is the chatter saying in your mind?
What are your thoughts communicating to you?
What is your mind trying to tell you?
Just think clearly about that.
You can actually write down these questions.
What is your mind trying to tell you?
The second question is,
What are you struggling to hear?
What are you struggling to hear?
The third question is,
What does yourself need right now?
What do you need right now?
So take intentional time to just write and flow.
There's no deadline here.
Just take your time.
Take your time.
There's power in this exercise.
This allows you to express what's going on internally and connecting the dots and seeing it all on paper now.
It's no longer cluttered in your mind or running through your head space,
But you're bringing intentional awareness to your inner garden.
As you write on the paper and you write down the thoughts that are coming to your mind and you're answering these questions,
Think of a garden.
How would you like to be?
What flower would you like to be?
A daisy?
A rose?
What type of flower would you like to show up as?
A sunflower?
Who are you?
Imagine what would you like to plant in your garden?
What seeds do you want to cultivate?
What season would you like for your your seeds to be flourishing and growing?
What would you like to grow in your garden?
Be creative.
You can bring out your markers and crayons and just be really creative,
Childlike,
And just bring forth good energy to yourself.
I encourage you,
Please don't forget to breathe throughout the exercise.
Be intentional with your breath.
Be intentional with yourself.
As I close this writing prompt,
I advise you to keep going and keep growing.
Don't forget.
Until next time,
Be well.
Thank you for joining.
