Doing vs being: how to reclaim your creative time

There is one thing I hear often from creative people: There is never enough time in a day to set aside dedicated time for drawing and writing.

I can be a master procrastinator. If I set a giant goal for myself such as "I will become a better painter today," I know my brain will fight me on this idea. Suddenly everything else becomes more important to do, whether it's dishes or a big work project. (If you identify with being neurodivergent, this may be relatable.)

Be the verb: Paint vs be the painter
A European friend once gave me an interesting perspective: "Americans are very tied to their identity. They are always trying to be something, rather than enjoying life." I don't necessarily agree with his categorization, but there's the spirit of what he's saying.

You don't have to be an artist to learn how to draw or to keep a journal. It's not about having a talent, but rather putting in the time to acquire the skill. Rather, ask yourself, "Do I want to learn?" If the answer is yes, ask yourself "How many pages of a sketchbook can I fill eventually?"

Why does this matter?
If have an interest in painting, drawing, writing, will you make the time?
If you need the permission, today is the day to set aside at least 10 minutes of time for yourself. 🌞

If you're already fairly skilled in sketching and writing, maybe you're just here for the monthly updates. If so, read on to learn what I'm drawing, listening to, and reading.

In this free newsletter
🎫 Upcoming events
📖 In my sketchbook
🎧What I'm listening to
📚 What I'm reading
🤝Help and resources

🎫 Upcoming events
After I caught a cold this past July, I deferred the July Nature Journaling Meetup. Hopefully, we'll maintain the pace for the next few months. To stay updated, sign up for events on my Lu.ma calendar.

🧗In-person: Make a Collage and Nature Journaling Zine
[August 22, 2026] 📍Santa Clara, CA| RSVP on their website
You don't need an expensive sketchbook to start drawing and journaling.
I will be teaching at the Santa Clara City Library to show you how to combine collage and sketching. I will be offering my personal collection of stickers, papers and other materials for this workshop.

🎥 Online: Make a Collage and Nature Journaling Zine (Online Edition)
[September 10, 2026] 📍Online | RSVP via Lu.ma
I'm pushing the date out on this one to make time for promoting this event, since I got behind during the summer. This is a pay-what-you-like event.

📆August 25th: Love Notes to Nature is growing! As a subscriber, I want you to be the first to know about The Founding Nest. More details to come soon.

📖In my sketchbook: Monochromatic color
I just returned from a short road trip to Yosemite with my family. Since we were hiking, I made sure to limit my tools. This is what I call a "minimalist" kit.

Here's a sample of tools that I brought with me. I also kept a Pentel black brush pen, but that isn't shown below because it ran out of ink. (Of course)

Rather than adding lots of color, my focus is on seeing the shadows, and expressing light and dark. When I look back on what I sketched, I could have spent a great deal more time, but sometimes there are welcome interruptions. Often, people are curious about what I draw. In the case of the Half Dome drawings, a father-daughter duo came to chat with me. The girl was 8 years old and she likes to paint, too. I spent some time with her, and chatted with her about everything I am telling you now. Once again, the idea is not to "be good at it" but to put in more repetitions and practice. I encourage you to do the same.

🎧What I'm listening to
Birth at Work by Krislyn Powell: "Hear what's coming in Season 2"
Spotify | Apple Podcast

Krislyn Powell is making space for working parents to talk about their work-life balance challenges. By talking about it, we can normalize it. Childcare access for working families in the US is not where it could be. Compared to other countries, US ranks the lowest for high cost and lower quality.

Also, in September, I'll be sharing with her about Love Notes to Nature, and how creating art is a self-care modality for parents. By supporting ourselves emotionally, we can better support our families.

Season 2 of her podcast is being released right now.

📚What I'm reading

Who reads 26 books in 2026? I almost swore off this challenge, until I partnered with the Santa Clara City Library this year.

I noticed that in 2026, many of the books I'm reading have nature-related nuances.
For example, Coyoteland describes a young girl's interest in foraging for food in her suburban neighborhood. Underwater is a book about grief, but also about a biologist's daughter's relationship with the water in Thailand.

In addition to those books, I'm reading more books with fantasy and mythology genres. Especially during the summer, I really liked reading books that allowed me to escape from reality.

Are you a book nerd like me? What books are you reading this year? Share with me by leaving me a reply.

🤝Help and resources
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