LET YOURSELF PLAY
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about play. Not productivity. Not strategy. Not healing with a checklist. Just play - the kind that doesn’t need an outcome, a purpose, or a reason to be shared. Somewhere along the way, it’s easy to forget that creativity starts with curiosity. With joy. With making things simply because it felt necessary to let go.
Tapping into My Inner Child
This year has asked a lot of me. Like most people after the pandemic, I’ve been intentional - rebuilding, realigning, making careful choices about my energy and time. All of that has been necessary. But in the process, I noticed something quietly drifting further away. Play. The inner child part of me that loved stickers, collages, fantasy, and expressing without limits. Reconnecting with that part hasn’t been about doing anything big. It’s been about giving myself permission to enjoy small, simple moments again - choosing what makes me smile, not just what makes sense.
Artist Dates
A few girlfriends and I revisited The Artist’s Way this year — a 12-week journey filled with journaling, reflection, and artist dates that encourage deeper self-connection and growth. Since then, I’ve been leaning into solo artist dates - little pockets of time where I follow my curiosity rather than a plan.
Sometimes that looks like:
wandering without an agenda
sitting in a café journaling or people-watching
going to the theatre
indulging in a sweet treat
These moments ground me. They remind me why I started creating in the first place - not to perfect, but to express.
Time to Play
Recently, I was invited to spend an afternoon creating something playful and personal with DRM-LDN - choosing colours and charms instinctively, without overthinking. It felt almost childlike in the best way. Light. Free. Joyful. Such a simple act, yet it unlocked something deeper: a reminder that joy doesn’t have to be earned. Sometimes, it’s enough to let yourself play again.
Why Joy Matters
As dreamers - especially those of us who tend to overthink or strive for perfection - joy can start to feel conditional. Something we reward ourselves with after the work is done. But joy is fuel. Play keeps us connected to ourselves - and to others. It opens conversations. It creates shared experiences. It reminds us that creativity doesn’t have to be serious to be meaningful. Often, the path of least resistance opens the most doors. There’s something beautiful about making things with your hands, and meeting people who light up over the same small details.
An Invitation
If you’ve been feeling a little heavy, or disconnected from your creativity, consider this your gentle nudge.
Take yourself on a solo date. Create something imperfect. Choose colour over caution. Follow joy without explaining it.
You don’t need a reason. You don’t need permission.
Just let yourself play again.
As we move into the next chapter - (2026!?), I’m feeling called to create more spaces like this - playful, intimate, and rooted in connection. Moments where we can slow down, make things together, share music, and leave feeling lighter than we arrived. More on that soon, dreamers… Until then, let’s play.
With love,
V x
