Creativity and Parts Series

Journaling exercise: Start by writing what you feel in your body after reading the previous posts. What sensations do you notice? Where do you feel heavy / light, warm / cold, tight / relaxed? Take a moment to write and describe the sensations in as much detail as possible.

If you could give a voice to one of the sensations you noticed, what would it share with you? Let the sensation “talk” to you. Or, if you are aware that this is tied to a part of you you’re already familiar with, what is the part trying to share with you through the bodily sensation? (For example, an internal critic could speak through tension in the shoulders, or a productive part may tell you through your leg jiggling that you should be folding your laundry instead of contemplating creativity.) We’re not trying to change or stop these sensations or the thoughts associated with them; at this point, we are just noticing and tolerating them, if that feels okay to you to do. (And if it does not, you can always listen to your internal stop signs!).

Next, consider the moment when you begin or plan to begin a creative endeavor. (What is your creative endeavor of choice? Art, writing, music?) What thoughts pop into your head? You can take a moment to journal these thoughts, and any emotions associated with them. You may have positive or negative emotions, or both. All reactions are welcome, and all parts of you are welcome.

Notice, do these thoughts feel like they belong to you, or someone else? Consider if these thoughts are barriers to creativity, or encouragement for creativity. Who else in your lifetime may have influenced the development of this voice? It can be useful to notice how much of this voice belongs to a part of you, and how much may belong to people (such as parents, teachers, or coaches) who may have influenced the way you approach creativity. If the voice is yours alone, what led to its development?

You can continue to journal in this way by noticing sensations, giving voice to them, and considering who may have influenced that voice or how it developed internally. You can use this journaling as a tool for deepening your therapy work, or as a tool for increasing self-understanding and self-compassion in your creative endeavors. As you begin to befriend (or at least acknowledge) the parts of you activated by creativity, you are developing a relationship with your parts and your creative process.