Often, actors are advised to journal about the characters they play to understand who they are when nobody is looking.
The grounding quote in this month’s Dear Mango Reflection Session was from Frida Kahlo:
This past weekend, I asked a room of people to imagine and write.
One of the three prompts was:
Create your own alter ego who is a bold and fearless version of yourself. Write about what they do, say, or accomplish that you might hesitate to do now. Give it a name. Write about how you can channel this energy in your daily life.
I told them that by describing a character outside of you, you hold it at a distance to examine it. Do you know what we all had in common?
Each person described someone they are already becoming. Sometimes we can spend so much time working on ourselves that we forget who we are. One of the many gifts of writing prompts is to remember who you are. And remind yourself that you do not need permission to be who you are.
We know what drains us. We write it down and then get surprised to see it on paper. As if the paper made it more real than we did. Similarly, we know what we want. In a ten-minute free write exercise, it can pour out of us onto the page. Then be genuinely surprised that the person we invented was not a stranger at all, but someone we have been building toward brick by brick.
We know what we need. And then we put it at the bottom of the list. Sometimes, even bury it.
We can treat our own well-being like a reward for finishing everything else. Rest when the work is done. Play when the obligations are complete. Create when you feel ready. The version of yourself who is bold, joyful, and alive when you have finally sorted everything out. But you are not a reward. And neither is your rest.
Rest looks different for everyone. It can be literal stillness. It can be yoga. It can be walks with your spouse on a Sunday morning. It can be playing music while you write. Your well-being is not one thing. And it is not a destination. It is the practice of returning to yourself when the list is not finished.
Give yourself permission to remember who you are.
Reflection Prompt
Create your own alter ego who is a bold and fearless version of yourself. Write about what they do, say, or accomplish that you might hesitate to do now. Give it a name. Write about how you can channel this energy in your daily life.
An Invitation
Dear Mango Reflection Sessions bring together a small group of people for guided writing, honest conversation, and the kind of community that helps you hear yourself more clearly. Our next session is on May 31st. The topic is defining your success. Register here.
If you are interested in one-on-one support, private coaching is available. You can book a free consultation here.
Dear Mango Podcast, Episode 3 is out now. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Join the Dear Mango community email list here.
Know your worth, and never trust anyone who tells you you are not worth what you have worked for.
