i'm choosing pencil

I’m choosing pencil because writing in ink feels way too much like a commitment I am not ready to make. I’m not sure I will want to show up. I’ve gotten in the groove of this isolated living that I’m not sure if I’m ready to dive headfirst into the world.

I’m choosing pencil because I want to keep my heart open. Trust the journey. Know that I’m being guided and it doesn’t have to be put down in ink.

Shifting, expanding, growing, becoming.
Leaving space to show up imperfectly, perfect.
Coloring out of the lines.
Leaving the dishes in the sink, to go walk outside in the grass

Easing in as I expand.

Yes, I’m choosing pencil and it feels freeing, and hopeful. Filled with the opportunity for me to choose. To go with what ignites me, rather than what depletes me.

To be wild & free
Taking chances
Reaching beyond
Erasing a few things along the way and beginning again

I’m taking out my trusty #2. Sharpening its point and getting it ready for this wild ride we are about to embark on.

Filled with hope, love, and permission to choose

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The above words were written during Monday’s Write Together class. Where we spend an hour together writing in community and sharing.

Grab a piece of paper and give the prompt a try. Then join us next Monday in class.

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unbecoming

Breaking open into the unknown.
Unsure of the path before you.
The breaking hurts. Stinging the heart.
The feeling of pain seems insurmountable to heal.

The pieces lay on the ground.
Sharp. Piercing.
Unknown layers shedding.
But before you is not what it appears to be.

It’s not all pain.
It’s not all sorrow.
It’s an unbecoming of what you thought you had to believe.
A rising up of what you know to be true in your heart.

A moment of chaos leading to a blank path before you.
You take the lead.
Chart the course and find your way.
To where you are going you need not know.

Trust.
Trust in the journey.
In the unfolding.
In the opening and closing.

Trust in the letting go.
In the inviting in.
Keep stepping forward. One foot in front of the other.
This is how you find your way. This is how you unearth, become and sink into joy

Writing Prompt

In what way are you unbecoming. Pull out your notebook and pen and give the following prompt a try. To not judge what you put down, simply give it space to breathe on the paper.

Breaking open….

We Need One Another

The prompt above was from the Write Together Community class that I host each Monday night. It is a space for people to come together and spill words onto the page. No prior writing experience is required as the blank page will catch anything you throw at it.

Upcoming Classes

Wanna view all classes, check out the calendar!

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channeling your inner voice

You have your own inner wisdom. It is that voice living inside you that speaks when you get quiet enough to listen. But when you hear it you doubt it. Unsure if it is really speaking the truth and you can trust what it is saying. You hear it. You know it is there, but do you listen?

What would happen if you trusted it? If you jumped all in with what it was telling you to do? What if you didn’t look outward for validation, but looked inside at the road map of your heart? Where would it lead you?

Your inner voice is there. It is always there. It is eager to guide you and is one of your biggest cheerleaders. It wants you to follow your joy, carve your own path forward, and do what lights you up.

It is your truth-teller even in the darkest of moments.

But here’s the thing, you have to get quiet to hear it. Put down your cell phone. Turn off the tv and the music. Maybe even shut the lights. Sit with yourself, with your questions, with your unknown path ahead and listen. Listen to the silence, to the words that bubble up, to the thoughts and emotions that emerge. Give them all a chance to wash through you so that you can hear what the truth-teller inside you has to say.

It takes time and practice to hone in on this inner voice as well as an enormous leap of faith. One way to help unearth it is through writing. Pen and paper can open up the door to your heart and give you a chance to hone in on what your inner wisdom is whispering.

Writing Prompt

Try out the below prompt to begin honing in on your inner voice. What would that inner wisdom say. Begin writing with the following words:

Tomorrow I’m gonna….

Tomorrow I’m gonna begin again. I know I didn’t get it all right today, but that is ok. I’m choose to hug more, judge less. Be a little more patient and get myself a snack when I am feeling cranky.

Tomorrow I’m gonna choose to be kind to myself. Give my heart the compassion it deserves and not judge the mistakes that I make.

Tomorrow I’m gonna let go of the expectations I have of others and allow them the space to be who they are, as they are.

Tomorrow I’m gonna breath in the fresh air. Put my toes in the cool we grass. Feel the sun on my face and remember how important it is for me to get outside.

Tomorrow I’m gonna choose joy over fear. Create space for me to be exactly who I am and be ok with doing nothing at all.

Tomorrow I’m gonna allow myself space to move, navigate, and find my way through the day at my own pace.

Tomorrow is not always promised. I think it will be there, but we never know. So tomorrow I’m gonna give gratitude for another opportunity to try again.

We Need One Another

The prompt above was from the Write Together Community class that I host each Monday night. It is a space for people to come together and spill words onto the page. No prior writing experience is required as the blank page is a clean slate for anyone to put anything down.

I invite you to join me next week in our Writing circle or any one of the other virtual events. All classes take place on Zoom and are in EST time. I would love to see your radiant face on the screen.

We need one another and can do so much more when we come together. Being in community provides an opportunity to unearth, be seen, and be heard. Take the leap and join us.

Upcoming Classes

Wanna view all classes, check out the calendar!

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Join me over on Instagram @jbelthoff

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