Exercise #2, Stage Five of the Creativity Journey – Walk Forward
Take the list of what’s in your pack that you created during the previous exercise and look back over it. Is there an item or are there several items that pull at you in a particular way? Perhaps there are some beloved items in there that make you smile with remembrance when you think of them. Perhaps there are a few that cause you to feel as if you’ve just drunk spoiled milk. Take note of both reactions and mark your list in any way that you prefer. Put smiley and frowny faces next to them or hearts and Xes. Maybe there are a few question marks on that list. Choose the symbols that resonate the most with you.
Next, review the items you just marked that elicit the most positive and the most negative emotions. Are there any of those items you’d like to examine further? Begin free writing about the stuff you saw. Write whatever comes to mind as you think about the items you’ve been carrying around. What does the item look like? Describe it in detail. What are its properties? How does it behave? What effect does it have on you? Write as much as you need to. You can ignore rules of grammar, punctuation, and anything your high school English teacher may have told you. Just write in a stream of consciousness. When you feel empty of words, stop writing, put your notes away and give yourself a reward of some kind. You deserve it.
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