Do you have a hobby in your recovery? Hobby is a simple word that covers so much ground because it can be anything. It’s a passion that lights you up and brings meaning to your life. Having a passion gives you an outlet for your curiosity, your creativity and self expression, and it is one of the cornerstones of mental health. What do you love right now? What did you used to love before life got in the way? Kids who love sports, theatre, music, science, reading have a why. Why am I excited about getting up in the morning, going to school or getting work. We know how hard recovery is because getting healthy is more than just not doing something harmful to myself. It’s recovering joy and wellness. In recovery, especially, it’s important to have a passion, and it doesn’t matter what your passion is. Our spiritual psychologist, Jude Weber explains how she got started creating her wonderful affirmation cards and candles.
By Jude Weber It wasn’t until I was well into my recovery from a food disorder, that a new form of creativity began to speak to me through my dreams. When I was down and out, I needed something strong and meaningful to pull me forward so that I could keep moving on through the rough days. One of the biggest golden nuggets was getting clear about my “why.” Why was it important for me to keep going? That “why,” became etched inside as a desire to one day, be able to use my life in service to inspiring others. I had no idea what that would look like, though I just remember my daily prayer, pleading to please use my life for greater good!
During one of my darkest health-challenged days, I had to find a way to bring calm to my nervous system. I decided to make (what I then called) a collage, cutting out words from magazines and designing short poetry pieces on paper, then adding colorful images. I got so lost in the moment, which led to hours. As I looked at what I had created, I vividly recall feeling so much delight. Almost a close second to ice cream! I could remember feeling energy pulsating through my body with excitement, while my mind began to juggle creative ideas. It was an unfamiliar feeling in recovery. Yet, I found myself still challenged by the limiting beliefs. This inner conflict that “It wasn’t productive,” vs. “Giving myself permission to experience joy,” after all the struggles I had endured.
Before recovery, I had learned to tolerate living in mediocrity. I imagine on the outside, I was considered highly functioning in what appeared to be a life well-lived. However, functioning, in those days, was “good enough.” On paper, I had wonderful jobs, great girlfriends, my fair share of romantic relationships, lots of traveling, and a fabulous wardrobe.
There was no evidence to me that my behaviors of binging, purging, and starving myself did not match what was visible on the outside. In fact, I didn’t even know that I was pretending to love the life I was living because there was so much more life seeking to emerge. The desire to express myself and feed my soul was in a state of deprivation. As long as I was engaged in eating disorder behaviors, my waking life couldn’t possibly hear what I was yearning for inside. I was too busy obsessing about if I was thin enough, because if I was…then, fill in the blank. I had yet to discover that longing inside and all the while it went undiscovered, I was living in a gap, silencing my own aliveness.
Once I was in recovery, the gap began to narrow because now I had some emotional capacity and a building toolbox to regulate myself, while exploring what truly would feed my soul. Organically, I was called to write as I had written poetry since I was nine years old, and thought to rekindle Arts and crafts as it was the rare joyful gem in my childhood. Every now and then, as an adult, I imagined creating words with art. As much as I enjoyed the thought, the voices in my head that I listened to most often were “It’s not productive. “ “ I won’t make money at it, I have to get serious and take responsibility, I’m an adult.” All of these limiting beliefs and misunderstandings that I bought into were a perfect recipe for me to live unexpressed, which equated to dying while I was alive.
That night, I was woken up at 3:00 am. A download of words, images, and colors flowed through my mind as if it was all laid out for me. One after the other, visions of pictures, like they were already made in my mind’s eye. When I researched all the art materials in the days that followed, the images I found, were identical to how I had seen them as the nights continued to break through my dreams. My pen began to draft these designs as an extension of my heart. Within two weeks, “Buddhaful“ was born: a handcrafted line of inspirational greeting cards and candles.
Initially, I gave them as gifts to friends because I hadn’t yet overcome the old conditioning that “being productive, “ meant struggling to work in order to earn money. Gratefully, as years went on, people requested to buy them for themselves, for clients, and as gifts.
Finally discovering what makes me feel alive, these past two years I was called to build upon that and I created “Notes-to-Self” cards and “Universal Vision Boardz,” expanding the messages that we are each magnificent expressions of life. This was the birth of “Buddhaful ….and Beyond!”
These handmade keepsakes are made infusing energy and empowerment in each message, with the intention to connect to this inherent sacredness within each of us. My greatest joy is to raise our vibration with inspiration, inviting people to live into their full expression. As we all share a common humanity, my hope Is that “Buddhaful …and Beyond” can awaken us to our true nature, reminding us that we are all Buddhaful inside.
By Jude Weber Certified and Accredited EFT Tapping Practioner and Integrative Life Coach
Copyright © 2023 Reach Out Recovery Services LLC | Terms and Conitions |. Site by Quadshot Digital