Hi Reader,

Time and time again, creative pursuits have been my sanctuary. As a kid, I found privacy in a busy household of six by escaping to my room every night with a pot of tea and just write or sketch elaborate ballgown designs. We also had a hobby farm, and I hated the early mornings lugging five-gallon pails of water for the animals, raising animals only to eat them (it traumatized me—I love animals, and could not detach myself emotionally. To this day I don't eat meat.).

My mom taught us handicrafts, though, from an early age. Around age five, I learned to needlepoint, latch hook and crochet. The long winters gave me some reprieve from farm chores, and when I wasn't outside playing in the snow or skating on the frozen lake across the road, I was cozied up by the fire with some creative project or another. Colouring, crafting, playing dolls, listening to records and making up elaborate games with my siblings—these things made me feel alive and happy. The more things I made with my hands, the more I wanted to make things.

Three years ago, I picked up Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way, and spent twelve weeks exploring my creativity again. It's funny because her book is meant to unblock creative flow and recover the creative spirit in general, but I didn't see myself as a "blocked" artist—I made my living as a writer, after all! But I immediately felt a massive shift. Twelve weeks later, my creativity was flowing in a way I hadn't felt since my twenties.

That's when I bought my first set of watercolour paints. On July 26, 2021, I wrote in my Morning Pages journal:
​

I've been painting ever since, and am still trying new things. I've sold a piece here and there, when someone asked, but I never think about money when I'm painting. It's been like mediation for me. It calms me, restores my spirit, and recovers my energy when I'm drained from a day full of what I call "deep brain work" with my professional writing.

Over the break between Christmas and the New Year, I signed up for the Winter Writing Sanctuary with author Beth Kempton. For nine days, I just let myself play with my writing the way I play with my paints. And I discovered something glorious: I still love to write.

It's not that I dislike the writing work I do in my business (website copy, business books, and my favourite—helping first-time authors write their stories). It's just that it takes tremendous energy to go that deep every day. The problem-solving takes incredible focus. There are puzzles to help my clients solve. I pour my energy into helping them have confidence in themselves to finish their books and take that giant leap into a whole new world they've created for themselves through their writing.

My creative play restores me so I can show up again and give my best.

I'd love to know if you have a creative outlet that you can turn to for comfort, restoration, inspiration, and peace? What brings you joy? What energizes you instead of draining you?
​
I hope you prioritize doing more of those things.

Julia Cameron suggests this mantra:
​
"My creativity heals myself and others."

How beautiful is that? If you give yourself time and space and permission to create—no matter whether you paint, write, rebuild vintage cars or spend a frosty Saturday morning designing a tiny spring flower bed—I believe you'll notice a shift in your joy and peace.

Creativity can save the world. We are all creative—it's part of being human. Let's let it out to play from now on.

Your book partner,

Adrienne