How I Unlock My Creativity: The Artist’s Way Meets Big Magic

Struggling with Perfectionism

Being a creative girly has always been what lights me up. In high school, I studied theatre and dance, I enrolled into fashion school to eventually end up with a bachelor’s in art and design. Painting, dancing, crocheting, sewing and creating have always been a big part of my journey and part of who I am.

But as much as I loved it, I constantly hit the wall of perfectionism. I would think that what I created wasn’t good enough, feeling the pressure to create a masterpiece every time or sometimes I wouldn’t even start because I thought I was lacking the talent. Many projects stayed unfinished, collecting dust while I convinced myself they weren’t worth completing.

The two books that saved me

No matter how many times perfectionism got in the way, I always came back to creating. What really shifted everything for me were two books: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. These books became my lifelines, teaching me to release the grip of perfection and return to creativity with curiosity, play, and trust.

They didn’t just inspire me, they gave me permission. Permission to fail. Permission to be a beginner again. Permission to create without needing to prove anything.

Julia Cameron taught me that creativity thrives when we nurture it daily, through small practices like morning pages and artist dates. Elizabeth Gilbert reminded me that fear will always show up in the creative process, but it doesn’t have to be in charge. I highly recommend reading the books by these amazing women.

My favourite lessons from the books

1. Create a Safe Space

One of the first lessons I learned was the importance of creating a safe space for myself. A space where failure and mistakes were not enemies but part of the process. Without that, creativity can’t breathe. Get yourself a sketchbook for imperfect creations, start a crocheting project for fun, dance in front of the mirror.

2. The Box and Beyond

Before you can think outside the box, you first need to create a box. Having structure, a small daily ritual or a set time to create, actually frees you to go further. Creativity loves boundaries as much as it loves freedom.

3. Curiosity Over Fear

Both books repeat this truth: a creative life is built by choosing curiosity over fear. When you stop fighting your fear and start letting curiosity lead, everything opens up.

4. Embracing the Impossible

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” I held onto this when projects felt too big. Each tiny step is proof that the impossible is simply the not-yet-created.

5. Play Like a Beginner

Perhaps the most liberating wisdom of all: allow yourself to be a beginner. When you let go of the pressure to master something, you rediscovered the joy of play. And isn’t that what creativity really is, intelligence having fun?

How I Live My Creativity Now

These days, I no longer wait for inspiration to strike. I show up, messy and imperfect and I let the process teach me. Some days my brushstrokes are clumsy, some days words flow and other days nothing happens. I’ve learned that showing up matters more than the outcome. Creativity has become less about achieving perfection and more about choosing curiosity, again and again.

I’ve also discovered how deeply creativity is tied to our cyclical nature as women. We aren’t meant to create in a constant, linear way. Our flow shifts with our inner cycles and the phases of the moon. In the follicular phase or during the waxing moon, I often feel more energy to dive into projects and bring ideas to life. But interestingly, my most creative sparks and ideas often come during my luteal phase, my bleed or the waning/new moon.

Those slower, more inward moments are where ideas seem to arrive more easily. Honouring these rhythms has made my creative process feel so much more natural and alive. Working with the natural cycles has helped me unlock a flow I never had when I was pushing myself to “always be on.” If you want to dive deeper into living with the moon and your own cycles, you can explore more about lunar living in my eguide.

Lunar Living

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