February is the month of love.  Yet, how many of us include loving ourselves?  In the book, The Artist’s Way, author Julia Cameron takes us on a journey of creative self-discovery.  The exercises she shares are designed to help us recover our creativity. Recover?  Yes. (When was the last time you chose to escape to TV or immerse yourself in a novel or social media rather than play?) Each chapter title begins with “Recovering…” because we are all “recovering creatives”!  We were naturally creative as children, so we’re simply awakening dormant parts of ourselves.   Above all, we’re asked to pay attention to our lives, through solitude and self-discovery. I did that when I first did the exercises in this book….in 1998!  (In fact, I’m still using the same book and was delighted to find what I wrote on the exercise pages all those years ago!). Truth is, I began creating the “wish list” I’d written down, and am now living that life.  That’s the power of play! Try it. After all, everything you’ve ever created in your life began in your imagination.  

Here’s one of the exercises you can do right now to begin your own process.  Complete the following phrases, and allow yourself to free-associate for a sentence or two for each item. 

  1. My favorite childhood game was …
  2. The best movie I ever saw as a kid was …
  3. I don’t do it much, but I enjoy …
  4. If I could lighten up a little, I’d let myself …
  5. If it weren’t too late, I’d …
  6. My favorite musical instrument is …
  7. I spend $___on treating myself to entertainment each month.
  8. If I weren’t so stingy with my artist, I’d buy him/her …
  9. Taking time out for myself is …
  10. I am afraid that if I start dreaming …
  11. I secretly enjoy reading …
  12. If I had had a perfect childhood, I’d have grown up to be …
  13. If it didn’t sound so crazy, I’d write or make a …
  14. My parents think artists are …
  15. My God/Spirit/Inner Guide, etc. thinks artists are …
  16. Learning to trust myself is probably …
  17. My most cheer-me-up music is …
  18. My favorite way to dress is …
  19. My favorite way to dress is …

It takes nurturing to love yourself, first and foremost.  But it is only then that we can love others, or invite love into our lives.  Now, go buy yourself some flowers!