The Power of Daily Creative Rituals: How Painting Brought Me Back to My Creativity.

Creativity has always been a part of me, but it hasn’t always been simple. As someone with ADHD, I’m naturally prolific, constantly creating, shifting, and exploring new ideas. But that also means I can get distracted, discouraged, or fall into the trap of thinking that what I’m making isn’t “right” or isn’t serving me in the way I expect it to.

But what I’ve come to realize is that even when creativity feels off—when it doesn’t fit, or when I shift from one form to another—it still serves a greater purpose.

For years, I was an oil painter. I even had gallery exhibitions throughout the province. But toward the end of that chapter, something in me felt… disconnected. Talking about art became difficult, and my relationship with painting started to feel strained. So, I stopped. Instead, I pivoted and threw myself into something completely different—a food trailer.

At first, that creative energy found a new home in cakes, baked goods, and everything else I made. And for a while, that worked—it checked the creativity box and even made me money. But burnout came fast and hard. I’ll share more about that another time, but what matters is that no matter how much I stepped away, the need to create never left me.

Even when I wasn’t painting, I was making something. That drive is always there. But when what you’re creating no longer rings true, it has a way of catching up with you. And when it does, it can leave you in a place of self-doubt, frustration, and even despair.

That’s where I found myself late last year. November 2024. I was in a state of exhaustion, sadness, and uncertainty, craving something I couldn’t quite name. And for some reason, what I craved… was painting. After nearly a decade away from oils, I picked up my brushes and started again.

And something strange happened.

I was better than I had ever been before.

I still don’t fully understand it. How could I step away for so long, shift my focus to something completely different, and yet somehow come back stronger? I have my suspicions, but what I do know is that painting every day—about four hours a day—has helped me reconnect with my creativity.

It has become a ritual. A practice that grounds me, forces me to slow down, and gives me something I didn’t realize I needed: clarity. My mind is so busy, and trying to focus is sometimes very challenging. I am however, a firm believer of being brave with creativity, and sometimes, that’s just showing up and creating something, anything.

For the first time, I’m starting to understand that creativity isn’t about forcing yourself into a box. It isn’t about finding the “one true thing” you’re meant to create forever. It’s an expansion—a process of following whatever energy is moving through you, letting it evolve, and trusting that it still matters even when you don’t understand why.

And that realization has led me to something unexpected: writing.

Just like painting, there’s something deeply resonant about the act of writing—about pulling ideas out of the ether, shaping them into words, and giving them form. It feels like tapping into something ancient, something true. I used to think of myself only as a painter, but I’m realizing that writing is another way of making sense of the world.

Lately, I’ve been diving deeper into this, letting words become part of my creative practice. And just like with painting, the more I show up, the more it reveals itself to me.

Maybe creativity isn’t about choosing—maybe it’s just about flowing.

Maybe it’s about answering the call, over and over again, no matter where it takes you.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like an artist. And for the first time, I’m allowing myself to say that without hesitation, and hushing that “I suck” voice.

        If you’ve ever struggled with creative burnout or felt lost in your own process, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or share your thoughts.

      This is part of a larger exploration of creativity, writing, and art that I’m diving into with Creative Chronicles. If you’d like to follow along, sign up for updates her