Blurt, Blurt, Blurt – Stop Already!

Over on my art blog, michellerumney.com, I recently started a great 12 week self-coaching program called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It’s aimed at blocked or recovering artists, writers and creatives but as we’re all Creative, Resourceful and Whole, I think it would benefit anyone who follows it. I’m now in week 3 – Recovering a Sense of Power.

Here’s a great exercise for working out what core beliefs you carry around deep in your mind that just might be holding you back from achieving the success you know you’re capable of. So, the next 20 minute window you get, sit down and do this;

First of all, write out a single, positive and empowering statement that encapsulates who you are becoming or want to become:

For example “I, Michelle, am a brilliant and prolific painter.”

Sound good? Now, write out that statement 10 times and listen to what happens inside your head.

“Did you Censor perk its nasty little ears up? Censors loathe anything that sounds like real self-worth. Objections will start popping up like toast. These are your blurts. Write them down – they flag your core negative beliefs – they are the key to your personal freedom.”

To take this a stage further… (allow about 45 minutes):

Where do these blurts or negative beliefs come from? Your parents, your friends, your teachers, your partner? Scan your life for possible sources.

Break your life into 5 year increments and list by name your major influences in each time block. Acknowledging who or where they came from, can help you choose to lose them.

Now, look at your list of blurts. Take each one in turn, consider it for a few moments and write a positive statement instead – turn the negatives into positives.

eg. “if I was that brilliant, I’d be successful by now” becomes “I am capable and ready for success”

“I’m not focused enough to make it work” becomes “Each day my focus is becoming stronger”

Then say these out loud to yourself every day, at least once a day, for the next 3 weeks.

Affirmations help achieve a sense of safety and hope, which can turn things around much quicker than you think…