Notes on having a creative practice

Ideally every day. Make a space for your practice. Sit down there daily or three times a week or whatever you decide fits in your life right now. Make it easy on yourself, especially at first. Maybe you just have the capacity to type one sentence per day, maybe a set of 12 colored pencils and a small notebook and you do one page a day. Start where you are, but show up, again and again and again.

2. Some days are mush
Some days it’s not gonna feel good, the outcomes aren’t going to be what you want. That’s the point, to show up and let it out.

3. Don’t question or judge what’s coming up and out
It’s not for you to decide whether what you make is “good” or “bad.” It’s only up to you to make it. All the disappointing days have a purpose, and that purpose is to keep going, no matter what.

4. Keep something for yourself
In the age of fast-paced social media sharing, it’s tempting to share things as soon as they happen. New work is raw and vulnerable, and you need to keep something for yourself. You don’t work for the algorithm, you work for you. So give new things space to breath and evolve. Keep a little something just for yourself. Especially when pivoting or transitioning, often your social following will not “like” the new/different things and it can be really discouraging to post and not get the response you expect. That can discourage you from following certain paths, but trust me, that path needs to be followed. So keep it for yourself until you are ready.

5. Take breaks
Make a list of all the things that bring you back to center. A walk, yoga practice, 10 deep breaths, a dip in the ocean, petting the cat for 10 minutes, a warm meal, stretching, napping. Build these breaks into your practice. It’s the “have you tried turning it off and then turning it back on again” button for your creative well-being. Everything needs a reset occasionally.

6. Do it all over again