✏️🧡🖋️ Trauma Informed Coach & Comic Maker Finding a sense of safety and self, and helping others do the same, especially my fellow 🧠ADHD & ❤️CPTSD crew. Sign up to receive my resources for creative journaling and healing!
an embracing the ridiculous personal update + a doodle bingo card
Hey Reader,
My summer started off with a major milestone, then a much needed break.
Watching my oldest graduate high school and be celebrated by his friends, teachers and friends’ parents, was both vulnerable and wonderful. It really brought home to me that I’ve raised a kid who’s out in the world, connecting with others, building his own support systems. Wow.
And right after that emotional weekend I headed out to Maine for a week-long Jiu Jitsu camp. Yup - summer camp for grown ups.
That camp reminded me of something really important: Delight matters! PLAY matters!
While I was there we got a chance to add art to the walls of the dining hall, and I joined 3 other artists to make a ridiculous painting of a hotdog fighting a turtle (a joke from an very funny WWE-style event that week.) The great feelings that came with collaboration and playful art-making made me realize how much I need to keep delight and play regular parts of my life.
Jiu jitsu in an inherently ridiculous sport in which training partners try to strangle and break one another. It's mentally and physically challenging, and takes years to become even a little good. And it doesn't work without play and collaboration. The sense of play, and safety to make mistakes is what allows us to learn.
Being in a camp full of people willing to embrace this with a passion, and give themselves over to playing full-out for a week, was rejuvenating. It let me rest my overthinking brain and filled my cup with connections. Overall it has me thinking of ways to tap into delight and collaboration more often. Our joy is the truest compass towards what we love and care about. And our relationships and with others are what keeps our spirits alive.
What better ways to connect than through laughter and art? AND if you’d like some inspiration for playing with art, I’ve made a Doodle Bingo card to get you playing!
The Let’s Draw Feelings Bingo Card has 30 squares, with enough space to doodle a little picture in each one. So technically you could use it as a month-long “doodle play” challenge for yourself.
If you do, I’d love to see your bingo sheet! You can tag me on Instagram @freefalldiaries with the hashtag #letsdrawbingo.
Grab your Doodle Feelings Bingo Card and let’s play!
Happy Summer!
Alissa
Hi! I'm Alissa.
✏️🧡🖋️ Trauma Informed Coach & Comic Maker Finding a sense of safety and self, and helping others do the same, especially my fellow 🧠ADHD & ❤️CPTSD crew. Sign up to receive my resources for creative journaling and healing!
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