Sometimes, just being alive is draining enough.

I’ve been bunkered down for most of today with an earth shattering migraine, while pulling together work for a range of different clients and answering emails. My eyes honestly feel like they are going to pop out of my head, and I have begun to see spots. This is a bad scene.

i took a twenty minute break though, over my lunch, and sat down with some cotton thread and a few needles. The piece above is the result. Why do this? It’s my new strategy for dealing with frustration, pain and general whatever-ness. A random act of creativity.

Most of the time, what we make as creative professionals has such a specific purpose. Am I right? We’re creating copy for a website, a logo for a startup, a marketing plan for a new cat food. It has a clear end goal, and it can often feel like we’re being closed in. A brief is nothing to laugh at - I need ‘em, and I need ‘em bad. The thing is, it’s so important, the harder you work, to take time out and make things. Make things that have no point. Make things that won’t generate income or change the world.

Participate in a random act of creativity.

I challenge anyone creative out there to sit down once every day and make something/anything. Make it, finish it, don’t perfect it. Then put it out there. If nobody clicks on it, that doesn’t invalidate your work. If nobody cares about it, that doesn’t invalidate your work. Make something.

Have a kick ass week.