You probably know what needs to happen at work, what your family needs, and what’s waiting on your to-do list. But when you have a few minutes to yourself, do you know what you’d actually enjoy?
In Episode 5 of You Are a Work of Art, I share the story behind a burst painting made with my favorite colors—and how those small creative choices became part of reconnecting with myself.
This episode is for the working woman who keeps putting her own interests off until everything else is done. We’re talking about making room for joy, discovering what you like now, and letting your preferences count.
The painting that still feels like me
Coral, a bright deep blue, and sunflower yellow kept finding their way into my creative work. Eventually, I used them in a big burst painting that’s still one of my favorites.
It hangs by our garage entrance, where I see it leaving for work and coming home. A smaller print lives in my office, too.
To me, those colors hold joy, love, and peace. They don’t need to mean the same thing to anyone else. Part of the value was learning to choose what I liked without needing to justify it.
What you’ll hear in this episode
• Why reconnecting with yourself can mean discovering a new interest, rather than returning to an old one
• How small preferences can give you a place to begin when you don’t know what you enjoy
• Learning to consider your own time and energy while caring for people and responsibilities that matter
• How making time for myself helped me feel clearer and more confident
• What my evening reset looks like in an ordinary busy week
A question to take with you
“What would you choose if liking it were a good enough reason?”
You don’t need an answer that explains your whole personality. You might like a particular color, enjoy working with your hands, or want to try something you’ve been curious about.
Start there. You can learn more by giving yourself a small opportunity to explore.
Creative Reset: A Little Burst of Joy
You’ll need paper and a pen or pencil. Colored pencils, markers, crayons, or paint are optional. Set aside about ten minutes.
1. Choose a few colors you’re drawn to. If you’re using a pen or pencil, explore different lines and patterns instead.
2. Make one mark anywhere on your page—a dot, circle, scribble, or patch of color.
3. Build outward with lines, shapes, dots, or more color. Notice what you enjoy and let yourself do a little more of it.
4. Look at your page and find one part you enjoyed creating.
5. Underneath it, finish: “I’d like a little more…”
6. Choose one small way to make room for that in your week.
Your page doesn’t have to look joyful. You’re noticing what you enjoy, and there’s no example you need to match.
Make a little room this week
After you create, notice what your answer asks for. More color might mean using the pens you keep saving. More quiet might mean setting aside a few minutes before moving on to the next task. More time to paint might mean leaving your supplies somewhere easy to reach.
Choose a small step that fits your life this week.
Want a simple place to start?
From Seed to Bloom is a free five-day creative journey to reconnect with yourself—one 10-minute creative reset at a time. You’ll receive a workbook by email right away, followed by guidance through five simple pencil-and-paper exercises.
No artistic skill required.
https://moniqueburton.myflodesk.com/creativereset
You’re also welcome in The Creative Courtyard, where we make space for creativity, reflection, and conversation:
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About your host
Monique Burton is a creative coach helping overwhelmed working women reconnect with themselves through creativity and rediscover calm, clarity, and confidence. She hosts You Are a Work of Art, a podcast about life, creativity, and making space for what matters.