As I put pen to paper to write this article, I am checking in with myself knowing that I may be judged for what I write. How can I write from a place fearing judgement about my concept of love? I stop to tap into myself. I breathe and go within, feet grounded on the earth, still my mind and connect to my ‘home space’ (gut) and heart. I ask my highest self, “is expressing my passion for expanding my self-love and supporting others to do the same worth being judged for? I hear a resounding, ‘yes’! I believe self-love comes most easily when we are at peace with ourselves, a place of self-acceptance and feeling comfortable with who we are, how we express ourselves and connect with our world. It feels easy being ourselves.
However, many of us have made agreements with ourselves that hinder our full expression and with that our self-love. When we don’t love ourselves, how can we fully express our love for others? Often as children we make these agreements, because someone has said something and we have agreed it is true. When I was a child my family laughed at my voice. I agreed that I wasn’t a good singer and I chose to mouth the words to songs, or they would come out as a whisper. I let go of my joy of singing and with that a part of my unique self that is intricately woven into the art of loving myself unconditionally. It was through exploring myself using creative expression verbally, physically and spiritually, that helped me let go of what anyone thought and connect back to loving myself enough to sing with gusto wherever I was.
In fact, emotional expression is our strength, our own self-healing mechanism; our only means of personal freedom, self-love, and the ultimate tool of creativity. It enables us to feel more deeply, connect more intuitively, be seen, heard and valued. In art therapy, the art, sound or movement is an inspiring way for you to explore loving the person you are. And a safe place for you to express, make sense of and free yourself from your inner most pain. We might draw out unwanted agreements onto paper or let expectations dissolve into the flow of paint. The wonderful thing about art mediums is that they can tolerate all emotions and what is expressed and created holds profound answers and much relief for the creator to free themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually. The creator’s true essence begins to shine through and a deeper understanding and connection to self.
Article for Holistic Bliss Magazine, Oct 2019: Creative expression and letting go of the fear of Judgement