First there was the corset (now making an interesting comeback), then there was the girdle, and now there is SPANX®.
All the ways over the centuries that women have tried to push and pull themselves into a shape that society deems attractive, proper and stylish.
Recently, I coached a number of women who took me up on my One Question, One (Tarot) Card offer to talk about their creative challenges. I heard a common theme from at least half of them.
Their creative lives were too tight, too small, too restricted.
Those women had stuffed themselves into a creative girdle meant to keep them and their work attractive, proper and stylish. 
When what their creative hearts and souls wanted was to strip themselves bare…
Of the expectations and rules that limited them. They wanted to breathe deeply and feel free to be themselves, to create as they were truly meant to create. With power and greatness.
You probably know from personal experience how those uncomfortable, confining, distorting corsets and girdles cause fear and creative blocks.
You know how hard it is to create from a place of fear. You may have experienced how trying to conform to trends, to create what is popular in the moment or worse, what will sell, is the fastest way to lacing yourself so tightly that you lose your creative breath.
We just had a New Moon in Aries, which is the first new moon of the zodiac year. Astrologer, Cathy Pagano writes about this New Moon that, “It’s time to connect with our inner warrior who will give us the courage to stand up for ourselves and our purpose.”
Ahh, the inner warrior. Just what every writer, creative or other entrepreneurial woman needs. I can’t imagine a warrior woman wearing a girdle. Can you? Armor, maybe. We all need our armor. But not girdles… or SPANX®. Maybe a corset now and then…just for the sheer outrageousness of it.
With each woman I spoke with on those calls, I heard the inner warrior struggling to be released. And I hated hearing that.
I don’t want you to feel confined. I don’t want you pushing yourself into being smaller, trying to conform or meet society’s expectations.
So, I dare you (inner warriors love dares) to…
- Take it off, take it all off… You don’t have to do it all at once. I know how comfortable and comforting those girdles can be. After all, you don’t have to think about holding your tummy in, something else does it for you. But tummies are beautiful and sexy and, well, Goddess-like. Warrior Goddess-like. And you can’t do battle for your creativity if you can’t breathe. So dare to take it off, even if you do it slowly.
- Play to your strengths… In battle, a warrior doesn’t try to use a sword left-handed if she normally uses her right. What would be the sense in that? Unless, like Jaime Lannister (Game of Thrones) your right hand has been cut off. Don’t try to excuse or make up for creative weaknesses. Play to your strengths. They are what make you unique.
- Be bold… You can’t be shy and be a warrior. You can’t wear a girdle and be bold. So make big splashes, tell naughty stories, compose wild music. Then do it again, even bigger and bolder. And see what happens to your creative life…see how the Muse responds.
Do you accept the dare? Are you ready to take off the girdle on your creativity?
Are you? Let me know when you do.