Waves of Creativity
How The Artist’s Way Helped Me Dream Bigger Than Ever
It’s mid-September, and I’m finally back home after almost a month away. Looking to ground myself before a very busy fall, I haphazardly pull The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron off my bookshelf. The past month had been epic. It started with a solo trip to New Hampshire, where I completed the toughest backpacking route I’ve ever done, followed by a silent retreat at Kripalu. I drove myself to and from New England, listening to Telepathy Tapes (HIGHLY recommend) and chanting “you are right where you need to be” courtesy of LVDY the whole way home. That trip was followed up by my sister’s dreamy wedding in the Outer Banks. I was on for five days straight, completely exhausted when I got home.
It’s now December, and looking back as fall has slowly shifted into winter, pulling that book off the shelf was the best act of kindness and creativity I could have possibly gifted myself. Something pulled me to that book that day. It wasn’t a months-long buildup—I simply decided to start. And I haven’t skipped a day of my “morning pages” since (MP for short).
This period also happened to coincide with one of the biggest creative milestones of my life: hosting my very first international retreat with my dear friend Holly Zajur! (See photos from the retreat above.) We poured our hearts and souls into this retreat, meeting weekly for a year leading up to it—dreaming, planning, and designing an experience that could hold space for connection, creativity, and growth. It feels no coincidence that the same season I picked up The Artist’s Way, I also hosted this retreat. That alignment has been a reminder that when we create intentional space for our creativity, life responds in waves. I can now see many more artists’ retreats in my future—each one more special and intentional than the last.
Here are some insights I’ve learned along the way from The Artist’s Way, a workbook written in 1992 by Julia Cameron, designed to help artists release creative blocks (seemingly more and more relevant as time goes on):
Early on in the book, Cameron teaches us to name our “censor” as the part of us that wants to deny us from living our best life. After just a few mornings of writing stream of consciousness, it became very clear that once it’s on the page, my censor isn’t nearly as scary as it is in my head. Something about the transfer from mind to paper dulls, dilutes, and strips its power.
Foreshadowing is always there. Every big accomplishment this fall—my first fundraiser, organizing the basement of my dreams, planning retreats, dreaming for the future—started as a tiny seed in my journal. Not every seed grew, but the ones that did didn’t appear out of thin air.
One of my biggest insights after reading my morning pages back was that my lowest points—the moments when I’m exhausted, upset, or unwell—are often when the biggest insights emerge.
Memories flooded back during this process. When prompted to recall my childhood bedroom and interests, I saw myself as a small child putting on sparkly blue eyeliner, directing elaborate dance shows where I cast myself as the lead, and selling tickets to neighbors. If my 9-year-old self could pour this much passion into a tiny production company, who’s to say I can’t run a fundraiser for my nonprofit now—or pursue a full-time salary? When did we go from playing pretend to taking life so seriously?
Some other fun things I’ve done since starting The Artist’s Way:
Hosted my first international retreat all about creative wellness (no coincidence there!) and already launched another one
Hosted my first ever fundraiser for L.O.C.A.L. Adventures!
Got back into collage and scrapbooking in a big way
Finally got a snake tattoo I’ve been dreaming about for 12+ years (!!)
Started organizing and decluttering my house, getting super organized in our basement
Upgraded my bed with plush new sheets and a new bed frame I’ve had on my to-do list for years
Sewed a collection of fun patches onto my denim jacket
Beaded with Frankie and made three necklaces
Took two rolls of film (planning to take more!)
Read more than ever before
Started singing lessons and bought myself a whole new set of sound bowls, exploring sound and voice
Deleted social media for three months to make more space for creative play
Hosted our first ever Thanksgiving in a clean, organized home
This journey has been a reminder that creativity isn’t just for “artists.” It’s for anyone willing to write, dream, and make time for themselves. When you do, the world you’ve been imagining starts to come to life—one page, one retreat, one patch, one beaded necklace at a time.