We are doing the 30 day journaling + meditation invitation for the month of August. An explanation of this project is here. I'll be posting an update here every day (M-F) for the month of August and I'm also doing short videos on Instagram to share things I am learning along the way.

For this challenge, I designed mugs, notebooks, magnets and stickers with the "Slow the fuck down. BE as creative, powerful and magnetic as you ARE" on them - they are here.

(This is the Year of Dreams 2022 printable planner - the Year of Dreams 2023 will be out this month! It's much more flexible with planner cutouts you can use with my hand-drawn monthly or weekly planner - or with your own favourite planner or bullet journal.)

Why are we so resistant to slowing down and resting?

After all, rest is the most simple and obvious solution to burnout, overwhelm, exhaustion - a lot of the things we're all feeling right now.

And yet I keep seeing people (including myself) looking for a magic pill to not feel these things without taking the time to rest and slow down. Maybe if I eat better, or switch from coffee to mushroom drinks or find the right supplement or herbalist...

Is it not worth questioning the stories we tell about why we absolutely cannot slow down? Or exploring the guilt, shame or fear that come up when we try?

Is it not worth exploring the bigger picture of WHY so many of us are burned out? Like what is it, about the culture we live in, that is creating an epidemic of burnout? And how could we potentially CHANGE the culture to be healthier all around?

Because focusing on nutrition and exercise is the individualist approach, and I think it’s the individualist approach that got us into this mess.

We’re simply trying to do more than we can do because we have unreasonable expectations and insufficient support systems.

And this impacts us all in so many different ways.

So. Let’s keep showing up. Each day, each tiny thing we do to get more rest and/or explore how all of this is playing out in your life, counts.

On Mondays I do Creative Genius Planning, so I am going to keep doing that this month, while bringing our theme for the month into my weekly planning.

I have not been using the Creative Genius Planning videos lately - and that has felt right as I've been wanting to slow down and re-fill the well.

But last week I noticed I really do need more direction with my projects, and goals for how I want to move them forward each week.

So the plan this week is to plan, and to keep lots of space for rest + creativity, too.

Inside Dream Book there are seven different Creative Genius Planning videos for different situations. But I have shared the basic practice video on my blog, and that's the one I decided to use this week.

So you can do that with me here. (If you're in Dream Book get all 7 videos to chose the one that fits best for your week here)

Will stop writing here, go do that, and come back....

ARGH!!

Every time I listen to this video I ask myself: why do I ever skip it?

So often, I feel like it's not wroth the time, I can just ask myself "what do I need this week?" and especially lately as I have been deliberately living more space in my calendar for the summer - it's like why even bother with this?

Why bother because: I feel SO GOOD following this video. It shifts my energy. It helps me connect to myself and my dreams.

AND after I have more of a clear container for my week - any time I feel lost or stuck I have these notes to help me find my way.

Just writing out what I want to do while in that space of feeling connected to my creative genius and believing myself makes SUCH a difference.

And this is HUGE for BEING my most creative, powerful and magnetic self.