Look, I don’t know about you,
but by the time December hits,
my brain is kind of… done.

Not completely — ideas still pop in —
but the energy to act on them?
Gone.

It’s this weird in-between space where I still care about the work,
but I also just want to sit in silence and eat German Christmas Cookies in my pyjamas.

Still, I always find myself asking:
“How do I stay inspired… without feeling like I have to keep producing?”
Especially when everyone’s posting their highlights and “end of year recaps” online.

So this episode (and this post) is basically a note to myself —
and maybe to you too if you’re a creative trying to make space for rest
but still feel like your brain is on client mode.

Let’s talk about how to stay creative in the holiday season…
without guilt-tripping yourself into doing more.

When I Tried to “Use December Well”… and Didn’t

There was a year —
I can’t even remember which one because all those burnout Decembers blur together —
but I remember the feeling.

I was determined to use December “properly.”

Do all the things I didn’t get to during the year.
Tidy up my business.
Plan the next one.
Batch content.
Design some kind of miracle PDF that was going to change everything.

Also:
host family,
make Christmas perfect,
have fun,
be grateful,
and still show up online because consistency, right?

I was finished.
And I don’t mean a little tired.
I mean “don’t talk to me or ask me to be creative” finished.

But I kept pushing.
Because I thought:
“If I just push through now, January will be easier.”

Spoiler:
It wasn’t.

I started the year already behind — because my brain never got the chance to catch up.

What Changed When I Let Go a Bit

Another December —
this time with a little more wisdom and a lot less energy —
I did something totally revolutionary (for me):

I said, “No, let’s start that project in January.”
I stopped forcing inspiration.
And I gave myself permission to not be clever for a few weeks.

I didn’t stop being creative.
I just let it shift.

I tidied a drawer.
Played with layouts I didn’t need to post.
Drew things that didn’t make sense.
Watched series.
Made really average banana bread.

And guess what?

In January, I came back to work clearer.
Faster.
Better ideas.
More confidence.

Because I wasn’t running on empty.

What “Play” Looks Like for Me (Now)

Let’s be honest — when people say “stay creative,”
you might be picturing a Pinterest-perfect desk and a full sketchbook.

No.

For me, it looks more like:

• Messy notebooks with half-written ideas
• Doodling on scrap paper while waiting for someone to get dressed
• Voice notes to myself while driving
• Testing out a Canva layout with no purpose
• Listening to an old playlist and remembering what I used to love

It’s not productive.
It’s not strategic.
It’s not content.

It’s play.
And it’s how I keep the creative flame from dying.

A Quick Note If You’re Feeling Guilty for Not “Using the Time”

Please.
Let’s stop doing that to ourselves.

You are not behind.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to not feel inspired.
You are allowed to unplug without a plan.

This industry can make us feel like we constantly have to prove we’re still “on” —
but you don’t need to earn your place every month.

Your creativity isn’t going anywhere.
And if you give it room,
it’ll surprise you with what it brings back.

So… What Now?

You don’t need a to-do list.
You need a break.

If that’s permission you needed,
here it is:

Do less. Rest more. Make nonsense. Don’t post it. Don’t justify it.

Just be.

And if something brilliant pops up in the quiet — great.
If not — also great.

You are still a designer.
A creative.
A builder of beautiful things.

Even when you’re tired.
Even when you’re quiet.

Trust that creativity at play brings the best results.
Not pressure.
Not guilt.
Play.

And if you want to gently reset your energy before the new year…
I’ve put together something small and simple.
A 21-Day Creative Reset —

Because I know how hard it is to hold your rhythm alone.

Join the Reset Challenge here →

Thanks for reading this far,
and for being the kind of person who cares about doing this differently.

You don’t need to push through the end of the year.
You can soften into it.

Design your life,
even when it’s a little bit messy.