patiencebertanaisn’t that a dramatic title?
This past weekend Chris and I were able to take a trip to Nashville with friends to celebrate their 50th birthday. It was a fun weekend full of great music, food, and laughter. It was non-stop.
I took two sketchbooks with me- my daily practice journal and my watercolor sketchbook. I took supplies with me. I thought I was prepared to keep up with my daily creativity practice.
I was wrong.
There just didn’t seem to be the time. We stayed up really late and got up just in time to head out the door. I had the best time with people I adore, but I was tired and moody by the end of the weekend. I was not myself. I was not a good travel companion as we headed home.
The Nashville airport on a Sunday is a bit crazy. We got through security and found our gate. I was feeling anxious, tired, and moody. That’s not a good combo. Chris headed off to get us some coffee and a snack, and I stayed with our luggage at the gate.
I saw my sketchbook and pens in my backpack as I was putting everything back together. It was then I realized that I knew what I needed. I needed to create. I took out the sketchbook and a single black pen and started this doodle. It soothed me and allowed me to focus on calming my anxiety. By the time Chris came back, I was in a better place.
Creativity is a strong force for my mental health. This doodle definitely saved me from losing myself in the airport.
This experience made me realize just how much my daily creativity practice impacts my mental health. Looking for ways to be more intentional when I am out of my normal routine so that I can keep my daily practice in place.
