What does it mean to feel all of your feelings?

As part of my 100 days of positive self-talk, journaling and drawing, I have had fun illustrating one of my favorite pieces by Dr. Seuss over the past few weeks, “My Many Colored Days.” This post is part two. You can find the illustrations for part one here.

#Allthefeels

I was reminded of Dr. Seuss’ poem after some drawing practice one day. I was thinking about the popular hashtag #allthefeels. Whenever I think of expressing my feelings and allowing myself to deeply connect, I think of this poem and all of the ways we can feel but often don’t allow ourselves the fullness and experience of expressing them deeply – whether that is joy or grief.

Dr. Suess’ poem “My Many Colored Days” makes it okay to be different on different days. How can we not? To me, that is the depth of the human experience. We are a veritable rainbow of thoughts, feelings, emotions, beliefs, actions and ideas.

Giving yourself permission to feel

Do you ever have to give yourself permission to feel? Or remind yourself that your feelings are okay and it’s safe to express them? In the drawing about being mad I stumbled over the illustration and the writing. Getting angry or expressing anger wasn’t allowed when I was a child. There was no healthy way to express how mad or sad or frustrated I felt. It’s still not easy to give full rein to these emotions today, although I do a better job of noticing and paying attention to all the different feelings. And I make them all okay.

The healing power of expressive arts

I often use art-making, painting and collage as creative healing tools for expressing emotions. And I encourage my clients to do the same. Feelings are often beyond or without words. Finding safe, healing ways to release our pent up emotions is essential to our journey towards a fulfilled and joyful life.

That’s the most important part of this lovely poem: that in the end, our feelings pass, and we go back to being our joyful selves.

My Many Colored Days

Some days are yellow.

Some are blue.

On different days I’m different too.

You’d be surprised how many ways

I change on Different Colored Days.

On Bright Red Days how good it feels

to be a horse and kick my heels!

On other days I’m other things.

On Bright Blue Days I flap my wings.

Some days, of course, feel sort of Brown.

Then I feel slow and low, low down.

Then comes a Yellow Day and Wheeee!

I am a busy, buzzy bee.

Gray Day….Everything is gray.

I watch. But nothing moves today.

Then all of a sudden I’m a circus seal!

On my Orange Days that’s how I feel.

Green Days. Deep deep in the sea.

Cool and quiet fish. That’s me.

On Purple Days I’m sad. I groan.

I drag my tail. I walk alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But when my days are Happy Pink

it’s great to jump and just not think.

Then come my Black Days. MAD. And loud.

I howl. I growl at every cloud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then comes a Mixed-Up Day. And WHAM!

I don’t know who or what I am!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But it all turns out all right, you see.

And I go back to being…me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curious to learn more about how creative and expressive arts can support you on your healing journey? Or need support owning and celebrating your many colored days? Join me in the Sisterhood of Unstoppable Artists and Creatives on Facebook. Together we play, share, explore and nurture each other. And from Feb. 10 to 14,  I will be hosting a 5-day free “Own Your Artistry Playshop” in the group. This free playshop is for you if you are ready to claim your creativity, reconnect to play and become unstoppable. Come and play with us.