Inspiring self in the care with creative embodiment
‘Activities of Daily Laughter’ is a set of activities created to inspire self-exploration experiences within our everyday activities. Combining who we are with what we want, by expressing, reflecting and projecting our perspective, activates our inner strength and energy. This vitality sustains our personal momentum throughout the changes and choices of supportive self-care.
Laughing is any expression of our emotions through our bodies, letting ourselves and others know how we feel. Guided by our intuition, awareness and experience, creative embodiment brings us to project our personal self-care practices within our independent and supported activities of everyday life. For details, visit the source.
Whether at home, in the neighbourhood, or throughout the community, journey through a day in your life. Expressing our experiences could be through visualization, talking, writing, drawing, making sounds, dance… Reflecting on our experiences could be done on our own or with close friends, family, community members… Projecting our expected experiences to ourselves and to others provides the possibilities for preferred self-care.
Feel free to begin with a full body scan, guided imagery to turn our minds towards our bodies. This is offered by Joan Halifax Roshi on page nineteen of Mindfulness Meditations of Being with Dying.
Before you begin…
To animate this set of activities, read one through then take a deep breath. Take your time to imagine how you would do it differently. Try it out! Then try another!
As we continue adding expressive reflections to our everyday activities, we naturally begin to project creativity. What possibility can I bring into this self-care task? We begin to explore and enjoy our experiences through our bodies while creating the possibilities we can turn to in our everyday lives. Balancing change with choice is an art, just like wisdom. It’s a creative being that uses time-space-body experiences in new, exciting and rewarding ways.
There’s no right or wrong way and there’s no one way to do it. Please feel free to send your reflections to the creative co-pilot below for personalized possibilities moving forward.
Stephanie Butchart
TEM Founder and Inspiration Lead
stephanie@theellismethod.com
Laughing at Home
Experiencing our everyday lives through our bodies at home includes all our immediate surroundings. How we interact with our most intimate spaces shows us where we could use support, and how. Home sweet home brings the feeling of comfort, ease, and warmth. How can we re-create this experience through our bodies while moving around each day? Reflections to bring about desired experiences at home could be…
I wake up, what time is it?
How would I like to feel?
What would I like to do first?
Does this activity wake me up with something to look forward to?
I move around, where do I go?
How would I like that to feel?
What do I do when I’m there?
Does this activity give me something that I enjoy doing each day?
I’m hungry, what could there be to eat?
How would I turn food in the fridge into a meal to enjoy?
What would I like to do after eating?
Does this activity offer me pleasure with each mealtime?
No plans, what would I like do today?
How would this make me feel?
What would I need to do this?
Does this activity provide a positive possibility within my reach?
Big plans today, what would I do to get ready?
How would I like to feel as I prepare?
If I’m in a rush, what’s important to still do?
Does this activity ensure all that I need before going out into the world?
Laughing Out and About
Experiencing our everyday lives through our bodies in our neighbourhood includes all our chosen environments. How we interact with the spaces we often visit shows us where we could use support, and how. Home sweet hood brings the feeling of belonging, fluidity, and connection. How can we re-create this experience through our bodies while moving around each day? Reflections to bring about desired experiences in the neighbourhood could be…
I need something, where do I go?
How do I get there?
What do I do while I’m there?
Does this activity encourage me to fulfill a complete task?
Now would I go back home or keep moving?
Where would I go for enjoyment?
How does it feel when I’m there?
Does this activity motivate me to participate in community life?
There’s an emergency, what do I do?
How would that be different than at home?
Who could I reach out to in my area for support?
Does this activity provide me with the necessities to feel safe and secure?
Where would I like to go but haven’t?
How would it feel to take the risk?
When I get back home, what qualities stand out to me?
Does this activity offer me comfort when moving in and out?
Someone is coming over, how does that feel?
What do I do to prepare?
How do I like my home to feel?
Does this activity relay who I am to the world around me?
Laughing Around Town
Experiencing our everyday lives through our bodies within our world includes all our shared climates. How we interact with the different areas we go to shows us where we could use support, and how. Home away from home brings the feeling of accessibility, inclusion, and adaptability. How can we re-create this experience through our bodies while moving from place to place? Reflections to bring about desired experiences while travelling my hometown could be…
I’m going pretty far, how would I get there?
How does it feel to organize this trip?
When I return, would I have more to carry?
Does this activity carry me through life in a way I enjoy?
There’s something I need to pay for, how would I?
How does it feel to exchange with someone?
Would a spontaneous purchase bring me more or less freedom?
Does this activity allow me to feel at capable in handling finances?
I’ll be out for a while, what would I need to do?
How do I feel when I care for myself in public places?
What would I prepare to feel my best far from home?
Does this activity give me the feeling of comfort throughout my time away?
I’ve got to reach somebody, what’s the best way?
What places can I trust to help me if I need it?
How do I feel about reaching out to those around me?
Does this activity provide me with opportunities when changes arise?
My ride is late, how would I spend my time?
I can’t wait till I’m home, what would I do first?
How do I feel when I return from a trip?
Does this activity give me reassurance of a successful time away from home?
If you’re self-care practice is not meeting your expectations, whistle our way and together we’ll find the way to creative embodiment you dream of.
