Time. The elusive thing we all want more of, but can never seem to find. Fall especially seems to remind us of time’s passing, a little more quickly than the lazy days of summer. The season of change welcomes falling leaves and cooler temps, and shortened daylight seems intent. And with it comes a return to the rigor and routine of school, work, and life after a summer spent a bit more spontaneously.

The quiet comforts of fall are welcoming us to settle in, to get cozy, to get quiet. And this, for me, is the perfect invitation to start a new habit. A habit that feeds your soul. A habit that reflects the change we see around us. A habit that disrupts the routines and must-dos and connects us to our inner voice.

The quiet comforts of fall are welcoming us to settle in, to get cozy, to get quiet. And this, for me, is the perfect invitation to start a new habit. A habit that feeds your soul. A habit that reflects the change we see around us. A habit that disrupts the routines and must-dos and connects us to our inner voice.

For me, this habit is a journey in creativity—a few moments spent daily or weekly to connect and to solely create. No matter if you’re a writer, a dancer, a painter, or a chef, spending a few minutes connecting to your inner artist on the reg is the perfect invitation to slow down, practice self-love, and nurture yourself through this season of change.

How, though, in these hurried days of work and life and relationships and social media and and and, do we make time for art? How do we carve out space to create without expectation? How do we invite ourselves to the table and show up, to play and explore and build? Well, folks, it’s possible.

These are a few of my favorite and simple ways to sneak in a daily creative break:

Be an early bird.

Read, write, paint, dance with your morning coffee. The energy + love you’ll feel from a few mornings of doing this will get you hooked and hungry for more. Unless your particular chemistry favors the opposite, in which case…

Or be a night owl.

Prefer to stay up to the wee hours of the morning? PERFEÇT. After the to-dos of the day have been completed (or ignored), give yourself a late-night jam session. Turn on your favorite playlist and make to your heart’s content.

Flip the script on a girl’s night out.

Find a class or workshop that speaks to your group. Calligraphy, pizza making, indigo dying? In today’s world, there are so, SO many places and classes to explore—why not try something new?

Involve your kids.

The consummate creative in any household is the child who has not yet learned to censor, critique, or overthink their art. Put a tarp in the yard and paint, paint, paint as an afternoon treat.

Plug in.

Be a creator of media, instead of a consumer. With all the tools available to make art or music on your phone or tablet, what’s stopping you?

Spending a few moments to play and build your creative muscle will serve you well. It might lighten your mood. It might connect you to a new community. It might ease your stress. It might be fun and messy. And for today, all of those seem like good reasons to just get started.

Jill Elliott

Jill Elliott is an artist, wallpaper designer and writer constantly seeking inspiration and balance. You can find Jill’s wallpaper and original art at Color Kind Studio. She can often be found making art and messes alongside her daughter and puppy.