Hello, friends—welcome back to Your Voice Matters. I’m Jen Chambers: writer, podcast host, yoga student (still learning!), and fellow traveler on this creative recovery path. If you caught last week’s episode, we began our journey through The Artist’s Way with Recovering a Sense of Safety. Today, in Week 2, we’re focusing on Recovering a Sense of Identity—that deep knowing of who you are as a creative being, beyond roles and expectations.
For many of us—caregivers, parents, professionals, survivors—we’ve worn so many hats that our inner artist got tucked away. This week is about gently calling that self back, trusting our own creativity, and setting boundaries around the people and patterns that dim our spark.
I know this personally: after my brain injury, I questioned if I still “had” a creative self. When I picked up writing again, every word felt like reclaiming a piece of me. So today, let’s talk about defining and protecting our creative identity. Ready? Let’s begin.
Segment 1: Grounding Meditation
Before we dive in, let’s ground. You can sit or lie comfortably. Close your eyes if that feels safe; otherwise, soften your gaze.
Take a slow inhale… hold briefly… exhale fully.
Place a hand on your heart, another on your belly. Feel the rise and fall. Focus on your heart space, and see a soft pink ort red light start to fill your chest. It expands with each breath. Maybe it’s orange or yellow as the light thins out, but it fills your whole body to the edges and just outside, so there is a warm red gold aura extending all around your body. This is your creative self. Imagine it there, waiting to be used, always in you, always tapping into the universe to give you what you need.
Repeat silently or aloud:
“I am allowed to be myself.”
“I trust my creative voice.”
“I am worthy of space to create.”Breathe in that permission; breathe out doubt or tension.
Pause for another breath or two… and when you’re ready, gently open your eyes and bring your attention here.
Segment 2: Why Identity Matters in Creativity
Identity is more than a label—it’s the lens through which we see the world and shape our art. If we lose touch with who we are—our passions, quirks, joys, and even wounds—our creativity can feel hollow or blocked. Recovering a sense of identity means remembering: you are not just what you do for work, or what others expect of you; you are a creative being with unique gifts.
Last week we built safety; now we define self. I think of identity as the fertile soil where creativity grows. When that soil is healthy—nourished by self-awareness and boundaries—ideas sprout more freely. So this week, we explore themes Julia Cameron highlights: Going Sane, Poisonous Playmates, Involvement with Crazymakers, Skepticism, and Attention. We’ll also touch on her “10 Rules for the Road” in spirit—using them as guidance without quoting directly.
Let’s step through each theme, with reflective writing exercises for the week’s tasks.
Segment 3: Going Sane – Trusting Your Creativity, Lessening Self-Doubt
“Going Sane” here means tuning out the noise that says creativity is frivolous or unsafe. It’s learning to trust that your ideas, however messy or imperfect, deserve attention.
Discussion: Self-doubt often masquerades as “I’m not skilled enough,” or “Who am I to call myself a writer/artist?” Recognize these doubts as normal signals that you’re stepping into new territory. Going sane is saying: I can experiment, I can fail, and I can still be myself.
Writing Exercise – Affirmative Reading:
Retrieve the affirmations you generated in Week 1 (e.g., “I am a writer,” “My story matters,” etc.).
Read them aloud slowly. Notice which affirmations trigger resistance or discomfort—that tug in your chest or mind saying “No, that’s not me.”
Journal: For each resistant affirmation, ask: Why does this feel uncomfortable? What story do I hold that counters it? Then write a supportive note to yourself: e.g., “I am allowed to claim my voice because…”
Choose one affirmation you need most this week. Write it on a sticky note or set as a phone reminder.
This practice helps “go sane” by turning self-doubt into curiosity: What stories underlie my doubt? And can I gently reframe them?
Segment 4: Poisonous Playmates – Spotting Energy Drainers
“Poisonous Playmates” are people, events, or patterns that undermine your creative self—sometimes unintentionally, often from their own fears. Maybe it’s a friend who jokes “Oh, that hobby again?” or obligations that nibble away your writing time. Recognizing them is an act of self-care.
Discussion: These influences can appear flattering (“You’re so creative—how cute”), dismissive, or chaotic. They might guilt-trip you, or subtly devalue your efforts.
Writing Exercise – Time & People Inventory:
Where Does Your Time Go? Over the next three days (or recall the past week), track your main activities and interactions. Write down blocks like social media scrolling, meetings, obligations, but also note who you spend time with.
Identify patterns: Which activities or people leave you feeling energized vs. drained?
Journal: “When I spend time with X or doing Y, I feel… Because…” This awareness lets you decide: What can I reduce or set a boundary around?
Choose one boundary to practice this week (e.g., limiting a draining call, saying no to an event that distracts from writing).
Naming Poisonous Playmates and time-sucks protects your creative identity by preserving space and energy.
Segment 5: Involvement with Crazymakers – Protecting Your Boundaries
“Crazymakers” are those who thrive on drama: sudden crises, emotional blackmail, gaslighting, urgent demands that derail your creative time. They may be charming, but they disrespect your boundaries.
Discussion: If you’ve ever promised yourself “I’ll write tomorrow morning,” but then got a late-night text requiring immediate attention, that’s a Crazymaker pattern. To recover your identity as a creative person, you must honor your time.
Exercise – Boundary Script Writing:
Identify one recurring “Crazymaker” scenario in your life (could be a person or an event pattern).
Write a short script for how you’ll handle it next time. For example: “Thank you for telling me; I need to finish this writing session. Let’s talk at X time.”
Practice saying it aloud or journaling how it feels to assert that boundary. Notice any resistance (we’ll tie that to skepticism in a moment).
Commit to trying it once this week and journal the outcome.
Protecting boundaries isn’t selfish—it’s honoring your creative identity.
Segment 6: Skepticism – Facing Inner Doubts
Skepticism here is your secret doubts: “What if this doesn’t matter?” “What if I’m fooling myself?” A healthy dose of questioning can refine your path, but if it paralyzes you, it steals identity.
Discussion: Notice when skepticism arises—often at the threshold of action. Instead of letting it shut you down, greet it like a curious friend: “Ah, you again. What’s your question?” Then respond with a gentle reminder: “I don’t have to have all the answers now; I only need to take the next step.”
Writing Exercise – Dialogue with Doubt:
In your journal, write a short back-and-forth between “You” (your creative self) and “Doubt.” Label lines: “You:” and “Doubt:”.
Let Doubt voice its fears. Let You respond with compassion and intention: “I hear you, but I choose to write anyway.”
After the dialogue, note: What insights emerged? How can you move forward despite skepticism?
This transforms skepticism from a roadblock into a companion that you can acknowledge and move past.
Segment 7: Attention – Cultivating Capacity for Delight
Julia’s idea: “The quality of life is in proportion to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.” In creative identity work, noticing small joys refuels us and reminds us who we are beneath roles.
Discussion: When was the last time you truly noticed a sunrise, a laugh, a texture, or a melody? Cultivating attention anchors you in your creative self and generates fresh material.
Exercise – Daily Delights Log:
For this week, each day note 3 small things that delighted you (a scent, a phrase, a shape, a memory).
Journal briefly: Why did this catch me? How could it inspire a poem, a scene, a reflection?
At week’s end, look back: What patterns of delight reveal about your true interests and identity?
Practicing attention reminds you: you are the observer, the creator, the one in relationship with life’s details.
Segment 8: Integrating the “10 Rules for the Road”
Julia Cameron offers “10 Rules for the Road” each week. While we won’t recite them verbatim, we embrace their spirit: choose creativity over comfort, protect your time, trust the process, and maintain playfulness. As you do the exercises this week, refer back to those rules in your copy of The Artist’s Way, allowing them to guide decisions: saying no when needed, trusting morning pages, and honoring artist dates. Let them be gentle guardrails for your identity recovery.
Segment 9: Week’s Tasks & Check-Ins
Let’s review and expand on the specific tasks for this week—each paired with a quick exercise:
Affirmative Reading (covered in “Going Sane”):
Re-read Week 1 affirmations; note reactions; choose one to reinforce.
Time Tracker (“Where Does Your Time Go?”) (covered in Poisonous Playmates):
Track 3 days; identify time drains; set one boundary.
20 Things You Enjoy Doing List (Joy List):
Write 20 joys. Exercise: Next, pick 2 favorites and define one small goal for each (e.g., “I love painting; I will sketch for 10 minutes twice this week” and “I love walking in the woods; I’ll schedule a 30-minute nature walk.”)
Week 1 Affirmation Reactions (covered in Going Sane):
Notice which Week 1 affirmations still trigger resistance; journal and reframe.
Return to Imaginary Lives + Add 5 More:
From Week 1 you listed possible “imaginary” selves. Add 5 more now, even wilder.
Exercise: For one new imaginary life, write 3 sentences about how that version of you would spend a creative day.
Life Pie Exercise:
Draw a circle divided into 6 slices: Spirituality, Exercise/Body Care, Play/Creativity, Work/Career, Relationships/Friends, Adventure/Learning.
Rate satisfaction 1–10 in each slice. Journal: Which slice feels starved? How might boosting that area reconnect you to your identity?
10 Tiny Changes:
List 10 small shifts to invite creativity or joy (e.g., “light a candle before writing,” “listen to a new playlist,” “journal for 5 minutes at midday”).
Choose 1–3 to implement this week; note how they affect your sense of self.
Weekly Check-In:
Morning Pages: Did you write daily? What surfaced about identity?
Artist Date: Did you go? What did you notice about yourself in that play/time alone?
Overall Feeling: Are you feeling more “you” or noticing old patterns? Journal briefly.
I remember when I first tried tracking my delight: I noticed the way rain on the windowpane felt comforting—and that opened a short story idea about storms and healing. Boundary-setting felt scary: I practiced saying “I can’t tonight; I need time to write” and felt awkward at first, then proud. I carved out time in the early morning hours– my first probably 10 books were written between 4 and 5 am. Crazy, I know, but I’m good in the mornings. Each tiny step, each day I sat down to my kitchen table to write, reminded me: I matter as a creator.
You might feel resistance or guilt—that’s normal. Each time you choose a boundary or notice delight, you reclaim identity. Celebrate each small win.
Segment 11: Closing Reflection & Next Steps
This week, you’ve begun to recover your creative self: noticing doubts, setting boundaries, tracking joys, and affirming your worth. Keep practicing these exercises as rituals, not chores. Over time, this becomes part of your identity: “I am a creative being who honors delight and protects my time.”
Next week, we’ll move into Recovering a Sense of Power—but for now, breathe into your newfound clarity: Who are you, beneath roles and opinions? You’re a creative soul, and your voice matters.
Thank you for showing up. If you’d like to share insights or challenges, email me at jbchambersmail@gmail.com or DM on Instagram @jennifer_chambers_ . And if you haven’t already, Come see me on Substack and join in the conversation there! You can always enjoy the podcast free, but there are merch downloads and other goodies on there if you want to be a paid subscriber- it’s about the price monthly of a cup of coffee. Also: download this week’s companion worksheet from my Substack, free, or visit that website to keep these exercises handy.
Until next time—keep listening to your inner artist. Keep protecting your time. Keep paying attention to delight. Your identity is your creative home. Welcome back to yourself.
If this episode resonated, consider sharing with a friend who needs permission to reclaim their creativity. Stay tuned for Week 3 of The Artist’s Way series: Recovering a Sense of Power. You’ve got this, and I’m cheering you on every step. Your voice matters.
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