Coloring for ADHD and Mental Health

In March 2020, during the first week of staying home due to Covid-19, I decided to draw a coloring page for my kids. I sat down with a sharpie and a piece of white printer paper, and drew a visual collage of shapes, bugs, hidden words, and playful elements of nature that I thought would be enjoyable for them to color.

A few weeks later, I took a piece of poster board and drew another one, this time with fragmented sections that each featured their own design, theme, scene, or pattern.

What I was surprised to find was that I loved the process of drawing these pages. It connected with a part of my brain that, at the time, was feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and unfocused. Over the next two years, I drew many more coloring pages, most of which you can get in a digital bundle right here.

 
30-Page Printable Coloring Bundle
30-Page Printable Coloring Bundle
$5.00
 

When I was diagnosed with ADHD in January 2022, I began thinking a bit differently about these coloring pages.

As we grow out of childhood into adolescence and adulthood, society begins telling us that our creativity, and practically everything we do, has to be a certain way. The idea of “perfection” (which doesn’t actually exist) often paralyzes us before we even get started.

Even coloring pages might bring a feeling of pressure over enjoyment.

When I think of ADHD, and why (or why not) someone might enjoy (or not) coloring, I began thinking about the kinds of coloring pages that would allow someone to let go and be in the moment, and focus in on what they’re doing, and how it makes them feel.

I began drawing pages that had more patterns, free flowing forms and repetitive shapes, which could help you enjoy the physicality of coloring, without getting hung up on “making it look like something”, or color choice, or technique.

A lot of “Adult Coloring Books” are full of teeny, tiny designs that take a long time to fill in and finish, which might be frustrating or cause you to lose focus. So, I added in pages that you can move through rather quickly and get that hit of dopamine you get when you actually finish something.

I’m not a doctor or a scientist, so I cannot say that these pages are proven to help with ADHD and offer any sort of calming, focus, or therapeutic benefits.

However, they might! There are many studied benefits to coloring:

  • Helps release endorphins, increase comfort and relaxation

  • Soothe your eyes and brain from screen activity

  • Stimulate your creative brain and increase confidence

  • Helps to improve motor skills

  • Activate the playful inner child

  • Engage fully in the moment, helps lessen distractions and worry

Everyone is different. Even those of us with ADHD find different things helpful (or not). My hope is that you enjoy an assortment of pages to stimulate your creativity, help you relax or focus, and tap into your inner child with ease.

Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoy seeing my art, learning about my process, and feel inspired to explore your own creativity!

Subscribe to my weekly emails for regular updates, fun freebies, and creative inspiration!

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Shannon Sorensen is a self-taught contemporary abstract painter based in Newington, Connecticut, specializing in vibrant, expressive pieces that evoke feelings of places you have seen in person or in dreams, inspired by music, poetry, memories and meditations. Fine art prints of select works are available through her art store, and shop other printed home goods and accessories at Pixels.com.

Follow more of Shannon’s day to day creative living on Instagram.

Check out painting and creative living videos on Youtube.

Communication, Connection, and Welcome Co-host Andrea :: Creative Happy Life Podcast Ep 16

Hey, creative friends! Can we ask a quick favor? Hop over to your Apple Podcasts app, give Creative, Happy Life a follow (tap the three dots in the upper right corner), leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple podcasts! We appreciate every bit of support.

LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE HERE, OR APPLE PODCASTS:

SHOW NOTES

Welcome back to the podcast! If you're new to Creative, Happy Life - we're glad you're here! This is the first episode in a new chapter, co-hosting as sisters and people with some shared life experience, as well as individual views and interests. It's the podcast I dreamed of when I started in 2019, sharing conversations, having laughs, getting into some nitty gritty topics, and geeking out over creative ideas. In this episode, we discuss reconnecting as family and humans, how people have different styles of communication and conversation, and we ask the big question - what IS creativity?

TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE

Since we recorded this episode in November 2021, we talk about the pandemic and the struggle to connect since March 2020.

Filler tones - the words and sounds we make as we’re speaking, pausing and putting our thoughts together.

Big question - what is creativity to each of us?

Styles of conversation - we have different styles which we discuss in terms of anxiety and ADHD.

Creative things that we’re currently working on.

 

Shannon & Andrea, Co-Hosts of Creative, Happy Life Podcast

 

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Join us on Instagram and Facebook for updates, episode quotes, and building a community where we continue these conversations.

What is creativity to you?

Do you know your own style of conversation and communication?

Share this episode with your friends, pin the image below, and have a beautiful week!

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Here are some recommended affiliate links to help you on your creative journey! We may receive discounts and kickbacks when you use or sign up through our links, but there is never an added cost to you.

Become a one-time or monthly supporter on Ko-fi - for fans of the podcast who’d like to show their appreciation and support, Ko-fi is an easy way to make a one-time or monthly contribution in any amount starting at $3, the cost of a cup of coffee. :)

Try Skillshare 1 month FREE - Skillshare offers a wide variety of online, learn at your own pace courses for everything from different art mediums to business and personal development.

Try Creative Market - Design elements, tools, graphics, fonts, backgrounds, and resources for use in your own creative projects, made by independent creators.

Save $10 on your first Chatbooks printed photo book - simple, clean and easy to design printed photo books and canvas wall tiles. Import photos directly from social media accounts to save those everyday memories in print!

Save $10 on your first Stickermule order - print your own stickers, magnets, buttons, packaging materials, t-shirts, and more!

Magic Dusk :: Post-Impressionist Painting :: Connecticut Artist

“Magic Dusk” is a 9x12” acrylic painting on mixed media paper, and was painted on January 27, 2022.

“Magic Dusk” painting by Shannon Sorensen

My friend recently shared a photograph she took at the shoreline in her hometown, and the dusk hour made the sand, shells and rocks glow this warm, magical pink color. I knew I wanted to paint it!

I have challenged myself not to get boxed in to any one style - expressionism, abstract, or post-Impressionist - and to continue being playful and curious with color and mark-making.

A theme of my art is including metallic gold in all my pieces. I love the flicker of shine you get at various angles, and on a more personal level, it’s my nod to the art of kintsugi.

Kitsugi (translates to “golden joinery”) is “the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum…As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.” (Wikipedia)

When I learned about this art form, it was shortly after experiencing my pregnancy loss, and I felt connected to the idea immediately. Though I’m not mending pottery myself, the use of gold paint in my art signifies healing, repair, embracing imperfections, and shedding light on my “broken pieces” that are part of what makes me a whole person.

I love how this piece turned out, and it makes me want to find time this summer to go paint at the beach. The shoreline and ocean are endlessly inspiring.

Are there any beaches or coastal areas that you’d love to see painted?

Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoy seeing my art, learning about my process, and feel inspired to explore your own creativity!

Subscribe to my weekly emails for regular updates, fun freebies, and creative inspiration!

Looking for a way to show support for what I do? Buy me a coffee for $3 on Ko-fi, either one-time or monthly!

The World is Wide :: New Painting by Connecticut Artist

“The World is Wide”, a new post-impressionist dreamscape painting by Connecticut artist, Shannon Sorensen, inspired by Tolkien-esque fantastical landscapes that feel like a place we’ve known or seen. Within these worlds, great distances look close, new terrain and growth is revealed around every corner. Water flows and you’re not sure if you’re seeing fire or flowers.

 
 

Every time I am working on a painting, I reach a point where it needs to start taking shape and looking more finished. And some paintings progress quickly through this stage, while others, like this one, take a bit more time and work.

I started an 18x12” canvas painting on Monday, February 14, and it was full of warmth and felt very playful. The next day, I sat down again, and started adding some cooler tones, following the shapes and lines that I had established, and it felt good, but far from finished.

Over the next two days, I kept adding marks and layers, growing increasingly frustrated because I didn’t have any direction. At that point, I wanted to set it aside and give myself some time working on something new and fresh, because it was feeling overworked and stuck.

Evolution of a Painting

To store it in my small art space, I put a board up on my easel that another finished painting of the same dimension was still clipped to, and set the current piece under it while I figured out my storage solution.

I stepped back and just glanced at the two pieces lined up together on the board, blinked a couple times, and everything shifted.

One finished piece on top, displayed with this unfinished, overworked piece below it, it became clear to me that these two could and would work well together as a larger piece. The shapes started to make sense, and I was immediately excited to dig back into it again.

So here’s the finished piece, which I’ve called “The World is Wide”, inspired by Tolkien-esque fantastical landscapes that feel like a place we’ve known or seen. Within these worlds, great distances look close, new terrain and growth is revealed around every corner. Water flows and you’re not sure if you’re seeing fire or flowers.

The overall piece is 18” wide by 24” tall, two separate pieces of canvas attached and blended in the middle. I used acrylics, and both pieces of canvas were the last two pieces of recycled material that I had in my studio stash from another local artist.

Can you picture this in your home?

Prints and other home decor, lifestyle, stationary and accessories are available here.

Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoy seeing my art, learning about my process, and feel inspired to explore your own creativity!

Shannon Sorensen is a full-time painter working from her home studio in Newington, Connecticut. If you are interested in showing her art through your gallery, place of business, or event, please contact Shannon with your inquiry.

January Recap :: New Art and Paint With Me on YouTube

Why does January always feel like it stretches out forever? I know it’s not everyone’s favorite month, but I do always look forward to this time of year. I enjoy settling into a more quiet rhythm of life. It feels like a non-stop marathon of THINGS TO DO between the start of school in early September through the flurry of the holidays. Time stretches out a bit wider and further in front of us through January. It might make you feel a bit restless. I invite you to settle into it.

Find Your Sacred Flow

I love that this is the card I pulled today. Finding your sacred flow can mean a lot of things . For me, it means finding my pace of creating art, my pace of living, and honoring it. My sacred flow is slower than it used to be. It’s more flexible and lighthearted. It’s more playful. It’s allowing the creativity to flow through me, through art, through my words, and trusting that I don’t have to know where I’m going at all times.

This means…

Trusting my intuition.

Growing more comfortable with saying no.

Committing to my art and making time to play, explore and evolve.

Enjoying being myself, as I am in any moment, be it serious, silly, thoughtful, sad, curious, introverted, extroverted, energetic, sleepy…

I’m done with fighting against the current of my soul. I am moving with it, embodying my whole self, and enjoying the ride.

January Recap

For a slower month, January was full of good things. It started with prepping and hanging 12 pieces of art at Balance Massage and Wellness Center here in Newington, CT. My art will be on display there through the end of March 2022.

Click through to see the virtual gallery:

I made four new pieces of art that I am in love with for many different reasons. I painted my first big painting, which is 24”x36”. I made a new digital artwork for the first time since last June. Then I painted two smaller pieces, two days in a row. Each piece woke up something new and exciting in me. I am finding my style and voice as an artist, which is an incredible feeling.

Click on each image to pop out and see bigger:

I hit record last week on my 4th painting, and got a new process video up on YouTube! I was hoping to do this with my big painting, but I wasn’t well prepared for how long the painting would take and how to capture that scale of a project. So I’m taking baby steps back into the painting video world, instead of biting off more than I can chew at this point. I hope you give it a watch, subscribe, and hit the thumbs up! I plan to do these at least every other week going forward.

In addition to all of that, I am planning on a shop update later this week, as I have about 16 new pairs of painted earrings almost ready to go! So keep an eye out for the date and time, which I’ll share across my social feeds, and get ready to shop some wildly funky new pieces!

Thanks for catching up with me here! Wherever you are, I hope you have a beautiful week!

Shannon Sorensen is a self-taught contemporary abstract expressionist painter based in Newington, Connecticut, specializing in vibrant artwork that evokes feelings of places you have seen in person or in dreams, inspired by music, poetry, memories and meditations. Fine art prints of select works are available through her art store, and shop other printed home goods and accessories at Pixels.com.

Follow more of Shannon’s day to day creative living on Instagram.

Check out painting and creative living videos on Youtube.

Creativity and Mental Health

If living through a pandemic has done anything for me, it has helped me to be more aware of my mental health and wellbeing, and recognize the things that truly help bring me comfort, relaxation, and coping, when life feels otherwise a bit topsy turvy.

The first time I connected the dots between my creativity and healing was three years ago, following my pregnancy loss. I picked up a crochet project and spent four months crocheting a blanket for my daughter. With time, the repetitive nature of maneuvering stitch after stitch, row after row, brought me peace and calm. It kept my hands busy and allowed me to work through my thoughts and waves of grief.

I decided that it’s important for me to keep this conversation going as I share my work, because it really is the source of why I am on this particular path, and especially this past year and a half, I have witnessed so many friends and strangers turn to art and creative activities for comfort and healing.

So today, I’m sharing the things that I turn to regularly for comfort, meditation, to scratch a creative itch, or simply for relaxing and enjoyment.

Five Activities I Enjoy for My Creativity and Mental Health

Crocheting

I learned to crochet when I was about 8 or 9, sitting across from my mom as she taught me the basic stitches. I loved watching her work on creating blankets and other crafts, and remember sitting for hours after school working on granny squares and scarves.

In the weeks immediately after my miscarriage, I decided to make Lily a blanket. I had never finished an entire blanket and knew I needed something to focus on at night when the house was quiet.

I researched new stitches and picked out soft, colorful skeins from Joann’s. I started working on it, row by row, and found that I felt calmer and calmer with the meditative repetition of stitches. It wasn’t a complicated project. I could kind of tune out and focus on letting my hands do the work, and with each completed row, I felt happier, proud, looking forward to finishing something so special. And bonus, as it got bigger, it physically comforted me to have a soft, warm, and somewhat weighted blanket lying across my lap as I worked.

The other bonus to crocheting is that it’s a portable project. It’s easy to keep a current project in a tote bag to take with you in the car, anywhere you go. I recently started packing an “activity bag” to keep in the car, so I can crochet while I’m waiting to pick up Lily at school, or while she’s at dance class or Girl Scouts.

Painting

Obviously, this has been a monumental piece of my journey over the last 3 years. I enjoyed painting throughout my entire life, but recently, exploring the kind of painting I loved, made all the difference.

I have seen friends take up watercolor, drawing, doing paint nights, and finding real peace and joy with a brush in their hand. When you allow time and space to express yourself, removing the pressure and expectations of what you “should” be making, and do it merely for the physical and mental practice of playfulness, you may be surprised by how healing it really is.

With all things in life, it’s important to try all different kinds of things to find what you really connect with and enjoy. I know people who do not enjoy knitting or crochet and find it very frustrating. I know people who will not pick up a paintbrush. Perhaps it’s too daunting, or there’s no feeling of desire to paint.

Whatever you choose to do, or not to do, is a personal choice. There’s no right or wrong way to create or to craft.

Coloring

In 2021, I collaborated with my local Chamber of Commerce to host three Coloring and Cocktails networking events for local women in business. At each event, women from all walks of life, personalities and levels of artistry gathered and simply enjoyed coloring.

The wonderful thing about coloring, is it’s 100% enjoyment. The art/design is already there. You can freely choose your coloring tools, and tap into your inner child to playfully create.

Coloring has many mental and physical benefits, including relaxation, fine motor skills, creatively stimulating, increased focus, and giving your eyes and brain a break from screens (which I think we can all agree is necessary).

I have spent the entirety of the Covid pandemic drawing coloring pages. It started as an idea to make a page for my kids, back when we thought they’d only be home for a week or two. The more I drew these coloring pages, the more I enjoyed that process, too.

Here’s a link to purchase my very favorite coloring pages, which you can download, print, and color anytime!

Creative Movement

This is something new that I have been dipping my toes in, and I am loving it.

Creative movement is whatever I feel like doing with my body to re-center, move, and spend some time with my thoughts or listening to music. I try to do 20-30 minutes a day of something different that simply feels good. Some days it’s walking, some days it’s sitting and doing a guided meditation and deep breathing. Some days I put on my favorite Wicked Autumn playlist and dance freely (no choreographed dance workout videos over here), and some days I sit on our stationary bike and pedal for a half hour while listening to a podcast or, if I’m being honest, watching Instagram reels.

Engaging with my body each day keeps me in tune and grounded, not getting too lost in my thoughts and my to-do lists. It’s also a reminder to honor this vessel I’m living in, because I very easily could sit on my couch all day, or at my desk, and I know that when I take some time to move, I feel better. Physically dusting off the cobwebs and moving my body in new, different ways each days helps clear my head and invite in inspiration.

Crafting with My Kids

Before the pandemic, I can say with complete honesty that I didn’t enjoy crafting with my kids. Maybe it was their ages. It’s most likely that I was a lot more of a creative control freak. Whatever the reason, I’ve lightened up and have found that low-maintenance arts and crafts are a fun way for us to spend time together.

I love letting them do their thing and watching where ideas spark and take off. I love seeing them work together, or on their own. I try not to help too much so they can really experience it for themselves and grow their own skills.

My best advice is to get simple, inexpensive craft kits at Michael’s or Joann’s, if you’re like me and don’t like having to do prep work. I put a lot of my own creative energy into my painting, so when it comes to crafting with the kids, I like for someone else to do all the work, so we can simply enjoy it!

Some favorites include:

  • Canvas and paint kits

  • Coloring or painting simple wooden ornaments

  • Making jewelry with beads or rainbow loom elastics

  • Making our own picture books using blank paper or blank books/small journals from Michael’s

  • Origami is a recent favorite!

Oh, and no projects with glitter! It’s just not allowed in our house. We learned that lesson the hard way when Lily was little.

Bonus - Reading!

Is reading a creative activity? I say yes! Every new book you read is new to your brain, and will introduce you to new thoughts, ideas, stories, and perspectives. Like music and podcasts may spark inspiration in you, so does reading! And reading may create peace and relaxation in your day.

I have a to-be-read stack about a mile high, but I have been intentionally making time to read each day, either in the car waiting for my kiddos, or in the evening to wind down and relax my eyes and brain from all the screen time.

I know a lot of people love reading books on a device, but I just never got into that, and truly enjoy holding a physical book in my hands (and smelling the pages)! But my husband reads a ton on his Kindle app, so it really is a matter of figuring out what you like!

What activities do you prioritize? Is there something you’ve been wanting to try? Remember, any time you do something new, or a new way, you’re using your creativity. It doesn’t matter if it’s the way you apply paint to a surface, or the way you make yourself a cup of coffee. You might try a new crochet stitch or pattern, or you might rearrange your closet. You can dance in your living room, or choose a different route or path for your walk.

I’d love to hear what is sparking inspiration in your life lately. Leave a comment or connect with me over on Instagram.com/shannonsorensenart!







Touching Heaven :: Coastal Sunrise Painting :: Connecticut Artist

“Touching Heaven” is a 9x12” acrylic painting on repurposed canvas, and was painted on December 29, 2021.

“Touching Heaven” painting by Connecticut artist Shannon Sorensen

This painting is one of the last pieces of repurposed canvas I received from another local artist to use for my work. I was inspired by the smooth, warm color of the sun on low tide, when the sand is wet and has a thin layer of water that seems to stretch on and on to the horizon.

The textures you see emerging from top to bottom near the middle of the piece is from the layers of paint this canvas was previous used for.

Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoy seeing my art, learning about my process, and feel inspired to explore your own creativity!

Subscribe to my weekly emails for regular updates, fun freebies, and creative inspiration!

Want to show your support for what I do? You can gift me a coffee on Venmo - @shannonsart - I appreciate it!

Moonday Guidance :: Sacred Creators Oracle Card Reading

I recently purchased Chris-Anne’s Sacred Creator Oracle card deck to use as a tool from which to draw creative guidance and wisdom, and to practice quieting my brain and listening to my intuition. I love the design and art on the cards, and the simple messages that allow space for reflection and inspiration.

As part of my creative practice, I hope to share a weekly card reading here. I’m a beginner, so I invite you to grow on this journey with me! Let me know in the comments if any of this helped or resonated with you.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath, and ask the Universe what message or guidance you may need today.

Shannon Sorensen Creative Studio_Sacred Creators Oracle Card Reading_Oct 4.jpg

I decided to pull two cards, because you never know, sometimes one message doesn’t resonate with me. Today, however, the cards worked in tandem to deliver a power-packed message.

First, what does your soul say? This card is about turning inward and listening to your deepest wants, needs and desires. It’s about focusing on yourself, which is not easy! You’re encouraged to resist any feelings of guilt in this self care practice. You do so much for others. Consider this your signal to pursue what is written on your heart. This is encouraging not just reflection, but action. Your soul already knows what you want. Are you willing to listen?

I hope so, because YOU ARE EPIC. The message is right there. You know it. I know it. The Universe knows it. You are not just next level - you have incredible gifts. No one has your heart, your voice, or your spirit. All these dynamic pieces combine to make YOU - this incredible, epic being. The Sun doesn’t doubt it’s brightness, it’s warmth, or it’s power. It simply shines - every single day. And we reaps the benefits of standing in the presence of that power.

Rise up and SHINE, friend. The light, warmth, and power you emit by embodying your gifts will elevate those who need your energy.

Shannon Sorensen is a Connecticut-based artist, writer and creatrix who shares wisdom, guidance, insight and inspiration for infusing more creative living into each day. She hosts the Creative, Happy Life Podcast, her Creative Living Youtube channel, and hopes her work inspires others to explore their creativity and do more of what they enjoy as part of a creative lifestyle.

This is 38 :: Celebrating and Reflecting on Another Trip Around the Sun

Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean— the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down— who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

-Mary Oliver

This is 38.

Today is my happy new year. Another trip around the sun, lessons learned, love given and received. I am feeling sparkly with love and abundance from the Universe this weekend.

Yesterday morning, I woke up to snuggly kids in our cozy bed, and started the day feeling bathed in the warmth of gratitude. I heated up some pumpkin bread with butter and cinnamon, poured a mug of hot coffee and cream, and thought about how I want my 38th year to feel. Here are a few words that came to mind…

Delicious…Rich…Cozy…Colorful…Affectionate…Intimate…Patient…Slow…Connected…

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I have an old journal from college, with Mary Oliver’s famous quote from the above poem, and I think of this often. I dream big dreams while enjoying simple pleasures, looking for beauty and joyful moments every day, and actively work to stay present in the now.

I also continue to learn to acknowledge my fears, my doubts, my shortcomings, my struggles. I am as imperfect as they come. I am broken and cracked and parts glued back together with love and care and a whole lot of grace. And honestly, some parts are haphazardly slapped on with duck tape.

As a Libra Sun, I love this time of year. It’s a time to turn more inward, slow down, get cozy and sink deeper into yourself. I wonder how much of who I am is ruled by being born into this world in early October, and arriving at this season feels like a joyful homecoming.

As the days, weeks, months and years tick by, I really just want to live a life of simple joys.

I hope I am always this person who sits and looks around at nature, listening to music, breathing deeply and feeling grateful for where I am in every moment.

I want to continue to explore and make art that feels vibrant, healing, empathetic and full of love.

I want to show my family the most love and affection possible. I want to exercise more patience and slowness with my parenting, and more intimacy and connection with my partner. To go to bed each night, cuddled up to my dearest love, and sink into peaceful, restful sleep.

I want to bottle up moments of watching my kids running wild and free, with their laughter tickling the treetops and their hair smelling of sunshine and pine at the end of the day.

I want to take in every possible sight, sound, smell, taste, and feeling as I go about my days.

I want to laugh from the depths of my belly until tears squeeze out the corners of my eyes and form rivers down my cheeks.

The tide continues to flow in and out. Our bodies continue to expand and contract with the moon. The sun rises and sets in gloriously brilliant watercolor masterpieces that stretch across the sky. And there’s so dam,n much in between all of that.

I want to enjoy it all.

I want to savor every morsel of every moment.

With butter and cinnamon.

Creativity Conversations with Jess Parks :: Creative Happy Life Podcast Ep 15

Hey, creative friends! Can I ask a quick favor? Hop over to your Apple Podcasts app, give Creative, Happy Life a follow (tap the three dots in the upper right corner), leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple podcasts! I appreciate every bit of support.

LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE HERE, OR APPLE PODCASTS:

SHOW NOTES

This is the beginning of a new series of candid conversations with fellow artists, small business owners and creative hearts, where you get to listen in and hear about their creative journeys, perspectives, challenges, successes and how they continue to create, explore, imagine and discover their way through life.

Today I am chatting with Jess Parks, the designer, maker and creative heart behind Miss Lou Makes, an eclectic handmade jewelry and decor shop on Etsy.

About her shop: “Miss Lou Makes is an eclectic shop of gifts from the sandy shores of Plymouth, MA. Owner Jess is a mixed-media artist with a love for beaded statement jewelry and one-of-a-kind home decor pieces. This brand strives to capture those warm familiar feelings you get when walking on the beach, having cocktails with friends, or listening to a classic album and transform them in to wearable and decorative art. Don't fear color, embrace texture, and catch a good vibe from this shop.”

In this episode, we chat about creativity, Jess’ journey to becoming a full time maker, exploring creative projects to relax and unwind, working at home while raising kids, and what inspires her unique collections!

I loved hearing her share about connecting with fellow educators during the pandemic, as many of them turned to creative pursuits. She also shared how she collaborates with her artistic family to give her shop a truly unique personality.

New cover art for the Creative, Happy Life Podcast

The ocean is near and dear to Jess’ heart, and one of her first offerings was bracelets where a portion of her sales benefit sea turtle rehabilitation.

Check out the awesome things the National Marine Life Center does here:
http://nmlc.org

She also loves beachcombing along the shoreline near her home, and you might receive some extra little pieces of the beach in your orders, another personal touch you can’t get anywhere else!

Small business are truly unique in how much a single person (or small team) does behind the scenes each and every day. It’s no small feat, so whenever possible (which should be all the time), choose to shop small, support local, and give your favorite businesses a shout out or a share on social media.

Visit Miss Lou Makes on Etsy, and follow Jess on Instagram.

Shop Miss Lou Makes at local Massachusetts pop-up events:

 
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Thanks for listening!

Hop over to Instagram and tell me what you love from Creativity Conversations with Jess Parks! How is creativity showing up in your life? Do you turn to creative hobbies and activities for comfort and relaxation?

Share this episode with your friends, pin the image below, and have a beautiful week!

Keep creating, and stay awesome.

 
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Do I Actually Like Coffee or Do I Just Like Sugar?

Do I Actually Like Coffee, or Do I Just Like Sugar? A blog post about old habits and letting go by Shannon Sorensen

There have been many times in my life that I have made the decision to cut sugar out of my coffee. I’d do it for a few days or a couple weeks, and then I’d slowly start adding that sweetness back in. I chalked it up to my personal flavor preference for something I enjoyed consuming, and that was that.

I typically made this decision at the start of a health kick. My thought process went something like, “Sugar is bad. I put a lot of sugar in my coffee. I drink a lot of coffee, so I drink a lot of sugar. If I cut out the sugar, that will be a healthy decision for me.”

I would do this for a week or so, and inevitably start adding sugar back in, because the coffee was too bitter, too…gross, really, for me to enjoy.

But this week, I had a bit of an epiphany. I am making some major lifestyle changes to combat weight gain and bad cholesterol, so one of the first things I did? Cut the sugar out of coffee. And I’m sitting here drinking my cup, which has half and half and cinnamon in it, and guess what popped into my head…

What if I don’t actually like coffee?

As someone who drinks anywhere from 1-4 cups of this per day, it seems like a valid question to be asking.

Do I actually like coffee, or do I just like sugar?

And the jury’s still out on that question. I want to give it a fair shot to see if cutting sugar out of all areas of my diet results in adjusting my taste buds. But, this brought up another question…

Why do I feel the need to like coffee so much? And what else am I holding onto day after day, year after year?

I have been drinking it since I was 14. I remember sneaking tastes of it from my mom’s morning cup and thinking it was disgustingly bitter. And then, one night at the beach with a friend, she gave me a thermos fully of “mocha”. I had no idea what mocha was, and she told me it was coffee with cream and cocoa in it. Wow! I Love cocoa! I gave it a try and was hooked. I started drinking mocha. I gradually started making coffee without cocoa, adding scoops of sugar instead.

For over 20 years, coffee has been a central part of my daily routine. Grabbing a cup at a local coffee shop with friends, grabbing a big morning cup from Dunkin on the way to work, school drop off, or embarking on a two-hour drive between Connecticut and Massachusetts.

The “Mommy needs coffee” mindset that has taken over social media, graphic tees and seeped into our core beings. It has played a supporting role in the social theatrics of motherhood and working from home. It’s been around for so long, it’s become part of my identity. I am a coffee-drinking artist.

But the question remains…do I actually like coffee?

I’m sure there are people who do. And perhaps it’s a matter of finding a brew that has a good flavor that I do enjoy. But again, what if I just don’t like it?

Oh coffee, why can’t I just quit you?

I have quit quite a few things this past year that I don’t enjoy, that no longer serve me, and don’t feel good. Maybe it was being home and being with myself for so long that these changes came pretty easy. I stopped wearing bras in general, and switched to comfier bralettes and camis. I stopped pouring my nightly glass of wine or beer while making dinner (and the second drink after the kids went to bed). I realized that I didn’t enjoy it anymore, and it was giving me regular headaches and tummy troubles. And again, the whole “Mommy needs a drink” mindset felt icky and not a good story I want to embody.

Pants with zippers and buttons? Buh-bye. I am a curvy person who enjoys her stretchy clothes. Screw the patriarchy and capitalism for making me think I have to wear certain things at all, especially constricted clothes that don’t expand and contract with my feminine body throughout the day and month.

And the best breakup has been no longer automatically going to Amazon for every little thing out of convenience. Jeff Bezos doesn’t need my money, and I don’t need convenience when it comes to most things I’m looking to purchase.

So today, I am just putting this out there for anyone who may need to hear it:

You can stop doing the things that you do out of habit, that you don’t enjoy, that no longer serve you.

You don’t need anyone’s permission. You don’t need to make a big thing out it - I mean, let’s ignore the fact that I am writing an entire blog post about possibly breaking up with coffee, and may have also tweeted about it this morning…

Cutting the cord on things that no longer serve you, and no longer make you happy, allows you to open up space and energy for things you do enjoy.

It may not seem like that big a deal, but when you stop and think of all the things you continue to do out of sheer habit, how much are you holding onto?

And who is keeping that habit locked in? Is it you? Capitalism? Family or friends?

Or do we simply keep on keeping on because it’s what we’re used to, and the idea of letting go brings up some discomfort?

So here’s your homework…

changing habits, shifting mindsets with Shannon Sorensen

Take five minutes and reflect, make a list, jot down one or a few habits you hold onto that you actually don’t like, or no longer serve a purpose to who you are today. Sit with the feelings that come up. And start actively letting them go.

Some things will be easy to release.

Others may take more time, and incremental change.

But as Marie Kondo teaches us in the practice of letting go of things, it may just be as simple as asking: Does this bring me joy? Do I actually like this?

The answers might be clearer and easier than we ever realized.

Let go of all that weighs you down, and discover how high you can really soar.

Love to you all, and have a beauty filled day.

Shannon Sorensen is a Connecticut-based artist, photographer, writer and creative spirit. She’s a work at home mama to two wonderful young kids, and hopes her art and writing inspire you to explore your own creativity, or at the very least, bring some light to your day.

If you enjoy Shannon’s art and writing, you can support her ongoing creative work by supporting her art shop, or simply tipping the artist below.

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Practice Makes Better (Not Perfect) :: Creative Happy Life Podcast Episode 14

New cover art for the Creative, Happy Life Podcast

Were you ever told “practice makes perfect” as a means of motivating you to keep going? In episode 14, I’m exploring that phrase, and encouraging you to reframe that mindset to something else:

Practice makes better.

As we have discussed in previous episodes, perfection is an idea, an ideal. It implies that there is nothing left to fix, work on, or improve. But that simply doesn’t exist, right? As humans, we can always be trying something new, changing perspective, learning, growing and improving.

So when someone tells us, “Practice makes perfect!”, it can have an opposite effect. Because focus on perfection can be overwhelming, or paralyzing. The ideal may seem so out of reach, that you give up. Or worse, you don’t even get started.

So let’s break down this idea of practice.

We practice to learn. We practice to grow. And we practice to get better at something. Whether it’s playing a sport, learning an instrument, learning to do anything - takes practice. No one is really great at doing something new right from the start. So acknowledging that you’re a beginner, and going from your starting point, create your first goal.

Some things that I have practiced in my life are:

Becoming a softball pitcher. To start, you need to learn to throw the ball. The simple physical mechanics of throwing. Then you work on aiming each throw. Then you work on strengthening the speed and force behind your throw. Then you keep practicing to keep improving. As a softball pitcher, you learn to throw overhand first, then you have to change it up. You learn to throw underhand, how to aim a throw, and how to create speed and force. And then you keep practicing.

Learning to play the flute. I knew what a good flute player sounded like. But before I could even learn a note, I had to learn how to create sound. Sound familiar? The physical mechanics of creating sound to play the flute. Then I had to learn the finger positioning for each note. I had to practice playing the correct pitch of each note. I had to practice transitioning finger positions to change notes. Then I had to continue practicing for speed, tone, pitch…and then practice more to be part of an ensemble. Learning, growing, and improving over 7 years until we had the honor of being selected to perform at Carnegie Hall.

Yes, the Carnegie Hall.

How do you get there? Well, it’s on 7th Ave in New York City, between West 56th and 57th…

But….the old saying is true.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice…

Practice takes discipline, consistency, focus, and mindset.

Before you begin, adjust your mindset.

If you’re a beginner, starting fresh, acknowledge that. Create a clear starting goal. What do you want step one to be. Think about step two next. Ignore steps 5-50. Focus on where you are right now, and where you hope to go next. If you’re starting to run, you might focus on getting your sneakers on and going for a walk. Step two might be repeating that tomorrow, with a slightly faster pace.

If you’re picking up an old hobby or activity, don’t live in the past, where you may have been more practiced and advanced. Did you play the piano as a kid? Awesome - you probably retained some basic skills and ability to read music. But your hands have changed, your eyes and brain have changed. Come back to it just as you are. Give yourself the grace to make mistakes, forget things, and play a bit clumsily.

Then, keep practicing. More and more. Learn. Grow. Improve.

When you think you can’t go any further, change perspectives. Create new goals. Try doing things a new way.

The possibilities are endless, and you are limitless.

Be sure to listen to this week’s episode, subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple podcasts! I appreciate every bit of support.

If you love the content I am creating here, please also consider becoming a monthly supporter on Patreon, a platform for artists and creatives to receive monthly support from their fans! Memberships start at $3 a month for access to daily personal updates, including works in progress, life behind the scenes, sneak peeks and first looks at finished works.

LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE HERE, ON SPOTIFY, Or APPLE PODCASTS:

Thanks for listening!

Hop over to Instagram and tell me what you love from Practice Makes Better! Tell me what you are working on, what you’re practicing and improving upon.

Share this episode with your friends, and have a beautiful week! Keep creating, and stay awesome.

If my work has connected with you in some way, if you enjoy seeing my art, listening to this podcast, or my writing has inspired you, I hope you’ll consider becoming a member! Memberships renew on the first of each month. I hope to see you in there!

All In a Day's Work :: Life as a Full Time Artist Working at Home with Kids

Abstract Expressive Art, Artist Shannon Sorensen, Connecticut Artist, Working at Home with Kids

I used to observe people who were working from home and/or running their own full-time businesses and think, “It must be nice to do what they do. It doesn’t look hard or annoying, they get to work from home, they must have such an easy life…”

Umm…not so much, 2012 me…

It was easy to think that way, on the outside looking in. And I still catch myself when someone I’ve followed for a long time shows a bit more beyond the surface…

Everyone’s reality is faaaar from what we see on social media.

As an artist, working at home and spending every day with my kids, I honestly don’t know what my life looks like. I try to share an honest glimpse at my days - the good and the bad. There’s always a balance of “being real”, and wanting to market myself and my work as inspiring and beautiful.

But there’s laundry on the floor, toys strewn about, and plenty of coffee mugs and empty seltzer cans on my desk and bedside table. I will never pretend that my home is some minimalist, tidy image. It’s “well lived in”. It’s where I spend every single day, working and parenting and hanging out with my main squeeze of 19 years.

As I said in my Creativity Pep Talk last week, everyone has different journeys, different spaces, different families and relationships and work styles. We cannot compare what we see on the surface of someone else’s life, to the ins and outs of our own journey, experiences, and circumstances.

No one’s life is easy and glamorous. I think the more we share some of the struggle, the better off we all are in learning to be more empathetic and kind humans. When Chrissy Teigan and Meghan Markle shared so openly about their pregnancy losses this year, I felt deeply connected to their experiences, having been through similar. I saw so many comments about how they were oversharing, but because they shared, we better understand and remember that at the core, being royalty or living “the dream life”, doesn’t keep you from experiencing real pain and grief.

We all have good days and bad days. We all have days we work our asses off, and days we need to slow down. Whether you’re making millions of dollars or growing a side hustle to put food on the table, no one ever sees the full picture. We can only have grace with ourselves and try to have more understanding and compassion, less judgement and comparison.

It’s all in how you frame your perspective.

the glimpse of my day that you see is not the whole picture.

Yesterday, I shared three new paintings I had created. They are smaller, 4x6 acrylics on canvas, which took me about 3 hours to make.

I started wondering if people saw my post and thought “Wow, it must be nice to only spend 3 hours a day working.” I worry every day that the fact that I work at home somehow translates to “She only works 3 hours a day. It must be so easy and fun.”

It is and it isn’t. We all work. Many of us who work for ourselves find our days following a less traditional schedule, but it doesn’t change the fact that work is work. We’re constantly moving the needle forward in different ways. I am working towards every single sale to put food on our table and keep a roof over our heads.

My three small paintings took 3 hours to create, but in that time, I had to pause to sit down over Google Meet for a parent teacher conference. I had to pause to help Lily check her math practice sheets and help her work through some problems. I was thinking about all the art I need to add to my website so I can start meeting higher sales goals each month.

I squeezed in picking up the canvas from another artist in town after picking up Lily from school. I have been watching videos and taking classes for my art, learning new techniques, practicing different styles, messing up a lot and working through creative blocks.

I’m working around naps and remote learning, snacks and bathroom breaks. I’m weighing the pros and cons of my kids begging for an outdoor playdate with a friend after spending so much time inside at home this winter, while I watch the sunlight quickly changing and fading each afternoon, my opportunities to paint in my optimal lighting and creative energy feeling the pressure of time slipping away.

As an artist, I am joyfully creating, and I am working to support my family.

A lot of the stuff I do behind the scenes doesn’t make it to social media, because it’s “boring”. It’s what I call the “Work-Work”. This includes making podcast episodes (writing, recording, editing, publishing), Youtube videos (recording, editing, writing and publishing), planning and posting and engaging on social media, managing my finances, client inquiries and relationships, marketing, shipping art…I never work “just 3 hours a day”.

For the one picture I share with the world, there’s a lot more happening around it throughout the day.

Work at Home Life, Work at Home Mom, Realistic Schedule Working at Home, Self Employed, Full Time Artist

What does my day typically look like?

A few weeks ago, I started using time blocking as a way to simplify and focus on what really needs to get done each day for my business, my family, and for me.

I used to try to plan every day down to the minute, thinking it would make me more productive. It was actually just really overwhelming and I would get distracted, lose focus, and nothing would get done.

I created a time blocking printable - give it a try!

Every day is different, so time blocking gives me the flexibility I need to hyper focus on my priorities, which include my work and parenting. Roo is home with me every day (we plan to start him in pre-K in the fall), and Lily is still doing remote days on Wednesdays, so I divide my days into 4 main blocks.

Morning 1 - 6:30-9:30am

We are waking up, getting showered and dressed, having breakfast, getting ready for school, dropping off at school, and getting settled into the day. We all know what we need to do in the morning, so I don’t plan it down to the minute. We are all home and getting ready in the morning and have established a pretty fluid routine.

Morning 2 - 9:30-11:30am

Sean leaves for work, and I’m settling into my workday. I sit down and do a 5-minute brain dump to clear my head and reflect on how I feel, and what I want and need to get done in the day ahead. From my brain dump, I prioritize my top three needs, and I do those things first. These things may be:

  • responding to clients and inquiries

  • writing a blog post or creating graphics for my website and social media

  • writing, recording, editing and publishing a podcast episode

  • adding new art and listings to my shop, and sharing them out to Pinterest, social media and my email list

  • filming, editing, and posting new videos to my creative living channel on Youtube

  • working on tracking sales and finances

  • writing my weekly email newsletters

I try to focus on one general area of my work that I can complete in that time. Roo plays independently, watches some PBS Kids. There are days I forgo working in the morning so we can go for a walk, play, or do learning activities together. I am massively grateful for this flexibility in my life since this is a temporary time we get to spend together.

Midday Break - 11:30am-1pm

This break is for lunch, and doing some personal things around the house. Working from home is a constant mental battle of knowing that there’s laundry, dishes, appointments to make, grocery orders and meal planning…This midday break allows me to eat, breathe, stretch, and do those things that take up mental space. Knowing I have this time set aside allows me to better focus on work and other priorities throughout the day.

Work at Home Life Blog Post Graphic.jpg

Afternoon 1 - 1pm-3pm

This is my golden time block for creativity. I spend this time painting, drawing coloring pages, or finishing up podcast or Youtube episodes. I try to do more of the podcast and Youtube work at the beginning of the week, so by Wednesday, I can spend my afternoons drawing and painting when more people are home from work and school.

Thankfully, at this time, Roo still naps most days during this block of time. Play hard, nap hard.

Afternoon 2 - 3pm-6pm

I wake Roo from his nap and we hustle out to the car to go pick up Lily from school. Once she’s in the car, we run any errands (like grocery pickups and Buy Nothing exchanges), and head home. On nice days, we might stop at a playground for some fresh air and playtime. Again, I’m grateful for the flexibility to make these decisions based on what’s on my plate and what my kids need. While they’re running around outside, I might listen to a podcast or pop into Clubhouse, make an Instagram post, and spend some time engaging on social media to stay active and relevent.

This block of time is the most flexible depending on the day, the weather, if Lily has ballet class, and if it’s a day we’re all home (my husband is home Wednesdays and Fridays). Generally, the kids are playing and have “free” time, while I’m wrapping up tasks that might take another hour or so. We’re cleaning up the house, doing any extra practice homework or reading, changing laundry, and getting ready for dinner.

Evening 6pm-10pm

The kids shower and put on pjs while I’m making dinner. We sit down together to eat, sometimes in front of the tv, depending on what’s for dinner and how many of us are home (Friday nights are always homemade pizza and family movie night). While I’m making dinner, I like to watch painting or business videos on Youtube on my iPad. The kids watch a little tv or play some video games if they get their jammies on quickly enough. Our family style is pretty laid back and it works well for us. I don’t fret over small stuff. It’s how I keep my sanity and enjoy motherhood.

After dinner, we head upstairs for bedtime. Some nights bedtime takes an hour. I am always incredibly tired by this point in the evening, but I enjoy reading to the kids, talking about their day, answering their “what is the meaning of life” questions and giving them some snuggles. I sing them a few bedtime songs, and it’s lights out.

I finish up cleaning up, dishes and laundry (which usually stays in a pile on the chair or in a basket in our room), Sean gets home from work around 9, and we chat and watch tv or play some video games, and go to bed. I usually watch a show or two before going to sleep (currently rewatching Brooklyn 99). Most nights, I stay up later than I should. I keep saying I’ll start going to bed earlier and waking up earlier to give myself more time for myself, but I haven’t made that change of habit yet.

That’s a pretty typical day in my life! Some days are more productive. Some days are crazy and stressful as a mom. Some days are pretty chill and enjoyable.

It’s definitely a balance, and while I know that what I share to social media is a small slice of my work and my day, I know there are many fellow artists, small business owners and entrepreneur friends going through similar days, finding ways to get stuff done around kids, and constantly changing plans and needs.

If you’re ever scrolling and find yourself thinking “Wow, their life must be so fun and easy.” - just take a moment and remember that there’s more than meets the eye.

We’re all trying to remember to eat and drink water.

Some of us have strict routines that never change. Some of us are constantly tweaking and working around changing household schedules.

Some of us have more appointment heavy days, some of us have more flexibility (which can be difficult to stay on task).

Some people have a lot of support of family, friends, neighbors. Some can afford assistants and house cleaners. Some are making it work solo.

Every person’s day to day experience varies in work, home life, parenting, relationships, spirituality, physical and mental wellness, and a million other things…

We’re doing our best to do more of what we love, while enjoying time with our loved ones. We do what we can to slow down, prioritize what means most to us, and maybe share a sliver of that with the world. Most of us artists, small businesses and entrepreneurs know and value the satisfaction and joy of doing work that we’re passionate about, to balance out our unique struggles.

No one’s perfect. The fantasy that we perceive is just that - a fantasy. There’s actually blood, sweat, tears, tantrums, timeouts, dirty laundry, burnt dinner, spilled milk, and a whole lot of grace going on behind the scenes of that Instagram feed.

My dad used to sell bumper stickers at his fishing store that said “A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at the office.” And it’s the dang truth.

Do more of what you love, prioritize yourself and your people, and no matter what the reality of your day looks like, life is, indeed, good.

Shannon Sorensen is a Connecticut-based artist with a passion for abstract, expressive painting, and encouraging fellow creatives to do more of what they love! Subscribe to her podcast, Youtube, and weekly emails for a hearty dose of creative inspiration and encouragement each week.