Your Negative Inner Voice! NIV

Well I know from what I have heard from everyone that this has been a hard challenge. I think it makes us have to think and really take a hard look at some of our issues.  I also believe that good things happen when we grow and stretch ourselves both personally and creatively. I want us to really seize our moments, we only have so many. These pages are a beginning, a place to write down some realization about your creative growth. The lists aren't meant to be filled up before class. The pages are designed to be revisited, to be in your journal where you will see them often and be able to reflect on and grow from.  Our journals are a documented journey one step or page at a time, a place to play, explore, grow,document, learn and discover.

   The first was "Free to be Me", a place to record your dreams whatever they may be, travel, personal, physical etc. Second was your "Passions", what are you passionate about, what excites you, gets you moving? Third was "Listening", listen to those around you, what do people say to you?

I started with a box and a wash of yellow

   Now we are moving into you, your inner voice. We all have an inner voice, many times this inner voice is very negative! It is undermining what we want to do and feel led to do. It tries to defeat us before we get out of the gate by planting seeds of doubt, fear and usually stops us before we get started. It will use tricky things like rationalization (I am too busy, I am to tired, I do so much already, I shouldn't take time from this person etc). It often can mask itself in drama.  Drama happens in everyones life, we need to not let it derail us from our creative lives and our goals. Even during these down times you can take time for smaller projects. These negative inner voices and dramas will try and hold you back from moving forward. We will always have to deal with drama, but lets not wallow in it and let it become our La Brea Tar pits (did you know that it only took a few inches of tar to capture and hold down huge Mastodons until they finally died from starvation and became the bones they are digging up today!  Lets not let that be our personal, creative lives. You know what your own individual voice says right, so I don't need to go on, do I? For some of us we may need more pages for this topic sp make as many as you need.

I then outlines my box and started drawing drawing a vine of flowers. Do you notice that my flowers are lips! LOL That is my NIV's lips, with red lipstick! I also made them a vine, representing them crawling into every space of our lives. added some more paint.

Once you recognize this inner voice and write it down, you need to combat it with positive retorts! You are allowed to argue, talk back, and capture this inner negative voice! I find myself talking out loud to myself as I work on things. It is my way of dealing with my inner voice. My husband laughs as he thinks I am always praising myself, little does he know I am at war! I tell myself that looks great,  oh you are doing such a good job, etc. You need to find the way that works best for you so that your NIV (negative inner voice) doesn't stop you from moving forward.  As I make my pages I am thinking about the question so that when the page is done I have some things I can add to it. I hope you will take this next step and we will discuss on Saturday!! Have a creative week!!

I went over areas with pencils and paint and markers etc. Just playing and having fun. I added barbs to my box to represent these negative things are now captive! Make your own page and add my "NIV" text somewhere.