Creative Wellness Letters - Need a creative pep talk?

Hi Reader, 

Things have been feeling pretty collectively heavy to me lately, you too? From U.S. Supreme Court decisions that leave me feeling powerless to neighborhood robberies to a close colleague suddenly losing her husband last week, I’m feeling quite fragile.

Life is always fragile, really, but when scary things happen, it has a way of making our vulnerability more obvious. If you’re like me (a person with anxiety), these sorts of moments might make you want to retreat inward and might steal your creative energy. That’s okay - do what you need to do!

It might take a period of rest and replenishment for your creative zest to reappear, or it might just be coming in little drips, but it’s not gone forever, I promise.

Or, creativity might seem like the least important thing among the heaviness, but we need these moments of joy and fulfillment to keep going onward.

We need to keep creating!

It is not frivolous or unnecessary.

When creating is part of your identity, you likely need to keep doing it (in some way) to keep feeling like yourself.

Continuing to create is going to be essential both for processing tough times ourselves, and for helping others process them.

Artists throughout history have made work in response to difficult political and cultural situations, which has helped the collective make sense of the situation, and also has led to positive change.

Even if you’re not making art with a specific political slant, making and sharing your work might be the thing that connects you to another person and gives them solace. 

Can you remember the feeling when you heard a song that sounded like it was speaking directly about you? That can be so comforting.

I fully get that those of us with sensitive brains (most of us, as artists?), especially those of us with mental health issues, might be finding it hard to focus on anything right now, and might be losing the energy and motivation to keep creating. 

When I did my first 100 Day Project of composing in 2017, I was experiencing some of the worst anxiety of my life, and I also ended up writing some of my favorite music I’ve ever written. 

The ritual of showing up to compose every day, no matter what, became a comfort, and bonus, when you create tons of work, it really takes off the pressure of it being good, because you’re going to show up and make more the next day!

So let’s SHOW UP ANYWAY and share our work (maybe join us at Creative Show + Tell or Coworking Club?!), whatever that may look like.

You have a unique perspective. We need your creative work, and you need it, too. (In case it’s not clear, I’m saying this from a place of encouragement, not pressure!)

I also know how important it is to take care of yourself so that you have the energy to show up for your creative work. Extra self care is most needed when you’re feeling overwhelmed, but that can make it hard to think clearly enough to take the right actions that really impact your overall wellness.

If it’s been feeling too hard to create, try something tiny!

I have a set of free creative and wellness prompts called the Feel-Good Creativity Un-Challenge, which help soothe your nervous system and put your mind in the right place for making art at whatever scale is possible right now.

Usually they come in a series of 5 daily emails, but you’re already on the list, so go ahead and check them all out at once, if you want:

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

If you’d rather talk to a friendly coach (me!) about where you’re getting stuck in your creative projects, and find some momentum to move forward, I’m always here to help!

I know that coaching isn't always accessible to all income levels, and it’s tough out there lately, so Rise Above the Overwhelm single coaching sessions are on a sliding scale during the month of July. Payment plans are always available, too (without penalty), so don’t hesitate to ask.

I hope you’re hanging in there! 💗💗💗

What are you excited about right now, creatively or otherwise? I would love to hear about it. Hit reply if you'd like to share!

Stay well, my friends - I'm always rooting for you. My inbox is always open, so please feel free to reach out if I can help in any way. 

I always love hearing from you!

Have a lovely week! ⁠

Rebecca

• The Multi-passionate Entrepreneur Playbook - I was honored to be a part of this free online summit featuring a dozen other awesome creative folks! It runs through 7/12, so there's still time to sign up.
• The Neurodivergent Guide to Understanding Burnout - An important perspective on burnout from the always-informative Brittany Berger!
• The New Workday - Alexandra Franzen's template for "a day with less screen time, less stress, fewer interruptions, and more excellence in everything we do." #lifegoals

• E35: How To Be Creative Again

Have you ever taken a break from your creative practice and had a hard time getting back in the habit again? Whether you've taken a long or short break, if it's feeling tough to restart again, or to regain creative momentum, it’s not hopeless!

In this episode you’ll learn some easy ways to get unstuck from the resistance and self-compassionately begin again (and again) as many times as needed.

Join us in Compassionate Creativity Coworking Club 

(Your first session is free to try!)

Book a free discovery call to learn more about coaching and get a mini-session

Coaching Offerings:

• Rise Above the Overwhelm: laser-focused 1-time sessions (sliding scale $90-220 in July!)

• Creative Season (3 month package)