Stickers.... or 'my inner child'

Sometimes when I'm very stressed, my inner child comes out and wants to play. And if I don't give her time to play, she won't let me work. She'll fuss and fuss and fuss till she gets some attention. Or at least a cookie or maybe some stickers. :)

Seriously... last fall my spiritual director, Nina, gave me some advice that has stuck with me. I was having trouble writing, I had deadlines looming and the stress was compounding. She mentioned, almost casually, that writing is a left-brained activity. Perhaps my brain needed to re-balance with some right-brained activity. Perhaps I could ask myself what I wanted to do, and maybe give myself some space for creative play. Perhaps that would help the ideas flow again.

So I went home and asked myself out loud what I wanted to do. I was very surprised to have an answer coming forth, and even more surprised about the answer. "I'd like to make snowflakes!" So, I pulled out paper and scissors and cut and cut and cut. I taped the snowflakes to the window. And you know, the writing started to flow.

I've learned from this to ask myself from time to time, 'what do you want?'. And so often, it's a childlike response that emerges. "I want chicken noodle soup, with an egg dropped in, please".
I've become fond of that little voice, and a bit protective. I have learned to have scissors, markers and glue available. I have started playing a bit more.

So when I was facing a lot of end-of semester deadlines this week, I asked myself again, "what do you want?" And the answer came out loud and clear: "STICKERS!" So..... I'm giving myself stickers for each task accomplished, and posting that on the fridge. Hurray! You did it!

Perhaps it's silly. Perhaps it's childish.
But it's me.