Over the month of December, I have given myself a personal challenge to draw everyday, no matter how messy life gets. My goal: to valiantly climb out of this creative rut and allow myself to pursue art for the sheer goal of having fun and exploring the process - without worrying about the final piece.

It has been a while since I have created for the sake of creating - a while since I have sat in front of a blank sketchbook and simply allowed my paintbrush to lead the way.

If you’ve read my last blog post, you’ll be aware of just how hectic these past few months have been. During Summer, I began preparing for university. In September I moved from Bristol to Cornwall to begin my studies, struggled immensely over the next month, withdrew in November and, finally, have started to settle with my family in our new home in South Devon. Phew!

As you can imagine, finding time to create has been difficult - and, not only that, but it has also been hard to find the motivation.

When poor mental health and dodgy executive function make even the most trivial of tasks feel like trekking Everest in gale-force winds with nothing but a broken compass, a few pots of cup noodles and a pair of cheap beach-shop sliders, creative hobbies seem out of the picture entirely.

But research has demonstrated how important creativity is for our mental wellbeing.

One long-term study carried out by the Social Behavioural Research Group from 2017-2022 found that adults who made time to participate in arts and culture reported better mental health, higher life satisfaction and even improved physical wellbeing as a result.

Interestingly, the research also highlighted that participating in arts activities (e.g., painting or knitting) positively improved a person’s ability to cope with everyday mental health problems - a link which was not found when looking purely at cultural participation (e.g., going to the cinema or attending arts festivals). This proves just how important regularly making art is in protecting a person’s mental wellbeing - even if it’s only 10 minutes of ‘mindless’ doodling on a lunch break.

Which brings me back to the ‘why’ behind my challenge.

After the chaos in my personal life throughout these recent months, I have been reminded of just how important it is to carve out the time to strengthen my own mental wellbeing, and one of the best ways that I find I can do that is through art. By giving myself the task of drawing everyday, no matter how small, I am building that gentle structure, a routine of creativity - and if you know me, you know how much I adore a good routine!

Like many artists nowadays, I have fallen victim to the self-inflicted trap of harmful comparison and pre-emptive people-pleasing. In the age of social media, too often when I open my sketchbook, I find myself asking, ‘what would others like to see?’ How can I be more like those artists, and less like myself? In what ways can I appease the almighty algorithm with what I create today?

But the beauty of art is that it is an expression of something which is entirely unique to the person creating it - like their handwriting. My love for making art doesn’t come from the reactions of others to a final piece: it comes from the freedom, resilience and joy that the creative process as a whole brings.

There is nothing more magical than watching an idea come to life on paper, entirely of your own doing.

I’m hoping that by the end of these 30 days I will have developed a habit of creating purely for the fun of it - without worrying about showing it to others or making something which is perfect.

And I challenge you to do the same.

Set aside 10 minutes of your day to draw, paint, sketch, doodle, craft, sculpt: to make something, anything, but to make it purely to enjoy the process of the craft. Experiment.

Most importantly, have fun!

At the end of 30 days, reflect on how doing this has made you feel.

Does your mind feel clearer? Do you feel more confident? Have you developed a new-found passion or hobby? Or, do you feel no change at all besides having little desk space due to the various stacks of doodle-ridden scrap paper covering the surface?

Don’t feel pressured to share anything you make with a single soul, this is for you.

Of course, if you wish to share the work that you’re proud of - or even that of which you aren’t - I won’t stop you, but don’t fall into the trap of creating something with the pure goal of showing others.

If you want to give this a go, I’d love to hear about it. For now, the best place to find me would be over on my instagram (*eye-roll*), @ScribbleWhiskers, where you can also keep somewhat up to date with the goings on of my business and creative life - although, I must admit my posting schedule is rather erratic as of late!

So, what do you think, are you going to challenge yourself to do this as well?