Curiosity & Creativity
Suleika Jaouad is an artist, musician and writer, most recently of The Book of Alchemy. When she her cancer returned for the third time, a doctor counseled her to live each day as if it were her last. She thought about it and decided it was a terrible idea and came up with all sorts of catastrophic behaviors one might execute—spending all of your life savings, having an affair, etc. To live as if this is your last day implies that no consequences follow any action. In addition, Suleika has a valid point that making every family meal count sounded exhausting. She also didn’t want, “to carpe diem the crap out of every moment.”
Instead, she came up with an idea to, “Live every day as if it is your first.” What might it look like? For Suleika, approaching the first day means embodying the world like a child: being playful and embracing freedom, wonder, experimentation and curiosity and creativity. She supports her creativity with daily journaling practices as, “…a way to be in conversation with myself (which) enables us to be in conversation and connection with others.”
What do you have to let go of to allow yourself to be creative? What might you have to accept to be creative? Does your creative part hide or does it exist fully in the open?
Are you interested in living today as if it is your first and pursuing your creativity? Suleika’s book is full of journaling prompts. Here are some prompts of my own for you to consider your journaling experience:
If I could travel with one person (currently alive or not) anywhere in the world, who would I pick and where would I go?
If I could put any piece of art in my home what would it be?
If I could eat any meal cooked by a person of my choosing, who would it be and what would they make?
I would like to learn…
The most peaceful place I know…
I could easily do this for 30 days in a row…
I cannot help myself. When I see === it brings a smile to my face.
At Our Healing Therapy, we will help you explore ways to be creative and pursue a deeper knowing of self. Contact us today
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