Ever feel like you sort-of lose touch with yourself when work and life get busy?
I certainly do. In fact, that feeling inspired an entire series on navigating busy seasons (while minimizing burnout). Part of the reason I wrote it was because I needed a grounding, meaningful personal project to return to after-hours.
I’m a strong believer that embracing your creativity, engaging in a hobby you love, and turning it into a meaningful personal project can help you feel much more balanced (and burnout-resistant).
Your personal project becomes like an anchor when the winds of work start to pick up. It adds a sense of autonomy, purpose and joy to an otherwise chaotic work week, and helps you call your energy back. It needs a bit of momentum to stay committed when constantly pulled in different directions, though. (That’s why I recommend having one to dive into before a busy season hits!)
But what if you don’t know where to start? What if you don’t have a hobby?
Great question, and a frequent one! So many of us wish we had a hobby – just something we can do outside of the grind. I would love to write more on this.
In the meantime, I’ve got a project idea for you.
It worked for me many years ago, before I really found my “thing”: you can turn finding your personal project into your personal project. (How meta, right?)
Let’s talk about how to shape this creative exploration into a grounding project to be your anchor when life gets busy!
If you don’t have a hobby yet, your project can be finding one.
Just in case this sounds terribly boring, let me assure you: this is not just a dull research project or a 30-minute journaling exercise.
Your personal project will be a journey of self-discovery, a collage of creative ideas, a permission slip to indulge your curiosities, and an exploration of what creativity means to you. It can be discovering the reflection of what’s inside. It’s also just a wonderful way to reconnect with your creativity by listening for what calls you the most.
Now, as you read through that, did an idea pop into your mind?
Go for it!
You can refine your approach below (if you want), but really, all you need is for one idea to light you up. Then you just follow the light!
If you’re still feeling in the dark, don’t worry. There are so many ways you could start this discovery project.
Here are five ideas to jumpstart your creative self-discovery (be sure to earmark any that feel exciting):
1. Start a journal.
It could be an art journal for creative expression, a diary to write long-form streams of consciousness (how nostalgic!), or my personal favourite – a bullet journal to mindfully organize your life while capturing your inspiration.
The journal itself is like a project, but what is revealed within it may just be the catalyst you need to dive into a newfound hobby!
2. Try morning pages.
Speaking of streams of consciousness – in The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron recommends to fill three pages every morning with writing. Any writing – just whatever comes to mind, so long as you keep your hand moving.
When I first started, morning pages took me about 45 minutes. Whew! You don’t have to do the three full pages, though. Reduce it to one or two, or limit your writing time (eg. to 20 minutes), and see what you can do within it.
It might feel like a lot of rambling and to-do lists in the beginning, but if you’re consistent over time, you might be surprised by what surfaces!
3. Read.
Grab (or borrow) a book on something you’re curious about. Bonus points if you take book notes that you can refer back to in the future. (I still refer back to mine!)
If nothing piques your curiosity at the moment, why not read about creativity? I can recommend Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, which I reference frequently on the blog. It’s an amazing resource to unleash your creative side.
Books are a wonderful source of inspiration. (Who knows, you may even want to try writing one!)
4. Take a class.
Or try out tutorials that interest you (there’s no shortage of them on YouTube).
If there’s something you’ve always wanted to learn, now is the time to give it a shot and make learning that thing your project.
Can’t pick one? Try 5 different things and see which one you just can’t put down!
I can also recommend diving into The Artist’s Way. The morning pages I mentioned above are just one part of the the book. The book itself is really like a self-led class in creative exploration and recovery. In other words, it’s a project in and of itself!
5. Create a scrapbook.
It could be to document your life. It could also be a scrapbook of inspiration: all of the things you loved as a kid, all of the things you’re curious about now, and all of the things that light you up.
If you want to pivot from a traditional scrapbook, how about creating a vision board? This will wake up your imagination and help you move towards your greatest goals.
What makes a project grounding?
A personal project is grounding when it gives you a home base – something consistent and enjoyable to return to after a long day.
It helps you keep perspective when work gets overwhelming by connecting you to something greater than the grind.
A grounding project also invites a sense of agency, helping you stay in the daily driver’s seat (at least for a little bit).
Perhaps most importantly, it draws in your focus, letting the stressors of the day fade into the background.
Even though working on a project seems productive, it can actually be a form of rest that helps you show up for the rest of your daily life with a clearer state of mind. Filling a journal could give you mental rest. Being playful and creative without rules facilitates creative rest. Working on a project that supports your community could even serve as spiritual rest.
Embarking on this project is a big deal! Just remember not to put undue pressure on yourself. The goal is to have fun, after all. To keep the grounding benefit of the project, you want it to help replenish your energy, rather than drain it further.
Be sure to check in with yourself so that you’re not just piling onto the chaos!
Parting words
I’m so excited for you in your creative exploration. You’re about to open up to that inner creative voice – the one who’s been told they must be quiet for years, up until now. Try new things, make a mess, be a beginner – and feel for what lights you up the most.
Let go of perfection and productivity in this process, and focus on showing up for yourself, letting your curiosity lead the way. The thing that you can’t wait to get back to is probably the one that will stick. Even so, don’t be afraid to let your interests evolve!
Once you’ve found that sticky hobby, you can turn that into a wonderfully grounding personal project. Read next: How to Create a Meaningful Personal Project From Your Hobby.
Wishing you lots of insight and inspiration on your creative journey.
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