When Life Needs You to Pivot
🫖 A Week of Creative Rest (Not by Choice, But Still Sacred)
This past week didn’t look how I thought it would. I had goals: blog content, art progress, maybe even a finished piece in Procreate.
Instead? Life happened.
Family became the priority this week in more ways than one and really required the abundance of my attention. And my creativity rightfully took the backseat. I'm sharing this with you because this happens so often to all of us. Life starts lifeing and the best laid plans get put back on the shelf, sometimes to be addressed later, sometimes to be forgotten or let go. In the past, I would have made myself feel bad for not meeting my goals, regardless of whatever other "life things" that came up. Telling myself I suck for not being able to do it all used to be second nature — and honestly, it still tries to be sometimes. I didn’t pick up a paintbrush. I didn’t post on social media. I didn’t do the things I’d planned.
And honestly? Part of me started to spiral. You know the voice:
“You’re falling behind.”
“You’re not doing enough.”
“Other creatives are way more consistent than you.”
It’s wild how fast our brains can turn real-life priorities into failure stories.
But here’s what I’m learning — slowly, deeply, imperfectly:
Just because something creative didn’t happen doesn’t mean I wasn’t aligned.
My favorite art supplies untouched.
💗 Family First, Guilt Not Required
My family needed me last week. While the circumstances were strained, it was some much-needed family time. And as I reflect now on the past week, it felt aligned with the core of who I am and my values.
And even though I know family is my number one priority…
Even though I consciously chose to be present…
Even though I made a loving decision…
That sneaky guilt still showed up a little.
But this guilt is just rooted in fear. Fear dressed in a cozy, familiar sweater, whispering things that sound helpful but aren't quite true. It means:
“I care about this. I don’t want to lose momentum. I want to be someone who follows through.”
Which is beautiful, honestly. But also, completely incompatible with the reality that life will shift. Unexpected things will happen. Recognizing when my fear is misplaced or coming on too strong has been crucial to my personal growth and healing (#internalfamilysystems— a therapeutic framework that’s helped me better understand my inner voices). Creative living has to bend with it, not break under it. Recognizing the role this guilt plays in circumstances like this has allowed me so much more space to offer myself love and grace.
🌼 A Reminder for Anyone Who’s Felt “Behind”
If you’ve had a week (or a year) that didn’t go to plan, I just want to say this out loud:
You’re not failing — you’re living.
Shifting priorities isn’t giving up.
Your art will wait for you. Find small glimmers in time to come back to it.
You’re allowed to bloom slower than you expected.
Sometimes, creative rest isn’t intentional. It’s messy. It’s unplanned. It’s wrapped in real-life responsibilities that don’t always feel magical or inspiring.
But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
It means you’re human. And your humanity is sacred.
💌 I Want to Hear
What do you do when your plans get thrown off track?
Reply in the comments or shoot me a DM — I’d love to hear how you give yourself grace when life gets wild.
P.S. If you need a cozy way to return to art, download my free creative ritual guide here — no pressure, just gentle steps to spark that inner glow again.
