On my journey through Chile, I visited the fascinating houses
of poet and national hero Pablo Neruda. Stepping into his houses was almost
like entering a dream. Pablo loved ships, and many elements of his homes were
crafted to resemble the interior of a yacht: porthole windows, low and rounded
ceilings, narrow hallways and staircases, and always a view of the ocean.
One of the pictures on his wall caught my
attention; it was a collage he created, filled with the faces of people who
inspired him. Some were deceased, some alive, some fictional, some real, some
he knew intimately, some he had never met... and there was a photograph of him
in the center.
Neruda certainly had a vivid imagination,
but it served as a support system for him. I imagine he called on these people
for advice and insight when he felt stuck in a writing project, faced an important
decision, or simply felt alone.
When I returned home from my journey, I
dedicated myself to finishing my book on Mini-Retreats (to be published this fall).
Writing can be a lonely process, but one day, drawing inspiration from Pablo
Neruda, I thought about inviting my support team into my office.
I started thinking of all the people who have
inspired and supported me throughout my life. Then I thought about the powerful
places in nature that give me strength. Once I had a list of names and places,
I sorted through my personal photos and went online to track down some images of
my heroes. The Dalai Lama, Georgia O'Keefe and Maude from my favorite movie,
"Harold and Maude," were easy to find. After lots of searching, I was also able
to find images of my childhood trombone teacher and my high school choir
leader. Along with images of valued colleagues, friends and relatives, my
collage gradually took shape. Now, I have my support team with me in the office
every day!
When I feel stuck, I often throw a question
to my team. My imagination springs to life and I get the most amazing answers.
I can't tell you how many times this technique brought me new ideas and
insights.
Remember, lots of people have touched your
life - and they never really left. Their presence can still be felt in your
heart, and you can still access their wisdom whenever you wish to.
How
to Assemble Your Personal Support Team
1. Think of people who have made a positive
impact on your life. Just like in Pablo's collage, these people can be real or
fictional, people you have met and people that you have read or heard about,
people who have touched your life in childhood, adolescence or as an adult. Consider
inspiring historical figures. You can even include plants and animals that
generate good feelings for you. Select the supporters who give you the most
positive reinforcement, inspiration and stimulation.
2. Write down these names and find images
online or in your photo albums. (If you can't find a picture, you can also simply
draw their image or write their name.)
3. Select a favorite image of yourself.
4. With scissors and glue, assemble these
images with your picture in the middle.
5. When it feels complete, post your
collage in a place where you will get the most support from it. This could be
your workplace, or the space where you work on creative projects. I even carry
a miniature image of my collage in my wallet so my support team is literally
with me wherever I go.
By the way, your imaginary support team is
not a substitute for your real-life support team: your coach, friends, family,
colleagues and mentors. However, an imaginary team can be a great supplement to
your real-life supporters, providing an emotional boost and fresh ideas
whenever you need them.
Once you've built your collage and worked
with your imaginary support team a bit, I invite you to share your comments and
insights on my blog so we can learn and draw inspiration from each other.
