Our lives are filled with tasks we must do, have to do, should do. They rule our minds and cause us pain. Think about it -- when was the last time you felt guilty or bad because of something you didn't do but felt obligated to? And how about parties you go to that you didn't want to go to but did, and then spent the whole time miserable?

Life is a series of choices. Today, I want you to think about this: what about YOUR choice? Have you considered your OWN feelings before? Journals open us to ourselves, reveal our own feelings to us that we've been ignoring -- dive deep; your soul will be your guide and protect you from harm.

Think of all the things you should do. You should get a good job. You shouldn't "waste" your time with hobbies or play. You should take care of your family. These are all things "they" have told you to do -- but who are "they?" Why do you allow them to have such power over you?

In your journal, tell "them" that you're NOT going to listen to their rules anymore! List all the things you feel you "should" do and, with each one, release that external expectation of yourself.

Get creative. Today, I started working with markers in my journal. Since I started painting and using watercolor crayons, I felt like I couldn't use markers. But who said that? I did! And we can't truly express ourselves if we're always putting restrictions on ourselves! Let them go! You are only expected to BE TRUE. That's it.

This entry was a LOT of fun to do! After doing a layer of watercolor crayons, I took a sheet of that new die-cut scrapbooking paper and used it as a stencil for gesso....it came out SO COOL and I so want to do that again; I'll have to find some new patterns. The heads are German stamps from Teri. And then, I was like, yeah, I usually don't use cut out letters, so let's do that! And big blocks of color! And everything different and new and that I hadn't done in a long time -- or ever. Because I can do ANYTHING I WANT in my journal.