As I did the doodles, it really gave me a lot of insight into the way my thought patterns work:
1. I was inspired by spring and my new neon pen set, so I created “Poppyhead with Butterfly Nose.” She reminded me of how I wish I had the energy and motivation for creating a nicer yard. I am not a fan of yardwork, so I never seem to get around to turning my yard into a peaceful oasis. This always produces feelings of guilt and frustration…
2. Feelings of guilt and frustration lead to thoughts of wanting to sooth these feelings. This leads to a child-like place inside me that wants to be comforted with sweets. (in this case: cupcakes) So this one is called “Cupcake Cutie.”
3. If I sit with the feelings of guilt and frustration (rather than burying them under cupcakes) I soon realize how fragile I am. I have been through a helluva lot lately. I won’t go into all that now, but suffice it to say I feel vulnerable and easily-hurt. When I go out into the world, I almost always return home with emotional bruises. The world can feel like a sharp and painful place at times like these, making me wish I could wear a caution cone on my head to warn the world of my fragility. This one is called: “Caution: Handle with Kid Gloves.”
4. When all of the guilt and vulnerability falls away, I am reminded of my dream to write books. And even though I am close to 50 and still haven’t officially written a book, I have no choice to continue, because this is my dream. It’s what gives my life meaning. So this one is called: “Never, never, never give up.”
This was a really fun and illuminating exercise that I would recommend to anyone who wants to go deeper into their thought processes. It shines a light on where our thoughts go when we are not conscious of them, providing a rare glimpse into the inner workings of our emotional triggers.
If you would like to check out more of Kristin Dudish and her work, you can find her here: http://kristindudish.blogspot.com