What comes to mind when you hear the word cozy? I envision lots of soft fabrics, candles, nice essential oil scents, a glass of good wine or mug of tea, a good book, some beautiful yarns and fabrics to work with. Don’t you feel more relaxed just reading this list?
Many of us are pretty good at creating a cozy, welcoming environment. A place where we can feel comfortable, where our family and guests can relax.
The cozy within
What about creating that same sense of a warm welcome and comfort within? How can you create that warm, cozy feeling inside? I think creating the cozy within begins with a practice of self compassion. It is about treating yourself the same way you would treat a loved one or a friend. It is about learning to quiet the voice of self criticism and instead being your own voice of encouragement.
Writing prompt
This is an Invitation to Create from my book One Loop at a Time, the Creativity Workbook.
If you were writing yourself a love letter, a letter of encouragement and love, what would you say? What is the most loving thing you could do for yourself? How would your body move to express this quality?
Sketch or write about this.
When we have the cozy within, it is something we can access no matter what is going on in the world or our lives. Some days it may be more difficult to create, but the more we practice the easier it gets. And that’s the objective. To have the skill to draw on the cozy within when we need it most. Creating the cozy within begins with cultivating a practice of self compassion.
An invitation
My second book One Loop at a Time, The Creativity Workbook contains pages for you to write or sketch that I call Invitations to Create. If you would like to explore a journaling practice as a way of creating the cozy within and cultivating self compassion, I invite you to check it out.
As a team leader, would you like to explore more ways to cultivate an atmosphere of self compassion in your organization? At Meryl Cook Engagement by Design, I work with teams to raise engagement, relieve anxiety and get out ahead of transitions. Bringing people together to create something lasting and meaningful, while building new skill sets, is at the centre of my process. My workshops help to create the space, curiosity and sense of play needed to think outside the box and find new solutions. Connection, purpose and empowerment are outcomes you can expect for your team.
Let’s book a short conversation to discuss how to best support your team.
