I just completed day 25, of a creative challenge brought to my attention by the brilliant writer Suleika Joaud. I have been writing 100 words a day and will continue to do so for 100 days. The page can be so wildly blank and daunting when we HAVE to write, but when we look to it as a moment and space for anything goes, it seems to touch a more playful and freeing note.
I urge you to set a fun and fruitful 100 day goal. Something that will make you feel delightedly accomplished at the end of your project. Perhaps it is a doodle a day, a few moments for bird watching, adding cool new music to a playlist, learning a piece you have wished to master - anything at all. Just keep at it.
I made a playlist for my Living With Loss: Group Grief Coaching, so that I can open each week with some grounding music, I love imagining the words and melody rolling over the skin and into the soul of each participant . I choose from the whole wide world of songs. Not too bittersweet, nothing religious, inspired but never prescriptive. This one by Allen Stone invites presence and grounding begging the listener to just “love where you’re at” — and for today, that is my mantra. I have it on repeat in my office today0000.
So many amazing things are springing, budding and blooming over here at The Memory Circle. My Remember & Reflect deck of cards is due to land any day now. It is a card deck comprised of 50 cards ( one for each year my beloved Mom Ellen was here on earth!) emblazoned with prompts to help you or someone you love process and metabolize loss in a variety of incarnations. It makes a lovely gift to yourself or someone who has experience a recent loss.
I am also embarking on a new certification with Claire Bidwell Smith. She is a NY Times best selling author and therapist who has created her first ever course and co-hort to teach and explore GRIEF & LOSS to an intimate group. It is mostly made up of social workers and therapists, and as a coach, I am honored to have been accepted. This is the continuing education I seek. so that I may have the right tools at my fingertips to support others.
The Memory Circle on the all audio Clubhouse app hit 5k members. There are five thousand grievers that clicked a button to be a member of a club that supports their grief. I work with Lisa Kendall each Thursday to offer a free workshop where we offer therapeutic art and writing prompts as well as rooms featuring authors and community chats. It is truly beautiful to be connected with a world of contributors.
Keep in touch and do let me know if you embark on a 100 day adventure.
