Stop Waiting For Creative Time To Appear - It Won't
Why I Always Keep A Side Project With No Deadline Or Purpose
Here’s the thing I keep coming back to.
Time won’t make itself for you. You have to shape it. Bend it. Claim it.
I talk a lot about creative living, and I believe deeply in solo creativity. But over time, I’ve also learned the quiet power of creative community. There’s something grounding about sitting next to another woman, even in silence, stitching or painting or collaging.
It says, without words, I’m here. I’m making space. I’m part of something.
That kind of space doesn’t appear on its own. It has to be planned. Scheduled. Protected. In the same way you would protect a dentist appointment or an important meeting.
When you start treating your creativity and your creative community like they matter, something shifts.
Boundaries That Protect Creative Energy
Want more time to create? This is where it starts.
For me, it means setting a few small but intentional boundaries… one of which is that I always have a side project that’s just for me, with no deadline and no purpose beyond my own joy and entertainment.
A friend and fellow artist, Georgie St. Claire, shared about something similar in our podcast conversation.
Those small boundaries, those quiet acts of claiming time, remind us that creativity isn’t optional. It’s vital to our wellbeing.
And it’s the same for you. If you wait for the world to make room for your creativity, it won’t. But when you carve out that space yourself, even in small moments, it begins to expand.
You Already Have What It Takes
Have you ever looked at someone creative and thought, I wish I could paint like that, or dress like that, or make my home feel more like me?
What if I told you that you can, and that it’s already inside you. You just weren’t shown how to access it.
After nearly forty years as a professional artist and a lifetime of living creatively, I’ve learned that creativity isn’t something you either have or don’t. It’s something you nurture. It’s how you see the world, how you choose, how you express. And it looks different for everyone.
Make Room for What Lights You Up
Find something you look forward to. Something that makes you eager to start the day.
For me, art has always been that. Having a project waiting in the morning is gold.
Lately, writing and podcasting have become that spark.
It doesn’t have to be your profession. You can weave creative energy into what you already do.
Maybe it’s the way you set up your workspace.
Maybe it’s a shared project while caregiving.
Maybe it’s five quiet minutes a day that belong only to you.
Even the smallest rituals can remind you that you’re more than your obligations. You’re a creative being. We all are.
When You Think You Don’t Have Time
One of the most common things I hear is, I don’t have time for creativity.
I understand that. Life is full. Responsibilities are real.
But perceived lack of time often kills intention and usually stems from some other underlying cause. Fear? Judgement? Perfectionism?
Sometimes it’s not about finding more time. It’s about seeing your time differently.
Looking for the hidden pockets that already exist. Creating 10 to 15 minute rituals that fit your real life.
Small, sustainable habits that keep your creative spark alive.
Until next time,
Pam