Resources Are High

which honestly feels kind of weird

Many months ago, I made a video about something called the “Cycle of Creative Resources.” This was one of those videos that I wanted everyone to watch and almost no one did—but I didn’t want everyone to watch it because of anything I did. It was because the concept, created by Dr. Laura Valojärvi, was so useful to me, I thought every creative should know about it.

I don’t bring this up now to drive traffic to a nine-month-old video (although you really should watch it). I bring it up because I’ve unexpectedly and delightfully found myself in the sweet spot between creative stability and creative flow.

Have you been there? It’s a place where ideas flow easily, mistakes are easy to accept, work is often effortless, and your whole creative life feels joyful and expansive. It’s a lovely place to be, and after the past several years, I’m a little surprised to find myself there. It’s been a while.

My “everything notebook” has been my constant companion, gathering sketches, idea lists, outlines, and research notes at an astounding pace. It’s natural that these states don’t last forever, so I’m doing everything I can to enjoy it while it’s here. Like food preserved and stored away in a cellar, these notes and ideas will sustain me in the inevitable lean times to come.

Because my traveler’s notebook is getting such a workout, I made another video about how it’s organized and how I’ve changed things for the second half of 2024. I’m still not sure I made the right decision.

Let me know what you’d do in the comments (either here or on the video). While you’re at it, I’d love to hear about a time you found yourself in the summer of your creativity…or if you’re struggling through an autumn or winter. We’ve all been there!

I also want to remind you that the one-hour creative retreat is live in just a few hours. (If you see any typos or mistakes in this email, blame it on my trying to get it out before the event begins!) You can join here or scroll down for more details.

Until next time, I’m wishing you love and joy and all those good things,

Jenn

P.S. Keep scrolling for upcoming content!

Coming Soon:

• Next week’s video will be about money. Specifically about how I’m surviving without Kevin’s income, how much I make from my creative endeavors, and why I think it’s important to be at least a little transparent about the realities of trying to make it as a creator. If you have a YouTube account, you can subscribe there and click the notification bell to get an alert as soon as the video comes out. Otherwise, I’ll be sure to link it in your next newsletter.

• The One-Hour Creative Retreat is live today (and just about every Wednesday) at 4pm Pacific. Bring your journal, sketchbook, or a craft project you’re working on, and join me for an hour of focus and flow. If you’re not available for the live event, no worries! This link will work for the replay too.

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The subscriber vlog is coming back soon! Look for it in your inbox this month.