What will you make today?

Greetings from my studio, home of Wild Honey Words!

I’m so glad we’ve connected. Whether you’re a new subscriber (welcome!) or whether you’ve been following my work for years, your support means the world to me.

Now that I’m in California, know what I miss about commuting in NYC? Being immersed in a cultural mosaic—the people, the poems in subway cars, the murals and stained glass in train stations. I’ve always loved how art transforms everyday moments.

Some mosaics are made with carefully-cut squares, some with jagged, broken pieces; my life is a blend of both. When I moved into my current home in the summer of 2020, I channeled my pandemic blues into scouring the entire Internet to find just the right hand-painted Japanese plate to add to my eclectic little collection of blue-and-white dishes. Then a glass pepper grinder leaped out of the cabinet onto the plate, and that was its last supper.

When things break or relationships don’t turn out to be as long-lasting as I’d hoped, I’ve learned that if I let myself feel the grief and disappointment, on the other side of loss and change, there are opportunities for reinvention. Taking what we’ve experienced or what we have left and using it as building material is a creative act—which is to say, an act of courage.

Game-Changing Reframe

For me, living creatively is a practice, from trying new foods to mixing up hair styles to hiking lesser-known trails. Creativity is the antidote to boredom. And when I encounter a problem (be it technical, financial, logistical, or wellness-related), if I approach the situation as a creative challenge, I’m more motivated to get curious and take action. My energy shifts from anxiety, frustration, or shutdown to a sense of possibility. I become a solution magnet. The process can even be fun! Miracles happen, y’all.

Btw, if you’re thinking, “But I’m not a creative person,” that’s not a thing. Humans are wired for this. Creativity is a natural resource accessible to ALL of us—not just folks who call themselves artists or wear flashy glasses or funky earrings (heeeeey!). To make a living, to form communities, to survive and thrive, we all become innovators. Each day hands us invitations to cultivate a creative mindset.

So, what will you make today?

A delicious meal, a pillow fort, a business deal, a party, a new friend, vacation plans, space for feelings, a mess of DIY supplies…? Today could be the day you invent a soon-to-be-famous dance move. Maybe you’ll create an opportunity for people to connect in a way that’s healing. What intention will you carry to make this day what it can be?