Today: It’s time for November Dreams and your beautiful giveaway entries have inspired me! Today I announce the winners.
If you’ve been watching the Behind the Scenes, you’ll know it’s been a bit of a tough go here in the studio this week. A tree root has broken through one of our pipes and that has meant some flooding to deal with now and some deep repairs to come.
Here’s what I’ve been doing my best to focus on as I’ve moved, cleaned and sorted, mop in hand and bleach in tow.
It’s hard not to get frazzled by disruption but inevitably the cracks let in some fresh air. When my frustration grew at stored items needing temporary homes away from the water, I found myself channeling that intensity into finally clearing away things that had been sitting there for ages because it had been easier to keep them than to face making a decision. I used a simple question to guide the way, “What’s important to me?”
For the past several years I’ve been working on this as a practice. Instead of resenting time I spend cleaning, repairing, etc., I try to take the moment to recognize how great it is to have whatever it is I’m tending in my life (and if I don’t feel that way, I clear it!) Yes, it’s rotten to mop up backed up water in the basement but I feel blessed to have a basement and a home.
We’ve all likely been in and around that energy storm of anger, overwhelm and resentment that shows up when crappy things like basement flooding happens. I didn’t want to pile that onto an already challenging situation. Instead I tried to turn the clean-up into an act of love. I did my best to move, wash and disinfect everything with care.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I didn’t feel anger, overwhelm and resentment. You bet I did, especially because the waters rose on the one day that I had an open schedule, the one day that I was going to take a bit of a breather. But what I’ve learned is that I could expand that negativity by digging into it and holding on hard or I could try, as best I could, moment by moment, to let it go and reach for something better.
This crack in the pipes was, and will continue to be, an opportunity for me to decide which muscles I’m going to strengthen. I’m going to aim for my muscles of love and compassion. And probably my back muscles too – all that lifting and mopping is heavy work!
Have you ever dressed up as a princess? A pirate? A detective? Have you left that behind, a distant memory of childhood play? Do you revive this imaginative activity, but only on Halloween?
Now, are you sitting there saying, “Nuh-uh, Jamie! I am not dressing up as a fairy.”
Or are you wondering, “Do I get to wear wings?”
What if everything in your closet was imbued with magical properties? What if that skirt invoked your inner dancer? What if those sunglasses turned you into a starlet? What if that jaunty hat transformed you into a journalist?
With a background in theatre, I know the power of costume. A hoop skirt and sensible shoes brings out very different aspects of your personality than feathers and fishnets. What we put on daily has a similar effect, so why not get dressed with intention? This isn’t about putting on something to mask the inner you or to pretend to be something you’re not. It’s about how our clothes can bring out different aspects of who we truly are.
When I started teaching Nia, a barefoot practice grounded in the joy of movement, I thought about the qualities of my “inner Nia teacher.” Who did I want to be for my class? I remembered the power and poise of my dance teacher. I thought of the precision and humour of my Nia trainer. I thought of my own enthusiasm and commitment to helping people be the star they are. These thoughts led me to outfits ranging from sassy T’s to sequins. What fun!
If you imagine who you are becoming, who you are wanting to grow into, how can some key costume changes support you? It doesn’t have to be an entire wardrobe. Brilliant and influential theatre director Bertolt Brecht insisted that a costume could be simply one evocative piece, but it must be the perfect piece.
Don’t rely on what’s already in your wardrobe. This part of you may not have shown up yet. Take yourself out costume shopping, even if it’s just to look and imagine. Explore magazines. Make an inspiration board. Take yourself to second-hand and vintage stores. Try on an outrageous amount of options. You never know what you’re going to slip into and think, “Yes! This is it!” (I once bought a pair of what I called “witch’s disco boots” Who knew?) Look beyond the stereotypes to find something that has deep, personal resonance for you. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. It simply has to invite the expression of this fledgling part of you.
Today: Writing a list of creative resources for studio members, thinking about the nature of art and the impact of allowing mistakes.
Today: The water in the basement saga continues – but now add in falling bookshelves! There’s a vortex of change and we’re in it!
Stacey Libbert writes, creates folk art, works in community theater and teaches literature and writing to early college high school students. She is also a trail running, mountain biking, and hiking enthusiast who enjoys everything from 5Ks to ultra-marathons as well as a more relaxed yoga practice. She believes that physical activity and being outside are two of the best ways to connect with creative energy and to feel truly alive. When she’s not on the trail, hanging out with her kids, or working in her garden, she is most likely journaling, painting or watching old movies on Turner Classic Movies. (She is waiting for Robert Osborne to retire so she can slip in as the next host of TCM. It’s her dream gig.) She lives on a farm in rural North Carolina with her husband, two children, and a gang of rescue pets (including goats and two mice). You can find out more about her family, creative educational practices, adventure running, and living the creative life at her blog, Running Monologue.
Blog: Running Monologue
Facebook: Stacey Stills Libbert
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Pinterest: @runningmonologu
Today: Dealing with a flooded basement has me working with my perspective, trying to find a way to make it better not worse.
