When I gauge whether I’m ready for creativity I don’t only look at my energy levels, I look at whether it’s compassionate for me to create in this given moment.
I’ve been slowly adapting to my chronic illness too and find that i am no longer making art as much (I used to art journal or paint daily). Instead I write a lot (journal, poems, essays) and process.
I also find that checking in with my body and energy levels is crucial if I don’t want to get stressed or overwhelmed.
Thanks for sharing your journey and sending you love and energy!
I had to move away from structure for a long time (years). I’ve slowly introduced a little here and there, one small task at a time. I rarely work with to do lists and deadlines now unless they align with flow and support where I’m at.
I’ve just made myself ill before Xmas working on a manmade timeline for my next book. And now I haven’t been able to do a right lot with it since - I’m in the editing process and was meant to have it published by now but I can’t work like that.
I’ve had no energy for writing for weeks but felt a shift this week. It def helps to check in with where I’m at physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually first. Supporting where I’m at first before then moving on to the doing.
I think seasonal - we’re in the depths of winter here in the uk.
Additionally I’ve had the good fortune of starting red light therapy (me and my partner went halves for one at home) and I’ve been reading a book on healing through red light therapy alongside and it states you can feel rough before you feel better. I’m definitely feeling better this week but not so much last and the one before x
Yeah I definitely feel a change with the seasons too. Interesting re the red light thing. I bought red light glasses and used them everyday but no real change. Maybe I should try them again!
To add to what I shared before - I’d also got caught up with the energy of the collective in overdoing it before Xmas as well so I feel that will have had an impact following it.
When I’ve made a change in the past, Even if I don’t notice a change but I know that it’s proven to be of benefit to my long term health, I tend to continue on with the practice 💜 it’s my cognitive function that I’m trying to improve with the red light🤞🤞
I love the concept of radical rest! I'm personally really struggling with the themes you discuss here – my chronic condition has forced me to rest and slow down in ways that have been unprecedented and deeply uncomfortable for me. I feel as though I've gone from an exclusively rigid structure and trying to create and produce as much as possible to seemingly having nothing tangible to show for my time at all. This type of drastic shift has caused a lot of dissonance and stress for me, especially since my identity was so intertwined with notions of independence and productivity.
I’m so sorry to hear you’re struggling with this! I do too. And it has taken me years and years and years to be somewhat accepting of the situation. It is really hard and it feels unnatural to slow down so much. A lot of people don’t understand this. Sending care and support your way 🌸
This is so relatable 💖 I have a creative 'menu' ready to go. There are times when I want to do something from the menu but I'm no fit state for anything. Accepting that can be so difficult. That's when I have dial my compassion levels up to 11! It's a tricky balancing act at the best of times! Radical rest (love this phrase! 🙌).
I can write only short articles, not the long exploratory essays I did before. Your idea of compassion intrigues me. Is it compassionate to make myself blog-post every Tuesday? If I did not force myself I would create nothing. Tremor drains my energy like an app always running in the background, and then it is to the couch to recover from the effort of, like, cooking or sweeping the porch. It takes four separate efforts to clean the walls and floor of the shower. Someone has to do it and it is as important as the blog post.
I have found that a bit of push/force can be compassionate too, but there comes a point where it is not. It is a balance. And yes, urgh, daily life can suck everything dry.
I have small fiber neuropathy and Hashimotos. It took me a very long time to reach any type of acceptance. I had to acknowledge my new reality because I was swimming upstream. I’m creative, and I gauge where my body is at. Instead of daily goals, I have weekly goals—less pressure. And if I don't accomplish everything, that's okay. There's no agenda. Once I lifted that expectation, I was far less stressed.
I’ve been slowly adapting to my chronic illness too and find that i am no longer making art as much (I used to art journal or paint daily). Instead I write a lot (journal, poems, essays) and process.
I also find that checking in with my body and energy levels is crucial if I don’t want to get stressed or overwhelmed.
Thanks for sharing your journey and sending you love and energy!
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, too 🌸 Sending care and support your way ✨
Balance is key but creating it, so tricky!
I had to move away from structure for a long time (years). I’ve slowly introduced a little here and there, one small task at a time. I rarely work with to do lists and deadlines now unless they align with flow and support where I’m at.
I’ve just made myself ill before Xmas working on a manmade timeline for my next book. And now I haven’t been able to do a right lot with it since - I’m in the editing process and was meant to have it published by now but I can’t work like that.
I’ve had no energy for writing for weeks but felt a shift this week. It def helps to check in with where I’m at physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually first. Supporting where I’m at first before then moving on to the doing.
Man-made timelines are the worst! Do you know what has created the shift you feel in terms of your writing energy? Or is it just random/cyclical?
I think seasonal - we’re in the depths of winter here in the uk.
Additionally I’ve had the good fortune of starting red light therapy (me and my partner went halves for one at home) and I’ve been reading a book on healing through red light therapy alongside and it states you can feel rough before you feel better. I’m definitely feeling better this week but not so much last and the one before x
Yeah I definitely feel a change with the seasons too. Interesting re the red light thing. I bought red light glasses and used them everyday but no real change. Maybe I should try them again!
To add to what I shared before - I’d also got caught up with the energy of the collective in overdoing it before Xmas as well so I feel that will have had an impact following it.
When I’ve made a change in the past, Even if I don’t notice a change but I know that it’s proven to be of benefit to my long term health, I tend to continue on with the practice 💜 it’s my cognitive function that I’m trying to improve with the red light🤞🤞
I think I will give the red light a chance again!
this is such a beautiful and helpful post thank you! deffo given me a bit of guidance in my own creative journey. Thank you!
I’m so glad it was helpful ❤️🌸
I love the concept of radical rest! I'm personally really struggling with the themes you discuss here – my chronic condition has forced me to rest and slow down in ways that have been unprecedented and deeply uncomfortable for me. I feel as though I've gone from an exclusively rigid structure and trying to create and produce as much as possible to seemingly having nothing tangible to show for my time at all. This type of drastic shift has caused a lot of dissonance and stress for me, especially since my identity was so intertwined with notions of independence and productivity.
I’m so sorry to hear you’re struggling with this! I do too. And it has taken me years and years and years to be somewhat accepting of the situation. It is really hard and it feels unnatural to slow down so much. A lot of people don’t understand this. Sending care and support your way 🌸
Thank you so much for your kind and supportive words! It is is an honor to read your work and to be inspired by you!🩷
This is so relatable 💖 I have a creative 'menu' ready to go. There are times when I want to do something from the menu but I'm no fit state for anything. Accepting that can be so difficult. That's when I have dial my compassion levels up to 11! It's a tricky balancing act at the best of times! Radical rest (love this phrase! 🙌).
🌸❤️
I can write only short articles, not the long exploratory essays I did before. Your idea of compassion intrigues me. Is it compassionate to make myself blog-post every Tuesday? If I did not force myself I would create nothing. Tremor drains my energy like an app always running in the background, and then it is to the couch to recover from the effort of, like, cooking or sweeping the porch. It takes four separate efforts to clean the walls and floor of the shower. Someone has to do it and it is as important as the blog post.
I have found that a bit of push/force can be compassionate too, but there comes a point where it is not. It is a balance. And yes, urgh, daily life can suck everything dry.
I have small fiber neuropathy and Hashimotos. It took me a very long time to reach any type of acceptance. I had to acknowledge my new reality because I was swimming upstream. I’m creative, and I gauge where my body is at. Instead of daily goals, I have weekly goals—less pressure. And if I don't accomplish everything, that's okay. There's no agenda. Once I lifted that expectation, I was far less stressed.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Andrea 🌸 I have small fiber neuropathy too… urgh, it’s hell.