Where Did I Go? Reconnecting with Yourself Through Creativity
You can love your life and still feel a little lost inside of it.
Maybe you’re keeping everything moving—work, family, the house, the next thing on the list. But when you finally have a moment to yourself, you aren’t sure what you need or what you’d enjoy.
In this episode, I share a moment on the couch with my boys that made me realize how absent I felt from a life I cared deeply about. I also share how therapy, leftover art supplies, and letting the dishes wait helped me begin making room for myself again.
When your own needs become optional
I was physically there, doing all the things that needed to be done. But I was exhausted. Hearing my youngest laugh brought me back into the moment—and made me wonder how much I had been moving through without really experiencing it.
Remembering every milestone isn’t a test of whether you’re a good mother. For me, the wake-up call was how disconnected I felt. Your version may have nothing to do with children: perhaps you know exactly what needs doing but struggle to name something you’d like to do.
Gratitude and longing can exist at the same time. You can be grateful for the people you love and still need time that belongs to you.
An ordinary place to begin
After a conversation with my therapist, I sat down one evening with leftover canvases and paint markers. I didn’t have an idea or a finished to-do list. I let the dishes wait and began.
The painting turned into a sunrise over the ocean and beach. It wasn’t a Monet, but making it gave me a little room to think and notice how I felt.
Creativity became one part of caring for myself, alongside therapy and support. Later, ten minutes gave me a manageable starting point. Missing a day didn’t mean I had to start over.
Creative Reset: What Have I Stopped Noticing?
You’ll need paper and a pen or pencil. Color is optional. Set aside about ten minutes.
1. Write “What have I stopped noticing?” at the top of your page.
2. Respond with words, drawings, doodles, or a mixture. You might notice something you miss, something you enjoy, or how you’re feeling.
3. Circle one word, image, color, or thought that feels important.
4. Underneath it, finish: “This week, I want to notice…”
You don’t need to fix anything during these minutes. If all you notice is that you’re tired, that counts. If you need sleep or support, let that count, too.
Watch the episode on YouTube to do the activity alongside me.
What would you like to give a little more attention to this week?
Keep making a little room for yourself
The free 10-Minute Creative Reset — From Seed to Bloom offers five simple pencil-and-paper exercises to help you slow down, notice what you need, and reconnect with yourself.
You’ll receive the workbook by email right away, with guidance through the exercises over five days.
You can also join us in The Creative Courtyard - a community of women reconnecting with themselves through creativity!
You belong in your own life, too.