A Day Late and a Brain Short

How we can show up for our creative pursuits in spite of the toll of daily life

I’ll confess: I haven’t worked on any creative writing projects in at least a month. I could blame getting sick with COVID at the beginning of Feb, followed by a nasty cold/sinus infection, which would be valid.

But in reality? The reason why I haven’t been writing is the same reason I started this newsletter. I use all of my creativity and motivation during the week, at my day job, and at my new business, and by the end of the week I feel I have nothing left to give my creative pursuits.

Some cactus on a recent Joshua Tree trip

I’ve taken up sewing lately. Hand sewing exclusively. The repetitive nature is soothing to me, and gives my hands something to do while I watch TV. It allows me to express myself creatively without using as much brain power as I would creative writing. And while the mental challenge is something I dearly love about creative writing, it also seems to be my biggest stumbling block.

I love getting lost in another world, creating characters, relationship dynamics, precarious scenarios. It’s the aspect of writing that’s come most naturally to me throughout my life: the daydreaming. Unfortunately, after a week of giving it all to work that pay the bills, that’s sometimes all I can creatively muster: the daydreaming. Putting pen to paper (or phalange to keyboard) is too much effort. Too daunting, too taxing on my already fatigued mind.

So how do we get back to creative pursuits being a joyful, fulfilling experience instead of another task on the to do list? When you figure it out a foolproof method, let me know. All I’m doing is stumbling around in the dark, developing what works and casting aside what doesn’t (and telling you about it all here).

While I may lack any tips of practical application, I can say for certain that we have to keep being creative. Whatever your jam - whether it be creative writing, woodworking, oil painting, songwriting - keep doing it. No matter how tired we may be, no matter how little time it feels we have. To create is to be human. And as Kurt Vonnegut said, “To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”

In fact, I truly believe that anything we do for the simple joy of it (including birdwatching, plant propagating, etc.) are often the things that slip out of our rotation first when things in our life go awry. Instead, these should be the things we cling to most vehemently. For to lose our creativity, to lose our joy, is to lose our humanity.

So while at the end of a long work day, or the end of the week, rest is imperative. But that rest should include something creative, some activity that sparks joy. No matter how run down I feel mentally, writing or painting or sewing always fills my spirit. This is something I have to actively remind myself of, as its easy to cast these pursuits aside in favor of curling up in front of the TV and forgetting the world for a while (which is totally acceptable btw).

As we roll speedily into the third month of 2024, I encourage you to check in. When’s the last time you’ve done something creative? Together, let’s prioritize creating this month just for the pure joy of it.