Sometimes, in life, everything seems to be shifting at once.
Right now, I’m standing in the eye of one of those storms. Our house is on the
market, a major surgery is looming on August 5, and I’m starting a new business
in AI publishing — all at the same time. It’s the kind of moment where fear and
hope collide daily. Some days I feel strong. Other days I feel like I'm barely
keeping it together.
But even in the midst of this whirlwind, there’s one thing
that grounds me. It isn’t organization. It isn’t planning. It isn’t even
optimism.
It’s creativity.
I paint. I write. I research odd corners of history. And
somehow, that keeps me sane.
Creativity Is More Than a Hobby —
It’s a Lifeline
I’ve always believed that creating something — anything — is
healing. And I’m not alone. There’s now a body of research backing what so many
of us instinctively know: creativity is good for your brain, your body, and
your spirit. Studies have shown that engaging in creative expression reduces
cortisol levels (the stress hormone), improves mood, and even enhances immune
system functioning — something I need now more than ever as I prepare for
surgery.
More importantly, creativity brings me back to myself. It’s
a space where time stops ticking so loudly. In the flow of a brushstroke or a
sentence, I forget the unknowns ahead. I feel calm, curious, and focused.
When the World Feels Messy, I Paint
Painting has always been my private rebellion against
stress. When I was young, I’d feel that a muse was standing beside me, guiding
my hand.
Usually, I plan my art pieces carefully. That’s who I am. I
work on them in Photoshop before they ever hit the canvas. But, sometimes I
start a canvas with no plan, letting layers build organically. Other times, I
revisit old pieces and add to them, as if I’m collaborating with my past self.
I’m re-learning the art of setting myself free, which I had as a younger
artist. And sure, I show in a few shows and sell some of my paintings, but,
more importantly, the very act of painting lets me reclaim part
of my day — even if the rest of it feels out of my hands.
Research and Writing Help Me Organize My Inner World
Oddly enough, another thing that brings me peace is
research. I’m weird that way. Lately, I've been deep-diving into historical
figures like Oswald Mosley — not because I love fascism (quite the opposite!)
but because I want to understand how dangerous ideas take root in modern
society. Exploring the past gives me insight into the present, and it also
gives my mind something to chew on that isn’t our country
going down the tubes, medical statistics or real estate updates.
Writing, meanwhile, is where I sort it all out. It’s where I
can name the emotions I don’t always say out loud. It’s also where I feel
useful. With the AI publishing business I’m launching, I get to shape words
into stories, ideas into books — and that kind of creative building gives me
hope.
When everything around me feels uncertain, writing helps me
make sense of it — and sometimes, to make peace with the fact that I can’t make
sense of everything.
If You’re Facing Your Own Storm, Try Making Something
Maybe you’re facing surgery. Or selling your house. Or
saying goodbye to something, or someone. If you are, I want to tell you
something I wish someone had told me:
You don’t need to solve everything right now. But you can
still make something beautiful.
Create space for whatever creativity looks like for you —
even if it’s just scribbling in a journal, doodling on a napkin, humming a
song, or collecting pictures that inspire you. You don’t need a studio or a
deadline. You just need ten minutes. A corner of calm.
Let yourself follow what brings color back into your life.
Painting My Way to Peace
There’s a painting I’ve been working on of the Grand Canyon
— not quite finished, not quite right, but full of movement and light. That’s
how I feel, too. Not done. Not perfect. But in motion.
Surgery will come. The house will (eventually) sell. The
business will grow. And in the meantime, I’ll keep painting and writing,
because that’s how I hold myself steady.
Creativity doesn’t fix everything. But it helps me breathe
deeper, sleep better, and face the next day with a little more grace.
And for now — that’s enough.
