"I'm exhausted. I can't do this. I need to rest. There's no way I can speak at this event." That's what the Worry voice inside my head said three days before the #story2017 extravaganza last week—the day I also handed in my manuscript. I had pushed and given every ounce of everything I had inside of me in writing the book, and I was so tired. Plus, the old talk felt... old. My soul felt... drained. The art felt... outdated. Rewriting a talk and creating new art felt... impossible. When I asked myself, "What would it take for me to feel aligned and energized by this?", I immediately felt a pull to reach out to the creator @harrisiii, and share my worries with him. "Hiiii, Harris," I said when we connected. "So I know the event is in a few days, but I wanted to be really honest: I'm. So. Tired." And then I went on and on, naming the microscopic truth of what I was feeling, the fears that were swirling from within, and all the feelings I felt nervous to say. As I talked, and as he gave me a pep talk, it dawned on me that my sensation of being tired had more to do with my unexpressed emotions than my actual energy levels, and as soon as I named to him what I was feeling, a rush of energy moved through me. This carried me to the day of the talk, with a revised speech and new art to coincide. What I'm discovering is that feeling "tired" can be a symptom of blocked emotions. And while rest and pauses are supremely important in the creative progress, so is naming your emotions and using them as fuel. This has me wonder: is there something within you that you've been hesitating to express? If so, consider this a clue to speak your vivid truth. ✨ (at The Lipstick Lounge)
