When life shows up, let it

I disappeared for months. Not intentionally, life simply filled up every available inch of time. New routines, a move, a career shift, and becoming a parent all landed in the same window and rearranged everything I thought was steady. In that chaos I learned a few things about habits, creativity, and what it really means to keep going without breaking yourself.

Rigid goals vs gentle momentum

I've been adamant about the value of daily practice..making art every single day, even if it's only for five minutes. Habit stacking works. Small routines become muscle memory, like brushing your teeth. But there's a big difference between building a dependable habit and demanding perfection from yourself no matter what.

When we hold ourselves to an unbendable standard, that rigidity can become a problem. It can hurt us physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can turn a helpful practice into a source of shame when life interrupts it. The lesson I've had to learn is how to be flexible with my goals without abandoning them entirely.

Know when to slow down, cruise, or stop

There are seasons for different approaches:

• Rev up — When energy and time align, push forward and create ambitious work.
• Cruise control — Maintain momentum with sustainable, lower-effort routines that keep the habit alive.
• Screech to a halt — When life demands undivided attention, accept the pause and prioritize what truly matters in that moment.

Knowing which mode to choose is more compassionate and effective than forcing one unchanging ideal on yourself.

Practical ways to stay connected to your craft

Here are small, realistic strategies that helped me remain creative, even when everything else felt overwhelming:

1. Five-minute art sessions. Commit to a tiny daily window. It's enough to keep the habit alive and reduces resistance.
2. Micro-goals over big lists. Replace a long "to-create" list with one small, satisfying task per day.
3. Routine flexibility. If mornings are impossible, move your practice to nap time, lunch breaks, or just after brushing your teeth..find the small pockets.
4. Accept imperfect days. Some days you won't brush your teeth. Some days you won't draw. That doesn't erase your progress.
5. Reframe pauses as rest, not failure. A deliberate pause can be a creative reset, not a stumble.

For those in hustle culture

If you come from a constant go-go-go environment: running a business, managing a team, or carrying multiple roles, it's easy to feel like every day must be maximized. The grind model rewards relentless output, but it can also cause burnout and guilt when life interrupts plans.

Try this: treat your creative practice like a friendly companion rather than an unforgiving boss. When circumstances tighten, scale the expectation down instead of canceling the relationship entirely.

A simple metaphor to remember

Be more like a river than a tree.

The river adapts, bends, and keeps moving. The tree stands firm, and while strength is admirable, immobility can break under changing weather. Flowing doesn't mean lacking conviction. It means holding intention while allowing shape and speed to change.

Gentle closing thoughts

Life will interrupt. It will be loud, messy, beautiful, and demanding. The compassionate choice is to be kind to yourself when the rhythm shifts. Keep the habit alive in tiny ways, honor the seasons where full focus isn't possible, and remember that small consistent acts add up over time.

Be kind. Be gentle. Sometimes you have to go with the flow.

Short checklist to carry forward

• Choose one tiny daily creative act (5 minutes).
• Allow flexibility - move the time, shrink the goal, or pause without guilt.
• Use pauses as resets, not punishments.
• Return when you can and ramp up gradually.

Love to you.. all the messy, beautiful parts.