My running practice and coaching creativity have been suffering lately.
I’ve been having acute pain from running since the summer. A doctor diagnosed it as tendonitis, and said it would have to run its course (I don’t think his pun was intended).
My coaching has been going well, with clients and a recent workshop, but as I turn toward my next creation, I’ve got ideas but have been feeling blocked in implementing anything.
Enter these messages from the Universe:
- A coach friend describes taking part in a 5Rhythms Weekend Workshop and feeling her “heart open up more than it has in a long time.”
- Another coach reports how her visit to a shaman healer leaves her feeling free and energized.
- On a whim, I pick up The Artist’s Way to read, which talks about turning on to the creativity inside one’s self by turning off the Censor-voice who blocks, criticizes, and shames.
- I receive an email from Outside Magazine featuring an article entitled “Natural Born Heroes” by Christopher McDougall, describing how “heroes learned to tap into remarkable stores of reserved energy, all of it in their bodies—and yours—and waiting to be uncorked.”
As I listened to these seemingly disparate messages, a theme emerged. Within these different situations, I recognized the powerful healing created from a freedom mindset. By opening space to dance, my friend opened her heart to fill with joy. By following her intuition, the coach found the help and relief to free herself and reclaim her independence and power. Releasing one’s creativity by silencing the doubts frees one to openly learn and practice self-expression. To the heroes of yesteryear, life was play and experience; every moment purposeful training to prepare for the unexpected.
I decided to try imagining my runs as free and painless, visualizing my hips opening freely as I ran. I began writing my “Morning Pages” from The Artist’s Way to practice tuning out the Censor’s voice, to release myself and my perfection and just write; at least for three pages a day.
And, as I did these exercises, I visualized another effect. I felt I was exorcising my blocks, my Censor, my “not good enough.” As I imagined myself being free, in order to feel free, I did feel that I was getting help in freeing myself from the negative (thoughts, energy, power) that had been thwarting me.
Thirteen runs in nineteen days, including a 6-miler and some runs back under 9 min/mile. Launched my Turtle & Lama note, working on another note launch, and my next workshop. Not to mention—more focus, more energy, more stuff done!
Sometimes, it’s knowing that it’s our own mind that gets in the way the most. And, calling upon whatever it takes (exercise or exorcise) to break free.
Then watch out!
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