My newfound time, space, and energy to create this year of 2021 has been a lesson in relaxation or relaxing into the creative process. Even though I have created several decks and books in the past few years, it was all while caring for my newborn/toddler and while I was healing from the trauma of creating her. What developed within my psyche was a stress pattern: of finding the few minutes here and here to create, of racing the clock before nap time was over, of pushing through exhaustion, pain, and sleep deprivation, and of pressuring myself when I just. couldn’t. do. anything. creative.

Now that I have the time, space, and energy, I find myself – my mind, my psyche – still thinking and driving me as if I am still racing the clock every moment of every day. This is the stress pattern ingrained within that I am now working on re-programming, and I have found great inspiration from nature, of course.

It’s Springtime here, and I’ve really been enjoying planting new seeds of various types of herbs and veggies in my garden. But a garden doesn’t sprout in a day, nor do the seeds and plants rush time. They take their time and be the creative process. Being the process is what I had been struggling to find enough of before, and now like a seed sprouting and growing, I’m trying to relax into, even become one with, the creative process. It’s daily reminders, but each day as I let myself slow down into it, I find my creativity flowing better and the creative seeds that I’ve planted are able to sprout and grow more healthily!