Self-compassion may reduce the intensity of your inner critic. One simple word quells that nasty voice.

Creative fear and creative excitement often coexist. Accepting this dichotomy fosters art-making.

Importer syndrome often appears before meaningful creative work.

The body may experience physical sensations before the mind can interpret them.

The clock reads 12:05 AM. My eyes pop open.

I’m bombarded with questions: What were you thinking? Are you crazy? Who do you think you are anyway?

A feeling of queasiness and tension grips my abdomen. I know this feeling: Midnight doom darts.

In expressive arts therapy, both counselors and patients learn that the body often experiences felt senses representing emotions and thoughts—both positive and negative. A flutter in the chest when we see our true love. Tightness in the jaw when we’re about to go on stage. Receiving a poor grade or a dire medical diagnosis manifests as a queasy stomach. “Learning the focusing attitude toward the felt sense is a good example of how it can become a pivotal piece in supporting safety” (Malchiodi, 2020, p. 160).

Even though I didn’t like the feeling, I knew the feeling was real. I had to experience it.

The day before, I felt very productive. I woke before my 5 AM alarm, feeling rested, energized, and ready to conquer the world. I’ve started a new practice of meditating with my journal open on my lap, a pen in my hand. As thoughts and ideas form, and seemingly walk across my consciousness, I no longer worry that I will forget them after the next five, 10, 15, or 20 minutes of contemplation have passed. This process often captures exciting........

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