The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a 12-week "spiritual journey to a path of higher creativity" that I have completed multiple times in my adult life. You don't have to be an actual (or professional) artist. Maybe you just have an unanswered desire to paint (that's me), you like to mess around on the piano from time to time, or you don't even consider yourself to be creative at all. I'd still highly recommend.

While the entire book takes you through twelve weeks of self-exploration, activities and tasks, you could introduce the two mandatory events for each week; the non-negotiables, and still see some growth in your personal development. No time or desire for another book in your life? Just try these two things:

Morning Pages - Three pages of free-hand writing; anything that's top of mind, laundry lists to get out or expletives at the process you can't believe you're actually doing. It's all fair game. And it does some genuine good for your frame of mind before you go out into the world - interacting with people. Just write. Get it OUT. Whatever "it" is. You'll enter into interactions with a cleansed conversational pallet and less dredge from the day or week before. It's a lot like scooping the congealed grease off the surface of a pot of chili after it's been in the fridge all night, or flossing before you brush. It clears the cobwebs out of your mind. I usually follow mine with a little reading and prayer to set my intentions for the day.

Artist Dates - A weekly 2-3 hour "date" with yourself. No tag-alongs (children, SO's, spouses or friends). YOU take YOU somewhere YOU want to go to do something that YOU want to do...that's CREATIVE.  This allows one to tap into latent desires to play the drums, pick up a guitar, learn to paint, bake bread, arrange flowers, work metal, enjoy a play, go antiquing, take a hike...you get where I'm going here. It's honoring some time with yourself to explore creative outlets and it can be extremely beneficial for non-creatives too. They become better professionals in their respective roles by tapping into a hobby that brings them joy and has no "productivity" metric tied to it. Fun for the sake of fun. Get re-acquainted with the Little You inside...reconnecting with what used to make you smile and wasn't considered work. You know, that person you were before the world made its' mark on you? These are awkward at first (all "what do I do with my hands?") but amazing after you take the pressure off yourself.

Here's to letting your creative light shine,

Little Kristie