I’m sitting here in an old and beatuiful library at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico thinking once again about why creativity matters so much and how we can bring more of it into our daily lives. 

I’ve spent the day scouting locations and connecting with new and old friends. These are the days when inspiration is easy, when creating begs for attention.

I’m here to document a gorgeous artist retreat facilitated by my dear friend and client (friend?) Erin Faith Allen. It’s a pretty incredible experience to witness. More than 75 women traveling from far and farther to be here (where we are isn’t really close to anything), as an act of devotion to their own creative pursuits. 

For the next 5 days they will be immersed in powerful and beautiful art teachings. Their hands will touch wood and silk and tea and indigo — even eucalyptus and rust will be ingredients in their art making. They’ll gesso and gel pen and journal and bundle. They’ll make and they will make some more. 

When I come to these retreats my session offering is one of creating a talisman for the experience they have while they’re here. We create portraits together that embody the wild, creative and expressive being that they are. My hope is that these photos will be one more piece of fuel for their creative fire and will help to make their post-retreat re-entry even more joyful.

I’ve just seen so much evidence that supports the idea that seeing ourselves and creating meaningful, imperfect pieces of art are both essential contributions to our overall wellness and happiness. 

In our busy lives and busier minds, it can be hard to prioritize so I’m sharing five powerful reasons to make time and space for your creative life :::

1 - The process of creating has an antidotal effect on over-consumption. In other words it helps us offload all of the stimuli that we absorb all day long. You know that icky feeling you get when you go down the sometimes inevitable and seductive “scrolling rabbit hole”? Making something, using our creativity - helps to empty our information overload and overwhelm. (I don’t know about you, but this alone is enough evidence for me).

2 - Creativity has been shown to decrease feelings of depression and will often put you into a meditative state or bring you into the present. Creativity is a mindfulness practice that doesn’t require you to sit still. 

3 - Creativity begets creativity. You know that relationship or business quandary that’s driving you nuts? Pick up a pen and paper and write a poem or love letter, grab some paints, or (one of my favorites) your camera and just let yourself start making, even colored pencils and coloring pages will get your brain off the “trying to figure it out” hamster wheel and will free up some space for creative solutions to bubble up. When we engage our creative brain we are engaging the same part of our mind that problem solves but in a different and more spacious way. This is a piece of why we often have the biggest “a-ha” moments when we’re doing something “else”. 

4 - It’s satisfying. It just plain feels good to make something, whether that’s a bowl of soup or a beautiful salad (I’m getting hungry can you tell) or a picture, or love letter. It feels good to hold something in our hands that we made.

5 - It’s part of our legacy, every picture we take (even the one’s of other people), every painting we paint, every story we tell, every meal we cook… Everything we create has our unique fingerprint on it, we are there in every single creation. How beautiful and powerful is that?

So whether you're a painter or sculptor, musician or chef, writer or dabbler, or a reluctant creative that's still not sure of your "making" abilities, I invite you to do something deliberately creative today. 

What can you do today with whatever time and resources you have available to express and exercise your creativity? Keep it simple, accessible and joyful. Give yourself a little dose of creative medicine everyday for a month and see what happens. 

Much love,

Danielle