Hey Reader

I’ve been thinking about how many of us struggle with our relationship to creativity. (It's time to get back on the horse.)

We want to create. We know how much joy it brings us. We may have loved drawing, writing, painting, or making music in the past, and we say we value it as part of our lives.

But how often do we actually make time for it? I’m guessing not nearly as often as we’d like (especially from the conversations I’ve been having lately).

For a lot of us, this comes down to how we treat creativity—as something we can get to when everything else is done. But let’s be honest: everything else is never done.

The to-do list is always full, and creativity often ends up on the back burner. This is especially true when we think of creativity as self-care. Like other forms of self-care—exercise, quiet time, or sleep—we know it's important, but it gets put off because we're taking care of everyone and everything around us. By the time we get to it, we're too tired or uninspired to give it a real shot.

This is especially true for caretakers (and I suspect more women than men). Maybe you’re juggling work, family, and household responsibilities, trying to be there for everyone else. You know you get passionate about creating, but how often do you say, “I’ll get to it when things slow down,” only to find out that life never slows down?

Research actually shows that women, in particular, often feel guilt when taking time for themselves, which can lead to burnout and a lack of personal fulfillment. According to the American Psychological Association, 70% of women report feeling overwhelmed by their responsibilities, leaving little time for self-care activities like creative hobbies.

And what about those of us who’ve turned creativity into a “job”? Maybe you’ve turned your art into part of your business or personal brand, and now you can’t remember the last time you created something just for fun. Everything feels like it needs to be content-ready, Instagram-worthy, or monetizable. The joy of creating starts to fade because we’ve tied it to productivity or success (**Mike enters the chat, and raises a guilty hand**).

I see this in hustle culture all the time—when we’re told to "turn your passion into your work." But when we do that without boundaries, we risk losing the thing we once loved to burnout. We stop creating for ourselves and start creating for an audience. I’ve been there myself, and it’s exhausting.

The truth is, that creativity should (or maybe better stated “can”) be self-care. It’s not just about the end result but the process—the act of sitting down to draw, paint, write, or just mess around with your ideas.

It’s about giving yourself space to play, reflect, and express the parts of yourself that don’t always get attention. It’s okay to make something just for you —not for a project, not for social media, but for your own joy and expression. It’s still “worthy” and “valuable” if it’s just for you. (Let the implications of self-worth sink in on that one.)

What would happen if you gave yourself permission to do something creative today, just for fun? Even if it’s just 15 minutes of doodling, playing an instrument, or journaling without thinking about the outcome. Imagine how freeing that could feel.

You deserve that time to reconnect with yourself, to let your imagination out, and to care for your creative soul. Don’t wait until the “right time” or when everything else is done. Your creativity is part of your well-being, and it deserves your attention.

Can we stop putting our creativity last? Instead, let’s make space for it—because we need it.

Reader what have your experiences been in regards to creativity as a form of self-care?

Keep creating,

~ Mike Brennan

P.S. How easy / difficult is self-care for you?

DAILY CHECK-IN

Begin to ask yourself these questions every day as a part of your daily creating rhythms:

1. What did I create today?

2. What did I learn?

3. What can I celebrate?

​

DAILY PROMPTS

MONDAY: Write a poem about self-care.

TUESDAY: Illustrate a piece of clothing that represents your personal style.

WEDNESDAY: Create a mixed media piece using a combination of drawing, painting, and digital media.

THURSDAY: Create a sculpture that reflects a specific culture or group of people.

WEEKEND PROMPT:

Go to a place where self-care happens (like a spa, nail salon, etc.) Create some sketches, notes and doodles based on what you see and experience.
​