“Art brings things to light.…by telling our shame secrets [through our art] we release ourselves and others from darkness.” -Julia Cameron
For 2026, I will be rereading a chapter from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and providing a free download of themed art cards on a monthly basis (on the third Tuesdays).
Chapter 3, “Recovering a Sense of Power” feels right on time for me. Life changes are in full swing for me as I transition into a new season of my wild and precious life. 🙌
- The March guide words have also inspired ideas about the power of vulnerability (living freely) within a mindset of being detached from what-if’s (and 💁🏻♀️ if-only’s) as a pathway toward living differently and exploring new dreams.
“We like to pretend it is hard to follow our heart’s dreams. The truth is, it is difficult to avoid walking through the many doors that will open. Turn aside your dream and it will come back to you again. Get willing to follow it again and a second mysterious door will swing open.” -Julia Cameron
“Take a small step in the direction of a dream and watch the synchronous doors flying open.” -Julia Cameron
This chapter begins with the topic of anger. “Anger is meant to be listened to….Because anger is a map. Anger shows us what our boundaries are [and] where we want to go.”
- This map guides us through shame in the direction of our dreams, Braveheart. “It casts a beam into the heart of our own darkness and says, ‘See?'” (Julia Cameron)
Dealing with criticism is another aspect of recovering a sense of power. Cameron recommends we examine the details of criticism we receive, “jot down notes to [ourselves] on what concepts or phrases bother [us]” as a point of clarity and empowerment.
- Cameron reminds us not to be discouraged when growth takes time, and to experiment with solitude: “You will need to make a commitment to quiet time. Try to acquire the habit of checking in with yourself.”
What does all this have to do with right brain planning?
The principal goal of Right Brain Planner is to foster a daily-ish practice of [being present] + [seeing and evaluating] the details of our living by compiling a visual chronicle as a safe place to check in with ourselves. 💖
- Examples of how to pause + check in with ourselves: copy a quotation from something you are reading; snap a photo of the ☁️💙☁️ sky while noticing its details; pull an oracle 🃏 card and reflect on its meaning within your life; jot notes about your day, your 🪄 wishes and/or your 🚨 vents; a quick 📝 chronicle of the moon phases and weather on a monthly 📆 calendar; a one-line journal … there are lots of possibilities, Braveheart. 😊
The focus in developing a right brain planning practice is to see our living as ongoing—a timeline [days within years; years within a lifetime].
- To resist the urge to allow a “bad day” or a “bad week” to become a filter—a lens—that limits our ability to hope and live differently.
- Easing away from a performance-based valuation of self-worth; cycling like the moon and exploring so-called irregularity (stops and starts) as a cycle of wholeness.
Right brain planning is an opportunity to allow our journals to be our “planners”—elevating expression and desires over expectations and shoulds. Space to tell our stories.
Right brain planning is a way to foster our sense of identity, of chronicling our phases as we trust our pace and learn that embracing the process of a creative practice enhances our ability to live authentically.
- Use the art in the download below to create cards to use as prompts + reminders for your creative practice:
Thank you kindly for your presence here, Braveheart. 💗
I appreciate your interest and support.
~love & good wishes~
⭐️ I am an artist and curator; I am one who communicates with color, found words and collage, inky marks and doodles as I cycle like the moon (as my calendar), chronicling oracles and abiding with the sky as a meditation.
Artist’s Statement 😊🔮🔎📝🖌️🎨❤️📊
⭐️ I host creative communities, safe spaces for gathering and sharing. I choose love and creativity for coping with the ongoing challenges of this world and I go to work—not because everything is fine but because I believe art heals.
❤️ Braveheart, as the Creator/Artist of Right Brain Planner I am ever-grateful to have the opportunity to share my creative work online + support other creators! 🎉 For almost 20 years I have had the privilege of sharing my art and writing about right brain planning while also hosting kindred 👭🏽💞👭 communities. ✨ I consider it an absolute 🤸 delight to continue this portion of my creative 📝🖌️✂️🫧 work (even as I retire from full-time work).
- This is possible, in part, by {you} and your presence here. (Thank you!) 💗 But also because of the support of my Ko-fi patrons and the other member/subscriber communities I host (via their presence, input and paid subscriptions). 🫶
- 💁🏻♀️ Other ways to support my work: ❤️ continue to read this blog + follow me on Instagram. 📲
If you already have your own system of creative journal-planning, but are interested in financially supporting my creative work, you may do so by making a donation:
- Make a one-time contribution in any amount via [this link]. (Thank you!) ❤️