Creative living journal #23
I use a big, stupid cup and I'm not ashamed to admit it!!!
Warami!
Quick reminder that Creativity Month starts tomorrow (5 May). There’s more info in the post below and there’s also a special offer of 50% off a paid subscription if you’d like to join along in this gentle program where we prioritise our creativity.
I’d love to have you!
Monday
I didn’t get out of my pjs today … I just jumped into work and kept going. The perks of working from home I suppose! But usually I have to get out of pjs when at home (even if it’s just to put on my baggy trackies and oversized jumper) to be able to work and get things done. I suspect the fact that I had three deadlines today for three different projects (2 editing plus edits due for my own book) had something to do with this change in routine. Not enough time for anything other than sitting at my desk, hydrating and working!
I’ve been going back and forth with my publisher and editor on edits for my non-fiction picture book two. The first being Tubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History that I’m sure you’ve all heard me blab on about more than enough, and the second being the next in the series (Our Lands series) that will focus on the history of a place in Naarm (Melbourne) and will be out March 2026.
As well as going back and forth on edits, my mind has also been going back and forth between feeling like maybe I’m not good enough and not up to the challenge and my publisher and editor must think I’m hopeless! To then feeling like this is great to have more editing and polishing because it will be all the better for it. Even now I look at book one and think, hmmm maybe I could’ve changed this or that … so the editing process is a good one and not one I have an issue with (I mean, as an editor myself, how could I??), but the thoughts in my head circle around and jump back and forth.
Since I’m all about self-analysis and figuring out ways to move past negative thoughts, I’ve been sitting with these feelings around book two for a bit. I don’t think it’s unusual to have these thoughts and feelings pop up – I think it’s fairly normal to have doubts and to feel like an imposter, otherwise we’d all be walking around with giant heads and no room for compromise – and these feelings don’t make me want to throw the towel in and never write again, so I think I’m all good. Just need to keep pushing through, tweaking, thinking, changing, adapting and I know the end result will hugely benefit from this process.
Tuesday
If money was no object, how would you spend your time? What would your day look like?
I’d love to hear your response to the above question.
It comes from a values set list of questions from my life coach, and when I answered this question I could see exactly what things are important to me in the everyday. Obviously this doesn’t include the wonderful things I’d love to do like travel more, but rather it was an exercise in what I would like my regular everyday life to look like. Surprisingly, it’s very simple.
If money was no object my day-to-day would look like this:
Up and at ‘em in the morning (happily because I wouldn’t be so tired from staying up late working all the time!) to get myself and the kids ready for the day
Drop kids at school then head to Pilates or yoga class or a bushwalk
Head home to prepare delicious, healthy lunch
Afternoon spent on creative endeavours – writing, art, weaving
Pick kids up from school and spend time being present with them in whatever way is needed
Evenings spent reading and winding down with family
Really, there’s not a lot to it. No outrageous adventures or shopping trips and travel where I’d go wild with spending money, though I’m sure I’d do some of those some of the time, but if money wasn’t something I’d have to worry about, the things I’d focus on can be boiled down to three main areas:
Health
Creativity
Family
Since money is something I need to think about, in reality I also need to focus on making some of it to pay the bills (bummer!). But I think what this exercise shows is that if I can find a way to prioritise these three areas (health, creativity, family) alongside my financial responsibilities then my cup will be full more often. Easier said than done! Some days I just can’t fit in a Pilates or yoga class (or afford it) or a walk – that’s the first to go when I’ve got other things on, though I do commit to just one class a week because it’s doable – and that’s okay for now, but in the long-term I need to work towards integrating these three focus areas into my everyday life.
Wednesday
Miss 8 went back to school, and I’ve got a life coach session today and an appointment.
We didn’t talk much about values during my life coach session because there were other more immediate things to dive into, like how to find ways to move forward on the tasks that feel too difficult or will take up more time than I’ve got right now.
But I want to share another question from the values list because I’m really enjoying answering these questions and discovering more about myself, so here’s another.
What do you not want others to know about you? Use your answer to find and conquer insecurities.
All I could think in response was that I don’t want people to know that I use this giant plastic cup every single day when at home.
I mean, look at it! It’s stupidly big and is one of two cups we bought for the kids from Movie World that had popcorn in it, but hey, it does the job 🤣
I could also add to that that I don’t want people to know I pretty much wear the same Adidas jumper and trackies every single day … friends, I am ridiculous.
That’s what I don’t want people to know; that I am so completely unserious and weird. And now I’m telling you all! So there it is, insecurities be damned!
Wrap up
The week flew by so fast. Probably because Miss 8 went back to school mid-week meaning my working week felt shorter.
On top of my regular work, I’ve also been working on Creativity Month and really looking forward to running the program because I so desperately need this small challenge to keep me on track creatively. I can’t wait to work on some illustrations and to feel immersed in my fiction book that’s due out next year. It’s a story very close to my heart, and the fact that I’ll be bringing it to life with both my own words and my own art feels special. But it also feels like more pressure too. I’m hoping that Creativity Month will help alleviate some of that pressure, and maybe your small goal for the month will do the same for you?
So, FYI you will be hearing from me a lot this week:
Again tomorrow with the first Creativity Month video and post
On Wednesday with the next Creative Life interview in the series – this time with
– as well as for the weekly Creative Project chatFriday with another Creativity Month post
Creativity journal #24 on Sunday before we start all over again
In this post I talked about some different options you can try if you’re sick of hearing from me in your inbox, so check that out again if you need to. But I do hope you’ll stick around in whatever way feels good for you because I’m so very grateful for all your support <3
Your turn
What have you working on this week? Join us in the weekly creative chat and tell me all about what you’ve been up to.
I acknowledge the Darkinjung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I am writing from today. I walk, talk, write, and create with respect on this land, and I acknowledge the enduring connection the Darkinjung people have with this Country; I thank them for their care of this Country, and I pay respects to the Elders past and present, and extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here reading or listening.
I would probably sit in a field of farm animals and write poetry.