Building a Consistent Practice for Creative Safety

daily habits that sustain us

Hello creative friend,

In my weekly 5 Things letter last week I touched on how our little rituals can help us to feel safe in our creativity. Alongside things we do for peace and comfort, like taking a walk, lighting a candle, or journaling, I’ve found it’s also important to have what I'm calling a touchstone activity, something we do daily, that grounds us to ourselves, reminds us that we are creative, but also connects us to wider experiences.

I would say I have two: knitting, and reading. But I do sprinkle some others in too.

Today I’m sharing with you some ideas of what this could be. Maybe you’re already aware what yours is, but if not, maybe in reading this you’ll recognise it, or you’ll be compelled to build yourself a consistent touchstone.

In reading what follows you might wonder why I’ve left out certain things. In my estimation, the defining characteristic of these touchstones are that they are activities that don’t involve a lot of fuss or moving parts to set up. You can just simply pick them up and get going. Portability also plays a role: can I do this activity anywhere in my home? Can I take it with me?

For each activity below I’ll examine why it can be a touchstone activity, and what the benefits are.