Return to You: Creativity, Identity, and the Art of Being Yourself🎧Episode 63

🎧 Episode #63 Return to You: Creativity, Identity, and the Art of Being Yourself

What does it mean to be true to yourself? It’s often a question that we ponder at pivotal points in our lives, especially during midlife. In this episode, I explore what it means to be yourself creatively, authentically, and with greater self-awareness.

For inspiration, there’s poetry and a discussion of the role of mindfulness in living authentically. I also discuss an inspirational quote by Allen Ginsberg. It’s his iconic advice to writers (but it applies to all creative beings – which is all of us in one way or another). “Follow your inner moonlight, don’t hide the madness.”

This episode is an invitation to reconnect with your creative voice, listen to your inner wisdom and make time and space for the parts of yourself that you value most and want to be seen. Check out the journal prompts to help you reflect on Ginsberg’s quote in more depth and reconnect with your creative voice and what it’s trying to tell you about how to live.  

💭Key Takeaways from this Episode:

• Identity is fluid & evolving. Life transitions—such as midlife, family caregiving, menopause, and other shifts—naturally change how we perceive ourselves. We get to decide what we want to embrace and what we want to change or refine, and we can make tweaks to our daily routines to include what’s important to us.
• Creativity can be trusted to reveal your authentic self. Creative arts and hobbies—writing, poetry, music, art, collaborative work projects—help you problem solve, explore and relate to the world in ways that are unique to you.
• Mindfulness grounds our self-discovery. Pay attention to your body’s wisdom by checking in with your body during mindful moments. Your heart (and sometimes your gut) will tell you what feels right (and most aligned to your identity).
• Follow your inner moonlight. Allen Ginsberg’s quote, “Follow your inner moonlight, don’t hide the madness,” is a wonderful reflection to ponder when pursuing your creative projects.
• Journaling brings insight. Whether you use the journal prompts here or write free-flowing thoughts, your words will serve as a guide to what matters most to you. Change often starts on the page, and then slowly we move in new directions (hopefully ones that align with what’s most important to us).

Well, who am I?

By Jill Hodge

Well, who am I if I’m not writing in rhyme?
Why then, a lesser version of myself
A stifled voice clinging on a dying vine
For it’s afraid of what it knows

And if my thoughts don’t have a way out,
Floating on a beat, sailing on a beautiful ocean
The rhythms cascade like waves, they dance
Why then, I’m a lesser person than I was before
As I age, so I ripen in a garden overflowing,
But I want more

Well, who am I if I’m not listening to the blue jay that soars
Above me and over the green grass of a mighty city park
That I have recast, as only my eyes can,
into a smoky landscape, the urban moors

And in the distance, there are dragons and fire, for sure
But they lock and pop, pulse and sway on a checkered dance floor
Under cover of moonlight, past a red velvet rope
and behind a black, steel door of long-forgotten hope

Well, who am I if I’m not thinking about who I am
Why then a lesser version of myself
My growth leads down a path that’s never scolding or rigid
It’s lined with daisies as cobblestones radiate over bridges

And so I bathe in the beat, play with the rhymes,
See what I can see and say what I can say.
Oh beautiful trees, free-flowing streams, time goes fast
And I recall the true moments on a crowded dance floor
In a checkered past

I see myself in all these things,
They whisper sweet nothings in my ear
And in the feeling of just right, to my heart it clings
I feel nearer to myself, yes, near and clear

And then the beat reminds me too of everything that’s dear
Synced to my heartbeat, my hips they flair
And I remember what it’s like, the music loud,
I wouldn’t have it any other way, nothing compares
The sound builds up, it’s full of bass, and I recite my daily prayers

Journal Prompts to Explore Your Inner Moonlight and Unique Brand of Madness

Here are some journal prompts to explore your inner moonlight and unique brand of madness as you reconnect with your authentic self. Write or reflect on these questions:

“Follow your inner moonlight, don’t hide the madness.” Share it widely, and let it guide you to your most authentic self. Take some time to be yourself and enjoy your interests. For if an activity really lights you up, why then, you are about to enjoy the glorious rewards of living on the bright side of the beat.🌞

Podcast Music: My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and have the courage to put it out into the world. All music and sound effects for my podcast are sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.

Songs in this podcast episode: Glide by JMPSCR; Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World

Related Episodes:

Creative Flow: Self-Care That Matters (Episode #21)

Affirmation Meditation: Cultivate Creative Flow (Episode #22)

Check out the resources on this website (and subscribe) to get podcast episodes, poems, articles, music playlists, and journal prompts delivered to your inbox.

Then, connect with me on Instagram. Let me know you hear me out there!

Journaling Resources

30-Day Journal Challenge (Writing Prompts to Get Started)

Here’s a fun & simple 30-day journal challenge for beginners (or those who need inspiration). Use the daily prompts to rediscover yourself.

Let the Verse FlowJill Hodge

Journaling 101: An Inspirational Guide to Start (or Revive) a Practice

Whether you write, doodle, draw, or keep memorable quotes, journaling uncovers YOU. Let your unconscious mind speak, download my free guide.

Let the Verse FlowJill Hodge

Let the Verse Flow (and its companion newsletter Flow & Voice) is a creative project created with love by writer, podcast host, and narrator Jill Hodge. If you subscribe today, you'll have full access to the website and newsletter, including articles, podcast episodes, and the Flow & Voice monthly note. Members are vital to building a rich community of diverse voices. Join us by subscribing today; consider a paid subscription to support Jill's work. Thank you!