What is your self story?
“I am a writer. I am a sister. I am an engineer. I am an introvert. I am cautious. I am considerate. I love chocolate. I am scared of heights. I have trouble with relationships. I am not creative. I have writer’s block.”
Some things are titles, some are roles, some are long held beliefs about ourselves, our capabilities, our talents, our strengths, our weaknesses, some shed light on places where we are open, and others on places where we are closed.
I am.
I have.
I like.
I don’t like.
My talent is…
I can’t.
I won’t.
For all of those things that limit our thinking, keep us still, keep us in place, what if, what if for one moment we did not Know them to be true. What if we spent a moment allowing ourselves to think and feel differently, to play with the idea that maybe it has changed, or maybe it no longer fits who we are or who we are becoming.
Imagine for a moment you take all of that self limiting stuff…
I can’t read music.
…what if you added the word “yet” to the end?
See what possibilities open up?
Or take each of those things we say we are or aren’t, like, “I am not creative”.
Think of the power in the following question:
Is this still true?
Congratulations on your new site. Love it already. Looking forward to all that it brings.
This is such a great idea. I lurk on I Can’t Whistle and I’m excited to jump over and go on this adventure with you. I used to be a person with creative flow and somewhere along the way I lost it. I’d like to get it back. I will get it back.
I love that idea…adding “yet”. That just seems to open the door to so many possibilities! I followed you over here from your other blog. I’ve been following your story for some time now. I’m glad I clicked over here 🙂
yes, I see…that even adding yet…makes all the difference. We can talk about all the labels that our world, or our work put on ourselves, but then we label ourselves …..and make the movement away from all those labels that much harder.
I see EXACTLY what you are saying. I enjoyed this post very much.
This post brings back wonderful memories of the Companions retreat. I love this idea so much of taking all the things that feel unchangeably true about us and wondering about them – especially the things that we feel shame or insecurity about. Carole Dweck (I don’t know if I’m even spelling that right) wrote a book called Mindsets that’s so related, and that was a big turning point for me in my life. Makes me want to go read parts of it again! 🙂
So happy to follow your unfolding life, Kate! Thanks for gifting us with this much more of it here!
Hi – I’ve arrived after following Kelly Rae for well over a year, during which time I have started my little craft business. I’ll be following this journey with you, about to read all the other posts to catch up.
As a 50+ creative, I hope we might share some time and experiences. Who knows? I DO love to express myself in writing!
All the best with your endeavours, especially the e-course!
Dearest Kate, I would love to join you on your creative journey I would love to co create on your e-course. I find your site extremly loving and very centering and yes we are all connected and its a pleasure to get to know you Kate My name is Cheyenne and i am a creative loving soul who loves people and who loves to give back to the world one joy at a time . Have a great day and where i am today its almost 105 out side so enjoy the beautiful weather where you are Love and Light Cheyenne
I was delighted to stumble across your blog. I know I couldn’t recreate the steps I took to get here… but that’s a lot like life. Sometimes you wake up suddenly, shake off the “what was I thinking? shoulda coulda woulda’s ” and find yourself exactly where you need to be. I loved your writing about the “magic in the in between times… the times of possibility…” I teach first grade and that is where I find my children… believing, stretching, longing for the impossibles…not yet buying into the “what you are supposed to be”. That becomes my challenge…keep the magic alive – keep searching for another right answer. Our theme song is “This little light of mine.” I look forward to following your blog … and to keep myself in the “in between times”. Thank you for sharing your insight …for touching others and stretching our perspectives… Janie