A Choice of Next is A Feminine Journey and self-discovery book that shares many unique and colorful paintings, stories, and poems to tell the story of Emily, who seeks to discover who she is emotionally and spiritually. Each painting is accompanied by an art-inspired story or poem, with inspirational quotes and suggestions for writing stories. Those who are interested in self-discovery, as well as professionals seeking tools to help their clients grow, will find this book inspirational and full of ideas for writing using art and stories as prompts.
A Choice of Next follows the Heroine’s Journey through the life of Emily as she re-imagines her many crossroads and pivotal moments of decision-making, uncertainty, and change. Her story demonstrates how she faces her inner dragons, shifts her perceptions of her past, and develops greater compassion for herself and others. Through re-imagining her life as a larger story, without judgment, she learns to explore and enlarge her choices, listen to her inner voice of wisdom, and make choices that eventually lead her to discover her life’s purpose.
In the end, Emily emerges from her journey stronger and more resilient than ever before. She has conquered her inner dragons and found peace within herself. Her story becomes an inspiration to others who are facing their own battles. Emily’s personal story is an example to inspire you to look at your journey as you recreate and navigate challenges at various stages, redefining your life as though you are writing a great fictional story.
Looking at your life as a Heroine who is not afraid to reimagine her life of possibilities can give you the strength and confidence to increase your choices, broaden your life story, and shift your perception of events of the past. The various art images and stories are examples of ways to metaphorically look at moments in your life from an emotional distance, without self-judgments.
While females are the main characters in the art and stories, masculine and feminine energies are present, as both aspects are in us regardless of gender. Creating an emotional balance of both your masculine and feminine sides is an essential goal of the Feminine Journey.
Some women tend naturally to be Warriors and Seekers, and some men to be Caregivers and Lovers despite their cultural conditioning. The point is for both to take their journeys in such a way as to find their own way to be male or female, and eventually to achieve a positive kind of androgyny, which is not at all about unisex, neutered behavior, but is about gaining the gifts both gender energies and experiences have to offer us. ―Carol S. Pearson, The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By
A Choice of Next can be enjoyed by those who like to play with their imagination and those who would like to explore art and stories as prompts for story writing and self-discovery. Full of suggestions and examples for getting started, you are encouraged to write or imagine your life as a fictional story to gain clarity, process emotions, and find inspiration for the path ahead.
You may find that a particular painting attracts your attention positively or negatively. In either case, you are encouraged to find personal meaning for this image and to create a fictional story, poem, or artwork. There is value in looking at what attracts and repels you—each reaction has meaning and can give you a greater understanding of yourself.
Using fictional characters or animals to tell your story allows you to avoid self-judgments while obtaining a larger view of your life. Using this book to review your life can lead to feelings of empowerment to make choices that move you forward in the direction you choose.
Each art image represents a moment in time, encouraging the expansion of imagination. Imagine what is happening now and what will happen next. The viewer becomes the storyteller; the art is simply a prompt to stimulate the viewer’s imagination. We all project meaning into art and, therefore, may experience the art differently. There is no correct meaning, nor is there the best story. Each person will have a different response to art.
A Choice of Next is organized into chapters with art and stories reflecting common stages of the Feminine Journey. Emily’s story is an example of how you can write about your own life, traveling through many crossroads but from a great distance without any self-judgment.
“Bob and I are excited to share our art and stories with you.”