Reclaim Your Calm with the Inside / Outside Exercise
When It Feels Like You’re Falling Behind
You scroll for just a minute.
Smiling photos, big updates, curated calm.
And suddenly, without warning, a quiet voice inside starts whispering: You’re not doing enough.
If you have ever felt that drop in your chest, you are not alone.
In a world full of polished surfaces, it can be hard to stay connected to what is real.
That is what today’s creative practice is for.
A Gentle Shift Back to Yourself
This exercise invites you to explore what others see and what you carry inside.
It is not about exposing anything. It is about noticing.
Noticing how you show up in the world.
And also noticing what you might be holding behind the scenes.
In today’s video, I will walk you through a quiet drawing activity called Inside / Outside.
It is a simple, reflective way to explore how your inner and outer experiences relate. You might be surprised by how often they do not match.
Why This Practice Matters
Social comparison has been shown to increase stress, lower self-esteem, and fuel disconnection.
But reflection, especially through creative expression, can interrupt that cycle.
When you pause to create something honest, your nervous system begins to soften.
You stop performing.
You start listening.
This practice is not about fixing anything.
It is about offering yourself space to be whole, layered, and human.
What You Might Notice
As you move through the activity, you may begin to see a contrast.
There might be a brightness on the outside and something softer, quieter, or more complex on the inside.
You might feel surprised.
You might feel relief.
And you might hear a voice that has been waiting to speak.
The full practice and reflection are inside the video, waiting for you when you are ready.
A Page You Can Return To
The next time you find yourself shrinking in comparison, come back to this page.
It can be a quiet reminder:
You are more than what others see.
Your depth matters.
And your worth is not measured by performance.
You get to take up space.
Just as you are.
Want More Gentle Creative Practices?
If this spoke to you, I’d love to share more.
Each week in The Creative Shift, I offer calming prompts and creative tools to help you slow down, reflect, and reconnect with yourself.
👇 Join The Creative Shift here for gentle, creative practices that meet you where you are.
There is nothing to fix.
Just space to feel a little more like yourself again.