Creativity During Long Winter Days

We’ve finally made it through January.  Here in Chicago, we’ve had a pretty mild winter until this past week.  We finally got a good snowstorm and frigid temperatures are making things interesting this week. The holidays are over and yet spring seems so far away.  

This time two years ago was when I started my deep downward spiral into burnout.  I was miserable and my health and relationships were suffering.  As I look back at my posts on social media at that time, I am reminded of just how hard I fell and how much healing I have accomplished since then.  

Burnout recovery is a constant process and one that I still work on each and every day.  Keeping a work-life balance is central for me.  But it’s more than setting the boundaries between work and home- it is also about making sure that I am dealing with stress in healthy ways.  For me, that is making sure I am nurturing my creative soul as much as possible.

It can be challenging to feel creative during these long winter days.  Here are five ideas to help you feed your creative soul: 

1. 1. Surround yourself with beauty and inspiration: Keep your environment visually stimulating by displaying your work or favorite pieces of art.
2. 2. Get outside: Even if it’s cold, spending time in nature can help to refresh the mind and boost creativity. (This is a hard one for me… but Luna and I are braving the cold each morning!)
3. 3. Set creative goals and stick to them: Having something to work towards can help maintain motivation and creativity during the winter months.
4. 4. Take breaks and stay active: Regular physical activity can help improve mood and provide a much-needed break from the creative process.
5. 5. Connect with others: Join a local arts community, attend workshops, or collaborate with other creatives to exchange ideas and inspiration. 

And with that final idea, I am excited to be launching the FYCS Community on March 1st.  More information coming very soon! This has been a dream of mine for the past year, and the time is finally right to make it happen!  The community will feature weekly emails, monthly zoom calls, and more.