I promised you a prediction … and that’s coming … but first, please allow me to share a story with you.
A few years ago when I felt that the story I was telling (living) wasn’t the one I wanted to listen to, I decided to change it.
[That’s a whole story in itself, but not for here and now!]
When I had eventually figured out my new story, I wanted to honour it in a special way – to breathe it into being with something out of the ordinary.
I’d been documenting my story through my blog and in the private pages of my beloved art journal, but I felt called to creating something specific, significant and if not sacred, exactly, then certainly something separate and special.
I created my first mixed media story book. It was the place I made quite an important declaration:
I was a mixed media beginner, not really knowing much about my own personal style – I was just delving into techniques I felt drawn to on my brief forays into the mixed media/art journal community.
I knew that I wanted a beautiful, self-contained keepsake to honour my journey to this new place – a reminder of who I was and how I had arrived here.
My mixed media skills were not extremely well-honed, and I was still finding it hard to see other people creating beautiful works of art and feeling like I did’t have the talent, skills, supplies or time to create something similar.
Nevertheless, I gifted myself the time and bought a few limited supplies that I thought I might also use in my art journaling practice.
I let go of all preconceptions about how I wanted it to look and I engaged fully in the process of creation.
I was caring for my dear mama at the time, accompanying her on her journey through terminal cancer and so it was a precious gift to myself – the time itself, the act of listening to my own story and the act of self-witnessing at a time when I was caught up in a quite different (and momentous) story line.
Here I am now …
I’m way more confident in my skills as an artist. I’ve put in a great deal of time to figure out how I can best represent myself through my art.
I know the answers to questions about my personal colour palette and symbolism without any hesitation and I’m also integrating it my many years of experience with the psychology of self.
This is all leading my art in a whole new direction – miles and miles away from that first story book.
But that book remains very precious to me. I regularly pick it up and touch each of the pages, recalling each of the moments contained within.
“When we are seen by the heart we are seen for who we are.” Rachel Naomi Remen
I think we all need to share our story – each of us needs to be seen and to be heard. That’s why I created the I Am, I Am, I Am mixed media adventure to create your own story book workshop.
But we each have a different and unique approach to telling our stories.
Knowing this, I spent a couple of days working with my husband, Martin (CEO of personality psychology company PeopleMaps), to produce a co-written mini personality report which looks at just some of the ways your personality might affect how you approach the telling of your story.
Time for my prediction!
I’d love for you to check out what we came up with – it’ll take less than a couple of minutes. Don’t forget to let me know what you think of the results in the comments!
Well, I guess I answered the questions wrong! My result said that I don’t indulge in too much introspection – my husband might say that I indulge in too much! Always looking inwards and not seeing beyond the end of my nose! I’m really looking forward to this journey – like you, hoping that it will help me find my place. Can’t wait for it to start!
Oh, it’ll be interesting to see what the report in the course reveals about you, Karen – and whether you agree! Thanks for the feedback – look forward to sharing the class with you 🙂
Spot on!
Would love to join your I am, I am, I am workshop.
Living in SA makes it impossible at this stage.
Only realising now that it is online! Woohoo!!!!
Same as Karen B – I guess the fact that it’s broad brushstrokes will miss the mark for a few people. I would definitely say I’m introspective and I certainly discuss deep feelings and emotions with others, though I’m very careful of my audience. I’ve already signed up for the course (a couple of months ago) and I am highly unlikely to share the results with more than 2 or 3 extremely close people, maybe not even them. This is purely for me. So I wouldn’t be too worried about expressing my emotions, more about how do I access them and express them in this way. I’ve been loving the mandala course and seeing how some very deep stuff comes out when I just go with the flow – I have played a little with mixed media and really struggle with it, but I am curious to see if learning some techniques helps with that.
Very much looking forward to sharing the class with you Tamsyn – thanks so much for the feedback! xo
I found the test results to be right on for me. Fascinating.
Glad to hear it Kate – thanks for the feedback!
Yes, the prediction was right on the mark. I also really enjoyed the format of the test. It probably highlighted only one side of my personality, but it’s a strong side.
I think we’re all made up of each of the types, Nadine – it’s mostly about the percentage distribution! Thanks for the feedback!
So…that was cool. I am so intrigued…I want to dig in deeper.
Brilliant, Deb – just what I was hoping 🙂
This is a fun thing to do Julie. I used to do the Myers Briggs profiling in another life! Love how inventive you are at creating curiosity for your offerings. Looking forward to the course.
Thanks Margaret! Like Myers Briggs, PeopleMaps is based on Jungian personality theory, but it was specifically designed for the internet over ten years ago. I find it fascinating – and it’s super easy to integrate into my work, which is a bonus!
It said I am unlikely to reveal anything personal to those you know, and certainly not to strangers – not true I can’t keep secrets and tell all sorts of personal stuff to people my hubby wished I wouldn’t.
You have an excellent poker face and give little away about your true feelings – not true as my face gives the game away and why I can’t tell lies.
You also find bragging a big turn off – yes from others but can brag myself.
But – you are big on introspection with a very busy internal life – yes I over analyse stuff.
Although, you would not see the point in sharing your story in a book format for others to read – wouldn’t mind.
Thanks for the feedback, Anne – it’s an interestingly mixed bag, hey?
Totally opposite for me I’m afraid. It said I would have no qualms about sharing and would be excited to know what everyone thought. I very rarely share any of my work and if I do it’s always under a false name so people I know don’t know it’s me!
Oh, that’s interesting, Leigh. I wonder if you would arrive at the same answers if you re-did the questionanaire?
Happy to indulge myself in the test for a bit of fun but art, at this level, is all a bit too introspective for me. Brilliant idea for a business though ….people so love to contemplate their belly buttons and if you can do it in colour and persuade people its meaningful by coming up with an ‘artwork’ as a result then that is just brilliant !
Thanks for the feedback, Melinda. Introspection isn’t for everyone! Each individual will certainly find their own meaning in any art they produce.
Yes, simple and fun to take a pretty much right on the mark in describing how I would and would not proceed with this lovely adventure. It will be taking on one more thing at one of the craziest times of my life (moving!), but by the goddess, I’m going to travel along with you, as it has been such a pleasant journey in the Mandala course!
So happy to have you join in Kristin, especially with everything that’s going on – don’t worry – the class will be available until the end of December! xo
Wow! I think it’s just about right, how intriguing.
So pleased you liked it, Nicola – I love this bit of my work 🙂
I didn’t get beyond the requirement to enter my email! Which is no doubt a story of mine in itself 😉 It was interesting to look at the questions though – I could see I would have answered v differently at other times to now. I guess we keep moving through different chapters.
I think we definitely do, Joanna. I’d hazard a guess that stopping at the entering of your email could have been written in your personality report!
yeah, sounds about right, always leave the door half closed… you never know what’s on the other side…
Or perhaps take a look through the peephole! 😉
That was really helpful Julie! As Nadine said, I could feel how I was highlighting one side of my personality as I answered the questions, however the results have totally hit the nail on the head in terms of what I’m needing to move through/beyond at the moment. Thank you! x
Glad you found something useful in there, Lindsay! xo