So, you all know how my creativity, art and spirituality goes hand-in-hand. I've spoken about the feminine archetypes and how I relate to them, and I've recently spoken about the Queen archetype on one of my Facebook lives...
But one of the archetypes that has really drawn me in is the wild woman. She’s strong, mysterious and creativity flows through her veins - and she's screaming at me to embody her more.
If you don't know much about the feminine archetypes, we’ll be discussing each of them at some point on the blog, and I also do regular Facebook lives that coach you to live your life more freely, creatively and spiritually. So, the wild woman is exactly how she sounds. She is mystic, spiritual, healer and freedom seeker. She’s in all of us too, as unique to us as our souls are while still sharing overarching resemblances that’ll help you identify and embrace her.
The keyword for me that makes me feel like I want to get to know my wild woman more is ‘free’. We all want to be free in some capacity - especially when society can be so stifling!
I’ve found that embodying and embracing her can have a real ripple effect in both your art and your life. She knows her own mind, thoughts and passions and goes after them without giving a damn about what other people think. She trusts her intuition and her gut. She sounds pretty amazing, right?
There’s a mantra I love when I’m in situations where I need to remind myself to embody her:
"I do not perform, I dance to the beat of my own drum."
The wild woman threatens our societal construct in the best way, and scares those who put it in place and hold it there. She breaks free from the chains of societal norms and expectations of 'woman' and 'femininity', and reclaims those words to mould them into what they mean for her, not what they mean for someone else. She's unpredictable, untamable and trusts and knows her mind and intuition so well, and that can be rare to see nowadays. People who embody her really go against the grain and, in all truth, won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s not a bad thing - you’re not losing anything if you’re losing people who wouldn’t have shared your fundamental beliefs anyway.
She can be the hardest to embody because it's ingrained in our psyche, even ingrained in our DNA to conform, to keep our eyes to the ground - as women, to be seen and not heard. While society and feminism are making huge leaps forward, it's still far from perfect, and almost every woman battles with that internal tug of war between:
"I want to be free, I want to be unapologetically me"
and
"I don't want to rock the boat, because the waves will only come back to splash me."
The best way to be 'unapologetically me'? Have someone show you the goddess inside. Find yourself on my completely comfortable, empowering and totally freeing A Goddess Within photoshoot, where we celebrate ALL women!
I’m currently reading ‘Burning Woman’ by Lucy H. Pearce. Let me tell you, this book speaks to my soul. It’s about the person inside of us that burns to come out, and it’s about how we can fight against the society that throws water on her to dim her flames and stamps on her to put her out. The things we’ve been told to hide about ourselves, the things that aren’t right, aren’t ladylike - our passions, our sexuality, our creativity, our intelligence, our burning fury and rage at centuries of injustice, our loud laughter, our
eating with our hands, food all over our faces, our naked bodies and which shapes are acceptable to show, which pieces are acceptable to show, as if we are made to be looked at until we’re no longer enjoyable and then, we are disposable.
And talking of burning women, the last ‘witch’ burned alive on record was 1811 - really not that long ago - but modern witch hunts still happen to this day all around the world. Women are constantly being targeted and hounded for embracing the parts of ourselves we are told not to. Some of us, I think, even suffer with witch wounds. It’s in our DNA to conform - if you're seen as different, as a threat to the societal constructs, you'd be burned - and it's not so different from this for women in some places around the world even now. It's scary to be ourselves completely, and we definitely have some residual fear left from the mass persecution of women for centuries. If you want to know more, Jessica DaSilva talks about it in an easily digestible, informative way, and even helps you recognise any witch wounds you might have.
The Wild Woman is a threat to some people.
Yes, it is. And embodying this will lose some people around you - but kind of like deadheading a flower, you're only losing negative influences that would've drained you, and you'll grow stronger and more beautiful for it. The people that stay, encourage you, enjoy you and your company - they're the people who you really want in your life. No more living in boxes, confines or expectations anymore.
It's okay to act out (as long as it's in the best interest of us and those around us). I know, everything we’ve ever been taught would strongly disagree, but it is okay to act out.
I've been told I'm "multi-passionate" - so I've got a thousand ideas buzzing around my head, basically! It's taken years of trying different processes to finally be able to pick an idea, refine it and realise it into something physical and real. I'll be starting creative coaching sessions soon for issues like this, and others artists often face, so if you'd like to get some insight into how to tap into that inspiration and make art, send me an email to emma.joyousmisfit@gmail.com with the subject line "Creative Coaching Info" for all the info - no obligations!
So, after months of back-and-forth with myself, I listened to my wild woman and, y'know, started two businesses in the middle of a pandemic, as you do! Then, I took the step to doing what my soul is truly telling me to do full time, and left my post as a primary school teacher. All these big, scary decisions seem all snapping teeth and red eyes, the sort of decisions you don't go near for that exact reason - until you let your wild woman take the reins and watch as she tames them, and then you realise those decisions were never beyond you, it was just your perception of them.
Hopefully, through my blog, Facebook & Instagram posts and videos, classes, courses and art, I can help do the same for you.
So, ask yourself this:
Is your inner wild woman trying to speak to you?
Is there a piece of your soul shaking at the cage walls, screaming for freedom? Or even, is she whispering in the back of your mind, just loud enough for you to hear?
Have you got that craving to be more wild?
Are you craving wildness, adventure, nostalgia for a way of life, a way of doing things or even a way of being that calls to you, tugs at your soul? Is there a passion you want to follow or explore? A vein of gold you want to chip away at? Maybe you want to try some adrenaline-filled you've always been too scared to. Maybe you're looking at side hustles, new business ideas, new hobbies. Maybe you're branching out to new people, building on your skills and talents or creating something amazing.
Have you forgotten who you are?
It sounds silly but it's so easy to forget who you are. We get caught in up work, family, everyday life that we tend to forget we're an entire person with our own thoughts, feelings, wants, needs, passions and callings. Sometimes it calls for self-reinvention, sometimes you just need to remind yourself who you are. A few months ago, I made a real effort to remember who I was, and it felt like I was starting from scratch as I got to know myself again. That's your inner wild woman calling you.
Are you listening to your intuition?
Your inner-knowing, or intuition, screams at you sometimes, tries to point you in a direction that can sometimes make NO SENSE whatsoever! And that's because we're not so used to doing things just because we want to. But I'll tell you what - most of the time, it's right, and you've got to listen to it. Because that's the innermost you trying to direct you, and you've just forgotten how to listen to her.
Do you want to be in and around nature more?
I miss being a kid, and not having those inhibitions of what is and isn't socially acceptable. I'd stand there in torrential wind and rain and just feel it. I've had that craving a lot recently - that toes dug into the soil, head up to the heavens as the rain lands on my skin, wind through my clothes, rustling the trees and the wind chimes feeling, embracing mother nature and everything she has to give. I miss that so much as an adult! Oh, to be a kid again, right?
Do you want to say "sod it!" to the rules?
Feeling a bit... rebellious? Throwing etiquette out the window? Ignoring social norms and expectations? Going against the grain? Questioning the things that actually aren't right, but we don't tend to question because it's so deep into society it's like we don't even see it? (I'm looking at YOU, makeup and clothing expectations for women in the workplace!)
Have you stopped looking everywhere but yourself for 'the answer'?
Now, "what's the answer?" I can hear you muttering to your screen. Well, I don't know. I don't even know the question! But your wild woman just might. A big part of embracing her is just listening. You might find 'the answer' - WHATEVER that means for you - much closer than you realise.
Are you living creatively?
This is a big one for me. Art is my soul's calling, you all know this. Anyone who calls themselves a creative misfit will feel this, too. In some form or another, creativity is an important part of your life. Don't just think drawing or painting, either! Art and creativity can express itself in a million different ways.
The wild woman loves creativity. She's vivacious and loves anything full of colour and brightness, or full of life-ness! One book I’ve been reading that I’ve felt has really amplified my creativity is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. It empowers me to be vibrant and loud in my art, unafraid to make a statement.
I’ll show it from the rooftops for forever: LIVE CREATIVELY! Let it flow from you, show people, be proud of what you create, share it, enjoy it, play with colour and shapes and statements and messages.
I didn’t realise it until I did it, but a big part of my art for me is wholly embracing my wild woman. Here are 5 things I did (and do) every day to embrace her.
- Spend time alone. Yep, really! It's hard to listen to our inner selves when there are a thousand things going on around us, different voices and opinions and influences. Walk through nature, stand in the torrential rain, drive to the beach and watch as the tide comes and goes, meditate, paint and draw - whatever brings you enough peace to slow things down a bit and listen.
- Step away from technology. Oh my goodness, I can't stress this one enough. Because my business is online, (and a lot of my network and peers I love to keep up to date with and keep in contact with) I find myself surrounded by technology a lot. But, it can also depress us. It can be addictive, we can see news or articles or headlines that drag us down, we judge ourselves based on how 'perfect' others' lives happen to look, and we never seem to be totally happy with ourselves when surrounded by technology or social media.
So, every day, make a conscious effort to step away. A great technique to start with is by not picking up your phone when you first wake up. Instead, get up, shower, have something to eat, go outside and say hello to the birds, feed the pets (and the children!) BEFORE you look at your phone. I promise you'll feel lighter for it!
- Go out in nature. Something your wild woman will be craving, and will thank you greatly for. Nature is such a magical healing power. Just sitting, listening to the orchestra of birds singing and brooks bubbling and beetles scuttling, being grounded and present and reminding yourself of how beautiful this world is, and how lucky we are to be in it.
-Taking notice of how energy shifts. I'm very spiritual. Oracle cards, tarot decks, crystals, I've got it all - and I'm very in tune with how energy shifts, especially the lunar cycles. You might find that there are certain times where your wild woman is just calling you to express her - you might need to do something physical and work it out. A few weeks ago, I had this anger building up, (I don't even know why!) and I had to get it out. I poured some paint onto a palette, got my hands in it and just let everything I was feeling flow out, onto the canvas. And guess what? It's an amazing piece - all because I embraced my wild woman!
- Speak your truth. Being authentically YOU. Trusting your gut, sharing your opinions, believing what you believe. It can be very anxiety-causing at first - I know this first hand! Starting my Facebook page, putting myself and my vulnerability out there, filming Facebook lives and interacting with you all - when I first started, it was damn scary! But the more I do it, the more I love it, and the more I feel I get to know myself.
When you feel that energy building, let it out. Shout, scream, go out in a storm, paint, draw, dance to music - feet pounding, head swaying, hair whipping kind of dancing. Say it out loud. I'd even encourage you to say it out loud if you're around other people, because the wild woman wouldn't care what society thinks! Mutter it under your breath, or repeat it in your head:
"I am the wild woman, and the wild woman is me. I do not perform; I dance to
the beat of my own drum."
Now say it again.
"I am the wild woman, and the wild woman is me. I do not perform; I dance to
the beat of my own drum."
Don't just say it, though - really believe it. She's in all of us, and she's different for all of us - because SHE is YOU!
So, do yourself a favour this week and listen to her! What's she saying? Put it in the comments below, I'd love to know what your wild woman is thinking!
If you haven’t already, join our group of Creative Misfits on Facebook - a bunch of supportive creatrixes sharing our art, our experiences and just having a good time.
Can’t wait to see what you’ve been cooking up after embracing your wild woman!
Talk soon,
Emma x
P.S: Don’t forget, you can book yourself onto a 1:1, an art course or class, book your kids into the Co-Create or Let's Create classes all over on the website.