I’ve found that when I don’t plan, life happens to me. I might get lucky for a while, but sooner or later, things begin to feel off and disconnected. If I put it off too long, it sometimes even culminates into an existential crisis.

But how can you plan in a way that feels good? So often it’s tied to the hustle, super-productivity, and trying to fit MORE stuff into every second. 

Fixation on creating control in my schedule can take a turn into future tripping. I want to pace my life for healing and organize my time in a balanced and nourishing way.

Benefits of planning

It can help to remember that there is a lot more to gain from planning than only productivity. There are many ways it can deepen our path and help us steep in the magic of living. 

Benefits include:

• Increased creativity

• Decreased cognitive load 

• Narrows the gap between intention and action

• Increased chance that enjoyable and meaningful things will happen 

• It’s more potent than motivation alone 

• It helps you see the bigger picture

• Helps you manage stress and cope with the demands of daily life

• Provides a sense of direction

• Helps you achieve your goals

And it doesn’t have to be tedious, monotonous, or make you feel like you're failing at life.

I get excited when I reframe planning as a journey to help me discover what I love. It can be a way to craft my days to be more fulfilling. I can then use this plan to create moments of care for myself and others.

Making a plan that feels good

Over the years I’ve found some tips that actually work, and help me stay in the moment while organizing my future.

• Keep it simple. In the most stripped-down terms: you’re figuring out the when and how of your why.

• Write it down. There are many benefits to writing it by hand first. I find it prevents me from overworking because it slows me down. Plus, writing it down will reduce your chance of getting distracted by your device. Putting it on paper allows for the satisfaction of crossing it out once you’ve completed an action. I still use an online calendar to set up essential reminders, but not until I’ve handwritten it first. 

• Adjust as needed. Create a way to track your plan so you can see how it’s working for you: cross things out, tick a box, or fill in a bubble. Take time to sense how your body is responding to them. Don’t be afraid to change your plan to better align with you.

• Create rituals. Build small rituals into your schedule. This makes it easier for your body and spirit to join the intentions your mind creates. These small traditions build a path to meaning that lives outside the grind. 

• Embrace natural cues. Attaching a signal to a habit will improve implementation (i.e., when I wake up, I will think of one thing I’m grateful for). Resist the impulse to set a reminder on your phone as a cue. Instead, the natural signals of your day (or zeitgebers) are a gentler way to introduce new habits to your schedule. The benefit of this type of cue is that it’s already worked into your body’s circadian rhythm.
  
  Rely on your cues that your body already knows instead of blasting alarms to remind you of routine tasks. Save the alerts for when you need them.

• Focus on finding your rhythm instead of scheduling each minute. It’s a simple perspective that creates more space around each activity.
  

• Keep it values-driven. Focus less on achievement and more on purpose.
  

• Be gentle. Cultivate a curious instead of forceful mindset.  If at the end of the week you’ve only gotten to half of your plan, you haven’t failed. Use the information you’ve gathered to understand your ideal tempo. Permit yourself to do less.
  

• Remain present. Presence and planning for the future may feel like opposites, but they’re actually a great team. When you think of it, making a schedule is designing a framework for mindful moments. Use them together to have a more significant positive impact and improve your desired outcomes.

Live more intentionally with the Self-care Planner

Lay a solid foundation

Before your first session:

• Get clear on what is most important to you. Remind yourself in each scheduling session by writing it at the top of your calendar. (If you aren’t clear on your values, find them out in less than 15 minutes with my “Values” worksheet in my password-protected resource library. Subscribe for the password ).

• Make it special. Anything can transform into a weekly ritual if you do it every Sunday after lunch over a cup of tea and a cozy chair. (Candles, a closed door, and relaxing music don’t hurt either). Set aside about half an hour. You may not need the full time, but it’s a good starting point.

• Decide the chunk of time you’ll be addressing. For me, I like to plan for the week with a loose outlook of a month. It’s individual. Choose what feels best right now.

Your scheduling ritual

Here’s a step-by-step outline that you can apply to your next calendaring time:

1. Light a candle, grab your favorite planner, and get cozy in a chair with your favorite blanket.

2. Write down your core values at the top of the page.

3. Choose one action you can take to express your values this week.

4. Set up self-care rituals before any other events.

5. Add rituals to your calendar or a habit tracker.

6. Check-in. From time to time take a moment to see how this plan feels to you. 

7. Review. Once you’ve finished, look it over again. Does your plan align with your values? Adjust it so it does. 

8. Close the ritual. Blow out a candle, give yourself a pat on the back, or clear off your desk. Do something to show your body that you’ve finished planning for today.

Don’t obsess or try to make things perfect. Just do your best in this time you’ve given yourself. It’s inevitable that your plans will change. But now you have a compass. You’ve taken the time to dream and inject this dream into real life. You’ve given your soul a door to walk through, to enter the dimension of time.

You are the one designing this system. Treat it as a creative project, with curiosity and a willingness to break the rules (especially your own).

If you would like more guidance on creating a value-based plan you can purchase my self-care planner and get started today.

Remember: Planning is a kindness you’re doing for yourself to create a rich life filled with joy, meaning, and love. 💖

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I’ve found myself avoiding resolutions this new year. They feel so separate from the actualities of daily life and just plain not fun. Instead, I’m focusing on creating moments that are enjoyable to replicate. I’m intentionally inserting joy in the form of rituals.

The beauty of a ritual is that it’s positive, unlike resolutions that often involve planned deprivation.

Your resolution to ritual formula

It’s easy to build rituals from your well-intentioned resolutions. It involves reframing and a little magic from creative thinking. Just follow the steps below:

1. Write down your resolution.

2. Write down one or two of your key positive motivations behind it.

3. Brainstorm a few activities linked to these core motivations that you would enjoy.  Add a dash of ambiance and intentionality while you’re at it. This package will form the foundation of your ritual.

4. Link the ritual’s occurrence to something you already do regularly, like getting off work or walking your dog.

5. Now you’re ready to drop the resolution and replace it with your ritual.
   
   

Recipes for rituals

Here are some examples of swaps for some of the most common New Year’s resolutions.

Resolution: “Lose weight”

Key motivation: Health + Mindful eating

Ritual: At dinnertime, light a candle. Serve healthy whole foods on your favorite plate with cloth napkins. Take a moment of appreciation for your food. Set a timer for 20 minutes and slowly enjoy your meal without rushing. Finish your ritual meal with your favorite tea.

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Mindfulness through your senses

Resolution: “Exercise more”

Key motivation: Ease with your body

Ritual: Every Friday after work, put on your most comfortable outdoor play clothes. Go to your most treasured hike or greenspace. Walk to a resting spot that you enjoy and sit there a moment, taking in all that nature has to offer. Take off your shoes and ground yourself. Write in a pocket-sized journal about what fills up your heart about this place. Do some easy, simple stretches that feel good and head back home.


Resolution: “Get organized”

Key motivation: Peace through order 

Ritual: Every Sunday morning after breakfast, take a photo of a small area that you would like to declutter. Using a basket made of a natural material, carefully remove each item that doesn’t belong there into the basket. Set a timer for 10-20 minutes. Gently put each thing away with care, and as you do so, feel gratitude for each hardworking item. Take your after photo and then grab a cup of your favorite warm drink and admire the freshly cleared space.

Include others

Resolution: “Reach out more to family and friends”

Key motivation: Love + Community 

Ritual: Every Thursday evening, after responding to your last work message, light a candle, grab a cup of your favorite tea, and head to your favorite cozy spot. Bring your hands to your heart for a minute as you think of a person you’d like to reach. Contact them in a way that brings you joy (call, create a postcard, or write a letter). Share one thing that you appreciate about them. In a beautiful small notebook, write the name of who you want to call next week. Blow out your candle as you silently say “Thank you” for having people you love in your life.

Resolution: “Go to bed early on Sunday”

Key motivation: Soothe Sunday scaries + Rest

Ritual: Pajama party time! Each Sunday before dinner, invite everyone in your house to get ready for bed dressed in their favorite pajamas. After dinner, relax in your living room by firelight, play a game, or do tarot. When anyone feels the slightest bit tired, head straight to bed.

(We’ve had success in our house with this last one). 

There is a sort of magic that rituals cast our state of mind. Join me in trying out new habits for a more joyful transformation.

Embrace the beauty of this new year 💖

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Light has almost invisible effects on your life. While you’ve likely grown up under the glow of artificial light, it hasn’t even been common in households for an entire century. Having light so cheaply available to us after dark is a newer phenomenon in human history.

Our anciently-developed bodies have not yet evolved to adapt to the circadian rhythm disruption brought on through electric lighting (documented through the dramatic adverse health effects of shift work). 

This has certainly been true for me. I’ve gone through periods where I’m susceptible to light sensitivity (mostly artificial light, which I have slowly readapted over the years but sometimes am rudely reminded).

In the past, I needed to live in an intentionally dark world (as much as I could) due to chronic health issues, and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It had profound effects. I lost friends over it (living without light is truly a radical choice that makes you less available) and adjusted my career path. I’ve experienced what a considerable disadvantage it is to live in a world built on artificial light when you can’t use it.

Nevertheless, as much as I’ve suffered ill effects of this artificial light dependency, I love technology and the other freedoms brought by it. In fact, I enjoy it so much that I find it almost impossible now to cut it out for an entire hour each day.

It feels unmanageable to live without artificial light and screens. Anyone who has experienced a prolonged blackout knows, it can feel like your entire life (and sanity) is dependent on it.

It feeds into the modern illusion that humans are made to live an electronically powered day. The luxury of cheap electric light is so easy to take for granted. You work in front of an artificially lit screen all day and watch a different flashing screen throughout the evening without even thinking about it as a choice. The modern technology age and entire economies are built on electric light. 

I have since learned that many of my peers experience symptoms from artificial light dependency. Vertigo, migraine, light-sensitivity, headaches, eye-fatigue, nausea, and sleep disorders are very common side-effects from spending over three hours locked to a screen. And to top it off, our screen use has only become more addictive over time, dramatically shifting our social and political structure.

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The best self-care routine for fall

Access to light can be used as a way to control the hours in your day. Daylight saving time was invented as a policy to control consumer use of readily available artificial light and reduce energy consumption. The (patriarchal) thinking was, people would use the extra hours of sunlight in the evening spring through summer for activities and spending. 

This bright idea has been dimmed through scientific research showing its negative effects on the human body. Stop playing games with our circadian rhythms!

The hypothesis that there would be hours in each day where artificial light use would be reduced has not proven to be true in the case of modern energy. Instead any energy savings tend to come from decreased appliance, heating or A/C use.

What you can do this daylight saving time

I used to look forward to having an extra hour of sleep each autumn, but last year I still felt groggy well into November and heard from some friends who were having trouble adjusting too. It turns out there are health implications for messing around with your circadian rhythms even when it seems to be in your favor. 

So this year, I’m trying something new. I’ve made a daylight-saving self-care calendar to assist with a gentle transition out of daylight-saving time (that really just shouldn’t exist).

I’d love for the circadian rhythm disruption of switching times to end forever, but in the meantime, this is the next best solution. Calendars can help you infiltrate your own screen time and get you into a healthier routine. Let’s use them to adapt to incremental changes.

Here’s how this calendar can help you:

1. Light therapy. Use your body’s natural sensitivity to the light to help you make time for more natural light and begin taking intentional breaks from artificial light.

2. Baby steps. Using small increments, you can adjust your sleep schedule to prevent that jet-lag feeling.

3. Establish a routine. Establish cues using self-care so your body can more easily understand transitions from rest to waking. Building your healthy routine involves: cleaning up your existing sleep hygiene, setting up a nighttime routine, and turning off screens 1 hour before bed.

4. Awareness. This time of change can bring underlying health issues to light. I’ve added a day to reflect on how your body feels throughout this time change.

(Share this post with a friend who could use some extra self-care but is too busy to take the time to make a calendar.)

While artificial light itself can cause circadian imbalance, daylight saving time has not decreased this effect -- instead, it has added to it. It’s a flawed patriarchal concept that treats our bodies as machines that can be calibrated to the desires of the dollar (historically retailers fought to keep it going to increase evening sales).

Barring a complete daylight saving time revolution, the best self-care we can do until it is overthrown is to use this time as a reminder that our bodies need natural light. Stay aware of its potential effects on our moods, bodies, and minds and help others adjust with you.

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“Wherever there are trees, we are healthier and happier” 
— Dr. Qing Li

It’s an odd feeling when we begin to miss something before it’s even gone.  That moment when you realize it won’t last forever, or much longer at all.

The fear begins to creep in, and you want to hold onto it. But then your grasping ruins the magic, so you then attempt to let go.

It’s reminiscent of the feelings of culture shock; once you realize you’re in it, the adventure starts right away, ready or not. Then your heart wraps around itself so many times that it becomes a ball in your chest and peeks out as a lump in your throat.

With the forest fires of the past few months in California and the West Coast, I’ve been feeling this sort of culture shock at home. I am trying to find my place in this changed and unfamiliar environment. I simultaneously realize that, like visiting Venice before it's underwater, now is the time to see all the natural sights I’ve taken for granted. The forests that I’ve grown up around may not be there tomorrow.

It makes me feel an urgency of appreciation. Like I need to get into the forest and memorize each path, see every landmark tree before it disappears.

I’m struggling to value the familiar without clinging to it.

“Leave your cup of coffee and your phone behind and just walk slowly. You don’t need to exercise, you just need to open your senses to nature. It will improve your mood, reduce tension and anxiety, and help you focus and concentrate for the rest of the day.”

— Dr. Qing Li

Forest bathing to the rescue

Forest bathing is an ideal way to slow down and savor the bounty that’s available to you in the present. For those of you not familiar, forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is a Japanese practice of ecotherapy where you spend time soaking in the atmosphere of nature.

I learned about it a few years ago after reading “Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health And Happiness” by Dr. Qing Li. Full disclosure: I fell into it pretty hard, searching for Hinoki cypress and using ALL the essential oils from trees to get my ‘phytoncides’ dose (the immune-boosting chemicals produced by evergreens). 

But more than that, it changed how I approach nature. I’m not sure I would’ve even thought to change my pace if it wasn’t for the detailed explanation of why to do it, and for the research in this book shining a light on the subtle positive effects that nature has on our body.

Since then, my closeness to the trees in my life has deepened to a spiritual experience. I take breaks on weekend hikes to notice the trees and nature around me instead of just forging ahead to the finish line of a waterfall or view.  I’m listening to them now. I feel connected to their presence.

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The positive effects of being in nature and forest bathing

Even a single tree can change your state of mind. If a forest is not in your immediate area, think green (the color) and go for walks in parks, gardens, or adopt some house plants. Merely taking a nature break can have incredible effects on your well being. 

1. You’ll be happier! It improves mood and focus, and has been proven to help with depression.

2. Forest bathing increases your creativity.

3. It reduces stress, as seen in how it can cause “lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, increase parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity compared with city settings.”

4. Improves length and quality of sleep.

5. Boosts your immunity.

How to practice forest bathing (shinrin-yoku)

This practice is dead simple, and you’ve likely already done it without realizing it.

• Find a couple spots (ideally with some evergreens) you can visit easily and frequently.

• Leave your devices at home. Enjoy the forest in silence.

• Slow down, and wander. Listen to where your body wants to go, and go there.

• Change your perspective: Zoom in. For example, at a small stream, watch the leaves floating on the water. Observe the details of the micro-ecosystem. Then zoom out and sense how you are part of the larger whole in the forest.

• Stop and rest. Use your five senses to engage with the space around you. Get comfortable and settle in. Hang out awhile. “Drink in the flavor of the forest” (Li).

• Think of this green space as your refuge and use the space for meditation, drinking tea, yoga, picnics, and your creative endeavors. Invite a friend or two to join you.
  

It’s not too late to begin

While forest bathing isn’t a cure for grasping, it can make your spirit feel lighter and your chest spring open with joy as you hang out with your tree friends. Like any friendship, you can’t know if it will last forever. But when you focus on being with them, you sink into the beauty of right now.

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Take a break to focus on yourself

The time always comes when we need to shake up our routine a bit. Maybe that means exploring close to home or a new adventure. If you’re unable to plan a trip, an at-home retreat can do wonders to soothe your soul and reinvigorate your creative practice. Plus it doesn’t require you to purchase anything; it only entails intentionally setting aside time for yourself.

The threat of burnout is real, and using the tool of a one-day retreat can help you manage your stress levels and notice if you’re experiencing any emotional exhaustion warning signs. 

In addition to being a time to reflect on how you’re feeling, it gives you a chance to dive into creative activities you’ve been yearning to do. I’ve always found creativity to be a safe container. It brings beauty to messiness and a sense of peace to the chaos.

Download the checklists for your one-day creative retreat.

One-day creative expression retreat itinerary

Setting up for success is vital to ensure follow-through on your retreat plans. It helps you minimize distractions as well as provide prompts for you to continue engaging with the process. You’re setting up a seamless experience. Your future self will thank you. (Don’t forget to download the “One-day creative retreat checklists” from the resource library).

The day before:

• Set up your space. A retreat day is a fresh start, so hide or cover up things that notoriously distract you.  Put your devices in a drawer so that you’re only using the ones you truly need for your creative process.
  
  Tidy up the night before, so you aren’t killing precious time tomorrow. Set the tone with a flower or some greenery from outside and a candle or two.
  
  Make the things that you want to do more accessible. Bring out your supplies for your project so you can just flow into action. Place a candle and matches next to your meditation spot for tomorrow.
  
  

• Prepare for the expected parts of your day. Make all your minor decisions before the retreat to reduce your decision fatigue and impart a sense of ease. Have healthy and simple meals ready to eat in your fridge (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks). Put out your water glass and a mug with your herbal tea of choice. Choose your outfit for tomorrow (make it a comfy one!) so you can focus entirely on your creative expression.
  
  Pick a couple of guided meditations to listen to, as well as music and playlists to fuel your practice. Have your journal and a pen ready. Set up an inspiring book or two near your favorite chair. I find poetry especially inspiring to launch into a creative frame of mind.
  
  

• Unplug from your usual routine. Plan to be alone. Let people know you won’t be available. Set up an auto-reply if that will put your mind at ease. If television is part of your daily routine, unplug it after your last show tonight.
  
  If possible, download everything for tomorrow to your phone so that you can keep it in airplane mode for the duration of your retreat. Your retreat begins the moment you fall asleep tonight!

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The day of your retreat:

• Guide your creative expression practice with the spirit of play and exploration.

• Take breaks as needed and be gentle with yourself.  Ask your body what it needs, and pay attention to its response.

• Take a nap. While you may find this day to be productive, that isn’t the point. The focus is on rest and restoring your creative spirit and energy.

• Don’t judge what you’re making today. Focus on the process, not the result.

• No need to be rigid with your schedule; if you’re in a creative flow that feels good, keep going!

• Try something new, whether it’s breathwork during meditation or a new color in your palette, a retreat is a great time to try it out.

• Get at least one walk in your schedule. A Stanford study shows that thinking while walking leads to more creative thinking.

• Disconnect: no social, no email, no television.

Sample Schedule:

Morning

8:30 Breakfast

9:00 Journal

9:30 Begin your creative practice for the day

11:00 Take a tea break: read, rest, stretch, daydream

11:30 Listen to a guided meditation

Afternoon

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Nap

2:00 Return to your creative project

3:30 Snack break: stretch, read, lay in the sun

4:00 Get some green time, take a walk in local nature or a park for inspiration

4:30 Creative time with 15-20 minutes of clean up at the end

Evening

6:00 Dinner and a short stroll

7:00 Listen to inspiring music

7:30 Stretch

8:00 Reflect on your creative process that day. Freewrite in your journal for 10-20 minutes.

8:45 Get ready for bed and read

Download your free one-day creative retreat checklist from the resource library.

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Do this before scrolling more art studios on Pinterest

If you’re raring to take action with your creative expression, but feel like you need to create an inspiring practice space in your house before beginning (a home-studio if you will), this post is for you.

Before you start setting up a home studio, YOU need to start taking up space in your home. That’s right, another mindset shift before opening your wallet.

All that stuff (organization systems, styling, fancy furniture, a door you can close, etc.) is just icing on the cake. Try not to feed into consumerist tendencies, as exciting as they can feel in the moment. Set yourself up to work with what you’ve got before you bring in a bunch of new variables.

Making room for yourself

Enacting this mindset shift to take up space may require:

• Getting rid of uninspiring things.

• Being a temporary minimalist to free up space for you and your practice.

• Self-permission to get messy/quirky/weird.

• Having a “socially unacceptable” living space that works for you.

• Discussing with your roommates or partner.

• Getting real with yourself about what your priorities are.

• Making some significant changes in your life.

Some of these approaches are not easy to take action on. But when you focus on aligning with your unique needs for self-expression, you’re already making room for yourself mentally. I find this to be highly therapeutic.

Make expressing yourself a more prominent priority

Here’s what you can do today to turn your home into an expression studio that fits you.

Questions to ask yourself first:

• If someone walked into your home today, would they even know that you/your family live there in particular?

• If you had complete freedom, how would expressing yourself in your space look? (Would it be murals on the wall? A curated display of textiles? A yoga studio instead of a living room? Hammocks instead of sofas? Gold-foiled everything?) Dream big here.

• What is the bare minimum of space you need for your creative expression?

Then take a walk through your home, as if you were viewing it for the first time, and see what areas welcome these new expansive ideas.

No wallet needed

These changes do not require purchasing anything right it away. Instead it might look like:

• Moving things you already have into a more visible space.

• Grouping together a collection of things you already own in a way that inspires you.

• Getting rid of things that generally wouldn’t make it into your donation box so you can prioritize space for what matters to you.

• Repurposing a space or an item to serve your creative needs.

Don’t worry too much about the actual square footage you’ll occupy. Turn your entire home into a space that supports your creative expression habit or have a small area that expresses who you are and what’s important to you. Put your expression front and center instead of hiding your feelings in a dark closet somewhere (or turn that dark closet into a well-lit tiny studio 😋).

Sometimes taking action on these steps can feel scary, like you’ve shown up to work in a see-through outfit. If that’s the case for you, set aside a moment to feel into that fear and locate where that’s showing up in your body. You can even bring it into your creative expression practice!

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Align with your why

Are you continuing to feel overwhelmed about where to start? Take a peek at your values sheet. Then, reflect on whether your personal space embodies those values. For example, if your goal is to “dance with inspiration,” make sure you have room to dance.

I’ve done this in my home too, so I know how unusual this new way of approaching your space can feel. For example, healthful living is one of our core values in my home. I’m personally a fan of the functional movement teacher, Katie Bowman.

A couple of years ago, reading her work inspired my partner and me to buck socially acceptable norms. After months of deliberation we got rid of our sofa (gasp!) so we’d move more and keep our bodies healthy.

Creative growth is also a value of mine. It’s why my art hangs in most rooms in my house. It’s always there on the walls so I can reflect and learn from my work slowly over time.

Stay flexible and resourceful from the start

Most of 2020 I worked exclusively from a coffee table. I was interested in how being closer to the ground would affect my work. It was a great experience! I’ve expressed my heart out and grown so much in my practice at that coffee table. 

So let’s think outside the box! Some ideas for creative, functional workspaces:

• Coffee table

• Kitchen table

• Kitchen counter

• Floor 

• Outside

• Sofa

• Garage

• The park

• A reading nook

• A window seat

• Your parking space

• Closets (mostly for audio)

• Sidewalks

• Front or back yard

• Your car

• Foldable outdoor table

• A picnic blanket

Even when you have a fancy studio someday, you can continue to create in unusual places for the joy of it. There is no rule that you have to box your creative expression into one place.

You might even find you like it more than you thought.

Remember this on your journey

Your creative practice is flexible and can grow and shrink along with your lifestyle. It will look different for everyone, but that’s the point. We all have our own needs and priorities. It’s part of what makes life interesting. 

How much space are you willing to take up in your home? And how will you use it as a way to express yourself?

You don’t need everything to be perfect before you begin creating. Let your home and practice be a reflection of your life TODAY, in the present. Every moment counts!

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The principles

Express yourself

Expression brings acceptance of where you are right now. It’s a powerful way to process your experiences: everyday moments as well as trauma. Expression invites compassion and curiosity into your life. Your story and voice matter!

Keep taking action

Action has the unique ability to move our energy from our minds into our bodies. It transitions you through anxiety to a grounded space of calm and intention. Building a ritual will help invite conscious action into your life.

Adjust actionable steps to your schedule; not everything has to happen all at once. The main point is to focus on doing, not perfection. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, break big ideas down into baby steps and take smaller steps consistently. The growth you achieve through your process is more important than what you make.

Stay mindful

Bring awareness through breath and attention to the moment. Inevitably you will have critical thoughts. Mindfulness allows you to notice your inner critic and set boundaries. Notice fear for what it is — just a passing feeling.

Mindfulness helps you see the beauty of each moment. You are alive!

Be intentional

You are responsible for the energy you bring into your day. You are not beholden to the expectations of others or even cultural norms. It’s much more important to be authentic and put your full self into your life.

Check-in with yourself and your values regularly. Don’t be afraid to make up the rules as you go and fail/learn over and over. Make a mess and rejoice in your failures.

Be heart-centered

Align with your heart. You can love every part of yourself, even your inner critic. Be gentle with it like it’s a small needy child, listen to it, and forgive it for sometimes getting in the way.

Make time to show yourself some love.

Get your frame-worthy printable inspired by these principles in the resource library.

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“Attention is the beginning of devotion”
-Mary Oliver

How are you feeling? Right now. At this moment.

Take your time, sense how your body is feeling. Tune in.

How is your head feeling? Peer into the middle of your head, the very center. 

How is your heart? Do you feel it beating? Or do you feel other sensations?

How is your belly? Does it feel soft, tense, full, or content?

Meditation, like this one, offers groundedness with little effort.  You drop into presence and get a sense of spaciousness that you can carry with you into your practice.

That space is magic.

You can use that space to nourish your entire life if you’re open to it.

What is different about a creative expression habit?

It focuses on the process, not the outcome. For around 15 minutes, you aren't practicing to produce the most, to get extra cash, or to impress someone else. Your outer actions align with your insides, to the call of your spirit, to your intuition and desires.

It’s heart-centered and values expression over technique.

It supports the whole you, even the messy parts.

This practice is for those who:

• feel lost, like something is missing

• are lonely or afraid

• are bored and restless

• want to open up but have forgotten how

• want to feel alive again, but from something nourishing not depleting

• need help regaining energy (that depletes too fast each day)

• have unintentionally turned away from the beauty of life

• feel like a stranger to yourself after seeking outside validation at every turn

• are bumping up against existential angst

I’ve had my ups and downs and experienced every single point above. 

Over the years I have learned how to build a creative habit that is

spiritually aligned - engages with the energy of transformation
nourishing - contributes to inner harmony and self-possession
growth-oriented - encourages exploration, self-awareness and getting out of your comfort zone

It’s flexible and honors who you are right now.

It creates a framework that benefits you as well as your relationships. 

I want to help you build an energy-giving habit that nourishes your life.

What exactly is a creative expression habit?

It’s a method that brings together the benefits of :

1. Creative expression

2. Meditation

3. Self-care

4. Energy work

5. Play

It simultaneously encourages fun, spirituality, embodied action, and approaching your life with a sense of love, curiosity, and exploration.

It isn’t an art-specific activity; all endeavors that allow for expression are great! Some ideas: writing, dance, music, bookmaking, woodwork, garden design, photography, song, cooking, movement, design, and more.  Plus, you don’t need to choose just one!

How to get started with your practice

There are many ways to begin, but this is the best order I’ve found so far:

1. Choose 1-3 activities that allow for expression

2. Get your supplies ready to go as if you were setting up a workspace for the laziest most tired version of yourself

3. Set up a sacred space in your home

4. Put it on your calendar like an appointment

Tips for starting your habit purposefully

Remember that there is no one “right” way. Here are some pointers that have kept me going even in hard times:

Make it part of your routine:

• Make it such a regular occurrence that you don’t have to even think about it. For me, that means just doing it most days. When I set up routines, I do not have to bring my frontal cortex into the minutiae, and it’s a little trippy. It feels like small favors that you’re doing for your future self.

• Keep it extremely achievable, aiming for 15 minutes is fantastic.

Keep it sacred

• Ground your practice in the present. Start with a moment of stillness and quietness.

• Eliminate distractions. Instead, try grounding yourself in the tactile and sensory stimulation of the natural world when possible.

• Take this time for yourself, dedicate it to what you want to do. Don’t let other people’s wants and needs get in the way of this time. Self-expression is paramount. Set up a separate time for collaboration.

Embody your inner artist

• Fill up your cup with inspiration. Little things count! Go for a hike in nature or try a new way of knot tying. It’s research and part of your process.

• When in doubt, DON’T throw it out. Decide on a date when you’ll review your work, say every six months, and edit your portfolio then. That way, you’ll get a chance to see the progress you’ve made and sense the path you’re on.

• Become part of a creative community. Follow people whose work you admire. They can help normalize all the feels you have about your practice.

Play

• Keep it fun, light, and playful. Explore new avenues, don’t limit yourself to what you already know you are “good” at doing. Don’t specialize unless you want to.

• Use supplies that make you happy. It can be as simple as lighting a candle while you write, using colors that make you smile, a silly pen, or a sketchbook with handmade paper.

Common questions about establishing a creative expression practice

Do I need to set up my practice for the same time every day?

It depends on your lifestyle. The time of day isn’t essential. Choose what works for you.

If that means doing it at 10 am one day and 6 pm the next, no problem.

Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not consistent, especially since you’re just starting. Be gentle and acknowledge that you can make your rules up as you go.

How do I choose what I want to do?

Perhaps take a walk down nostalgia lane. Think back to things you’ve enjoyed expressing yourself in the past. Make a list of your favorite activities. Or consider something you’ve seen other people do that you’ve dreamed of doing someday. 

It can also be helpful to consider what type of activities you enjoy in general and expand from there. For example, do you find yourself drawn to nature? What are some creative activities you can do there? Some ideas might include writing poetry about your favorite places in nature, artmaking with materials found outside, or using foraged plants in your cooking creations.

You can also download my Explore worksheet here to help you through the process.

Should I wait to start until I’ve collected all the proper supplies?

Nope.  Use what you already have, and feel free to create a beautiful, tantalizing collection of supplies in the meantime, but not during your practice time. Consumerism/capitalism will rear its head throughout your process simply because that’s our culture today. Use it as a signal that it’s time to go back to basics or even explore new avenues. 

Limit your supplies, especially when you’re beginning. It might feel counterintuitive, but in reality, simplicity shows taste and initiative. Bonus, it can free your mind to explore within your self-imposed limitations. Being resourceful is one of the most valuable lessons this practice can teach.

How much time should I expect to spend?

Fifteen minutes is a sweet spot that is both long and short enough to feel meaningful for the average person. But you aren’t ordinary, so find what works for you. Feel free to start with a single moment and build up from there. 

Creative energy isn't restricted by time or space. The most important thing is to shift into an expansive mindset, and you can do that in a second through stillness and visualizing spaciousness.

What are some ways I can make time in my schedule? I’m already swamped and can’t imagine fitting one more thing into my calendar.

Our culture tells us busy is best, and that often leaves us with no time to take care of ourselves. It’s very good at convincing us that everything and everyone else is much more important than you. The antidote to a crazy culture? Developing a healthy mindset.

You can start with just a 1-minute habit. In the meantime, focus on building supportive routines. Reduce your time spent on other non-supportive activities when you can. Some simple tweaks I’ve found to be helpful include : 

• Cooking time - only use 10-15 minute recipes or batch cook

• Errand time - keep running around limited to 1 day per week

• Screen time - wifi off at 10 pm 

Are there ways you can reduce or eliminate the time you spend doing any of these activities? Untouchable: sacred sleep time, make sure you’re getting more than you think you need.

How will I stay motivated?

Check-in with yourself often, with a more significant review each quarter or so. Make sure your values are front and center in your creative time. And remember, waning motivation can be a symptom of growth. Checking-in can help you adjust your practice and prevent advancing to burnout.  If you have already reached burnout, know it often means your habit is merely off track. Pause, reflect and rebuild.

Your practice is flexible, and it will stick with you even as you change. Pivot it daily if that is what your intuition is telling you. The main thing is to begin your journey.

As you tune in more deeply to your insides, you will likely notice positive changes that reach much farther than your creative habit. Exhausted? Check out my post on finding the energy to create.

How can I get my housemates on board?

Start without getting permission. Then share your enthusiasm and encourage their creative expression too. We are all born worthy of emotion; sometimes, your partner/roommates may also need confirmation that their feelings are valuable too.

How do I set up my space to create?

Start with little, then add slowly.  Make it a place you want to return. Fill it with love, even if it's just a backpack filled with your notebook and pens—tuck little reminders of what’s important to you in every corner. 

For example, I have realizations taped to my wall as reminders for moments my process becomes challenging. Experiment, find what works for you. Keep your most-used supplies ready for action by making them easily accessible.

Should I wait for inspiration to strike?

Absolutely not. One thing I’ve learned as an artist is that inspiration often shows up when you’re busy working and is never guaranteed. But if you’re approaching your habit playfully and creating from your heart and taking time to express how you’re feeling, inspiration becomes secondary.

The purpose of your creative expression habit is to get in touch with your true nature, instead of looking for something outside of you to bring meaning or approval. Sometimes when you’re stuck seeking inspiration, you’re just worried about what other people will think.

Can I create things for other people in my practice time?

Yes, use the skills you’re building to spread joy, but be sure that at least 15 minutes of that time is just about you.

Can I do this on a budget?

Of course! When you have to limit your supplies, your resourcefulness can shine.

Recycle and reuse materials; it’s good for your wallet, creativity, and the earth. 

If you’re broke, keep things extra simple. Use a pencil and acid-free paper. Movement is free. Or improvise using your daily life, get creative in the kitchen, eat your creations!

What if I’m not good enough? How do I get over my fear and start?

If you’re doing it, you’re already good enough. Thinking you’re not good enough is perfectionism in disguise. Tap into your heart.

 The cliche “The only way out of fear is through” is one I’ve found to be accurate, so I recommend facing your fears regularly with love, especially during your process. Permit yourself to begin imperfectly.

The last thing you need to remember about getting started

The process is EVERYTHING. You will feel like you’re flying blind at times, it’s okay, trust that the process will hold you up. Nothing can be seen with total clarity until it’s over.

Getting started can be so sweet. Give yourself grace around this first step. By staying anchored in the present, you can fully participate in every moment. Learn what shape it takes, what it feels like in your body — get close with something that is paradoxically uniquely yours and universal.

Allow the flow of your true nature by awakening your heart and allowing your expression to flourish.

Join me on this journey whose roadmap we all carry in our bones. 

You’re made for this.

I'm extremely honored to be a part of your beginning.

I believe in you, and I'm so excited for the start of your creative growth journey!

Share your story of beginning with me.

Sending love,

P.S.

My Setting Up guide breaks down this process in easy-to-follow step-by-step increments.

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