A-Muse-Ing Inspirations: --- by Jeanette M

A-Muse-Ing Inspirations: — by Jeanette M. Pintar

Lesson 14

What task (or tasks) did you do from your Master Plan? Have you figured out what your best work load is yet? Some people need to pick and do one task per day to stay motivated. For others, one per day is way too much and one task per week not only feels do-able, but gives them something to look forward to. Yet other people enjoy doing about 2 or 3 items per week from their Master Plan. Have you figured out what works best for you? What keeps you motivated while not feeling too overwhelmed or too much like it’s a chore?

Have you noticed a shift in yourself as you’re making progress toward your dreams? Have you become more positive? More confident? More relaxed and enthusiastic about life?

Or have you begun to shy away just as you’re starting to get close to transforming what you thought you could only dream of into reality?

In Chapter 10 of the Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron gives us insight about three of the most common blocks people use to sabotage their dreams and happiness: workaholism, fame, and competition. All are based on looking outside of ourselves for approval and accomplishment rather than accepting ourselves as we are, filling ourselves up from within, and learning to appreciate the gifts and talents we’ve been given. As Ms. Cameron says, “It’s a short-cut to self approval,” one that never lasts in the long run. She suggests learning to appreciate ourselves for we are, nurturing ourselves, and allowing ourselves to indulge in creative play.

I believe workaholism is one of the greatest, and most dangerous, addictions in our society today. Partly because it is too often encouraged and goes completely undiagnosed. Many of us don’t realize workaholism is full-blown addiction. People use their work to avoid things in life they’re afraid to look at and afraid to deal with. They seek their entire value and self-worth in their work. And they use it to numb their feelings and block out the voice of Divine Guidance which would direct them to deal with their issues and move forward. Instead they convince themselves working is what they need to do, for themselves and their relationships, without realizing their addiction to their work is costing them the very things (people) they say they are working for.

There’s a difference between passionately enjoying work and pursuing our dreams with enthusiasm and workaholism. Workaholism takes over our lives, our desires, our self worth. It makes us feel as if we’re nothing without our work, and that we must always be doing something for the sake of accomplishment. It gets in the way of living real life. Just like alcohol or drugs, the addiction to work becomes what we live for.

Fortunately, we can overcome workaholism, and we can choose to change our behaviors. We can play more, enjoy our relationships, and take time to nurture ourselves and love ourselves for who we are. We don’t have to stop working, but we do have to put boundaries around it and be clear about why we do the things we do. We also have to learn to fill ourselves up from within and to extend ourselves, heart and soul, outside of our work. Most importantly, we need to deal with our issues and heal what needs healing.

In helping us “Recover a Sense of Self Protection,” Ms. Cameron also teaches us the value of going through “droughts” in our lives and how to make the most of them by continuing to journal in order to help us gain clarity and keep ourselves moving forward.

As with anything, when it comes to pursuing our dreams, we must do so because that is what we desire from within. But we can help ourselves pursue those dreams with a good support system of people who will encourage us and hold us to our commitments and plans. When we start to doubt, or fall off course, we can turn to these people for help to get going in the right direction again.

The folks in our support system are the ones who will hold us accountable to the promises we’ve made and help us see the brighter side of life should we stumble into a pit of darkness. Often, it’s a lot harder for us to let others down than it is to let ourselves down. After all the love and support they’ve given us, we owe it to them, as well as ourselves, to keep moving forward. If you don’t have a good support system in place already, get busying forming one.

Congratulations on your progress! Now’s a good time to stop and pat yourself on the back. Maybe even do a little bragging to your friends (those who will support you) about what you’ve been doing to accomplish your dreams. Send yourself a “Congratulations on your progress” card or flowers. Take yourself out for a celebratory meal or dessert. Give yourself the credit you deserve!

OK, let’s move on to this week’s assignment!

Week 14 Assignment

Use your day planner! Begin by scheduling the following:

Form your own support system. How big or small doesn’t matter. Just make sure there are people who will support and encourage you in the on-going pursuit and accomplishment of your dreams. Maybe they’re folks you know in person such, family, friends, or co-workers. Perhaps it’s someone you met on-line, in a support group, or through professional coaching. Ask them to help you stay committed to your dreams. You can do the same for them!

Read The Artist’s Way—Chapter 11: Recovering A Sense of Autonomy, Pgs 179 – 191. Pay close attention to the importance of acceptance, and the need to practice your art (or follow your dream) specifically for the purpose of doing it. Also, take some time to see how exercising could (or does) help you find insight and inspiration.

As you read, look for the main points and underline anything that speaks to you or sounds like it would make a good quote. (If you’re afraid to mess up your book, use pencil, you can erase it later.)

Pick and do at least 3 of the 10 exercises at the end of the chapter. You can do more! The more you put into doing this, the more of yourself – and your dreams — you will get out of it. Exercise # 8, writing an encouraging letter to yourself, is particularly insightful and rewarding. Have fun.

Create a spiritual place where you can center yourself, be calm, feel inspired, write your Morning Pages, plan your day or nurture your soul. This is a special place just for you.

Do the Check-In on Page 191.

Schedule, plan and take a date with yourself. Make it something entertaining, fun, relaxing. Make it something you look forward to. Guard your date, make it sacred. You deserve it. Your dreams deserve it.

Write 3 pages of long-hand in your journal daily. Write, write, write! Let yourself enjoy it. Try writing in your new special place. Inspire yourself by writing daily affirmations when you journal. Or cleanse your body and mind by getting toxic thoughts out of your head and onto the page. Whatever you need, let journaling work for you.

Pick a task from your Master Plan and do it! Or pick more than one task. It’s up to you. The important thing is to do something from your list and take yourself that much closer to following your dreams.

Do you feel close to making them happen? Have you accepted your dreams as becoming reality or do they still feel far off in the distance? What can you do to make them more real for you? Is there a particular task in your Master List that would make you feel, “OK, this is it – I’m well on my way and I’m really making this happen!”? If you’re not already there, pick that task and do it this week.

It’s crucial that we believe our dreams are coming true and that we keep ourselves motivated. After all, it’s up to us to transform our dreams into reality!

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