We are all makers at heart, but sometimes we go through a maker’s drought.

There is a maker, a creative, in every single one of us. Before you say, "No, not me, I’m not very creative," hear me out.

I don’t just believe that everyone is innately creative, I know it. Strong statement, I realise, but it’s a hill I am willing to die on. The number of people I’ve spoken to who think they aren't creative boggles my mind, because I simply don't believe that's true.

I get where they’re coming from. They aren't into traditional art or craft, or any of the usual categories that spring to mind. But that is a narrow view of what creativity really is. Perhaps for many of us, it’s not that we aren't creative, it’s simply that it has been so long since we last made something, we’ve forgotten that we are.

I acknowledge that being a "creative" and being a "maker" can seem like two different things, but I challenge anyone to claim they aren't a maker of some sort. A maker at heart is simply someone who creates something that didn’t exist before.

This can be as simple as curating a personalised playlist, mapping out a travel itinerary, or choosing the perfect gift for someone special. It can also be as complex as sewing a wardrobe from scratch, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece. You are being creative whenever you go off-script, when you tweak a recipe or tailor something to your unique needs. That kind of activity happens every single day, even if you don't call it creative.

The maker lives in the doing, whereas the creative can live in the mind.

The imagination is part of this too. It allows us to picture something that doesn’t exist yet: a story before we write it, a garden before we plant it, a meal before we cook it, or even a different way of doing something we’ve done a hundred times before. But all those ideas can remain safely in our heads. Making asks us to do something with them, to bring some version of what we imagined into the real world.

I know all too well that life gets in the way of making. Bills need paying, dishes need washing, and dinner still needs to be cooked. Before we know it, weeks, months, or even years have passed. That is where the maker’s drought creeps in, and the longer it lasts, the harder it feels to start again. Yet that is precisely why making matters. Every time we make something, we put our creativity to work.

Extensive research highlights the benefits of creative activities, linking them to improved problem-solving, memory, focus, and mental wellbeing, as well as stress reduction. For me, practising creativity regularly helps me navigate life better. It expands my capacity to think outside the square and builds my emotional resilience, helping me see possibilities after a setback.

My favourite aspect of making is entering a "flow state." I become so absorbed in whatever I am working on that time alters, self-awareness fades, and the process feels less like effort and more like conducting an orchestra (not that I’ve ever done that). Once the mind opens to creativity, inspiration flows naturally to keep the momentum going. Acts of creativity generate more creativity.

Creativity isn't only expressed through physical objects, though I’ll admit making tangible things is high on my list. It is also expressed through writing, storytelling, or even organising things into a new order (yes, I see you with your beautifully arranged, labelled storage boxes).

Think of the best storyteller in your family, the one who lights up the moment they capture your attention, launching into a tale you’ve heard a hundred times before. The retelling brings back that same sense of flow from the very first time they shaped and crafted that story.

What if returning to creativity didn't have to be so hard?

What if the doorway back into making was easier than you think? Not a grand masterpiece, but something simple to get the creative juices flowing again.

A few years ago, while homeschooling my kids, I bought each of us a small visual diary along with an array of pens, pencils, and paints to establish a daily creative practice. I sat with the kids for an hour a day with one sole objective: fill one small page in the book. I’d offer a few ideas, and they’d choose their own approach for the session.

I’m no artist, I tried all sorts of techniques, from Zentangle patterns to painting realistic raindrops in acrylic. I had a ball. Not because I was good at it (I wasn't), and not for the end product (most of which I’d never show anyone), but because I was making. An idea in my head was expressed into the real world, and that process was deeply good for my soul.

If you are currently in a maker’s drought or feel you aren't creative, I implore you to start making. Anything. If it’s been a while, start with low-stakes activities that don't even carry the pressure of producing a "thing":

· Buy an adult colouring book and spend some time colouring. That’s it. You are creating a unique visual object that didn't exist before.

· Cook a meal without a recipe, or tweak a familiar dish to try something new.

· Take a series of photos with a single constraint, focus only on blue objects, shadows, or textures. You’ll start noticing details you might have walked past a thousand times.

· Write one page of your immediate thoughts. Not a formal journal entry, just a raw expression of your mind right now. No editing. No sharing (unless you want to).

These small creative acts matter immensely. A life devoid of making can easily become dull and repetitive, a cycle of consuming, reacting, and responding. Creativity restores our spark and allows us to craft a life that is uniquely our own.

Making isn't about cluttering our lives with more possessions. It is a simple way to rebuild our identity as makers and reignite our creative energy. Each time we make, we remind ourselves that we are inherently creative beings.

Maybe the path out of a maker's drought is simply to start making again, however small, imperfect, or beautifully unnecessary that first creation might be.

• What could you make this week that wouldn’t take a huge effort, but would help you exercise your creativity?

• Where in your life are you already very creative but haven’t always acknowledged it as creative?

• Could you build creativity into your everyday routine?

May this day bring you peace. May you feel the warmth of the sun on your face.

Until next time,

Leeanne

P.S. I’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to share, simply reply to this email: What have you been creating lately?

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