You can love what you do, be really good at it, and still hit a wall.

The kind of wall where your brain fogs up, your to-do list is screaming, and you find yourself half-working, half-daydreaming about what next year could feel like.

That’s where I’ve been lately.
Flat-out tired.
But also catching little flickers of excitement for 2026.

It’s weird, right?
This in-between where you’re burned out and hopeful at the same time.
Creatively tired, but also… kinda dreaming again?

Let’s go there.

That End-of-Year Energy Nobody Talks About

December is chaos.
Your inbox is still full. Your client still wants “one more tweak.”
And you? You just want German Christmas Cookies and maybe 4 days of silence.

But in the middle of all that noise —
something surprising happens.

You start imagining again.

A new kind of rhythm.
A slower pace.
A better process.
Clients who get it.
Maybe even an idea for something big.

It’s not a business plan.
It’s just a little spark.

Let it live.

That Full-Circle Moment (and the Magazine I Grew Up With)

Earlier this year — back in Feb/March — something very surreal happened…

I was asked to write for the Design Issue of VISI Magazine.

VISI!
If you’re from Southern Africa and you love design, you know — it’s the magazine.
The one with the gorgeous paper, the kind of layouts that made your heart skip a beat.

I’ve collected almost every issue since my study days.
(Some were mysteriously “borrowed” in Res — I know who you are 😅)

So when VISI said yes to my pitch, I nearly cried.
And what they asked me to write about?

Creativity.

Not trends.
Not tools.
Not the latest typeface.

The real stuff.

The unpredictable, sometimes frustrating, often magical experience of being a creative.
The highs, the lows, and the messy middle where most of us quietly live.

I called the piece:
“Creativity: The Highs, The Lows, and Everything In Between.”

Because honestly?
That’s where I’ve spent the last two decades.
That’s where most of us are.

Why am I bringing it up again now, in November?

Because it’s still relevant.
Maybe more than ever.

This time of year? We’re all feeling a little burned out, a little over it —
but also catching glimpses of what could be next.
Quiet little ideas for how we want to do life, business, and creativity differently.

So I’m sharing it again.
Because the conversation is still alive.
And maybe this time, it lands even deeper.

Creativity Isn’t a Machine — It’s Human

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned (and relearned) this year:
Creativity doesn’t work on command.

We often treat it like a factory:

Brief in. Logo out. Email sent. Invoice paid. Repeat.

But that’s not how it works. Not really.

Creativity is moody. Emotional. Deeply human.
She shows up when she wants.
Disappears without warning.
And sometimes sneaks back in when you’re standing at the stove making toast.

You’re not broken if she goes quiet.
She’s just asking you to breathe.

We Were Created to Create

And here’s something I believe with my whole heart:

We were created in the image of a Creator.
So of course we were made to create.

Whether that’s design, coaching, baking, building businesses, raising kids —
it’s all create(ive).

So when you feel like you’ve lost it,
or when the inspiration just won’t come —
don’t panic.

This is part of it.
It always returns.

Not always on deadline…
but always on time.

3 Real Things I’m Doing to End the Year Gently (and Not Lose My Creative Spark)

If you’re also wobbling your way toward the end of the year,
here are three small but solid things I’m doing right now.
You can borrow them.

1. I’m moving slower — on purpose.

I’m clearing space, not cramming it.
Less rush. Fewer meetings.
If it can wait ‘til January, it waits.
It’s not laziness. It’s long-term thinking.

2. I’m letting ideas come, without needing to act.

If something exciting lands in my brain, I jot it down.
But I don’t turn it into a 15-step launch plan immediately.
Let the spark exist without pressure.

3. I’m checking in with myself, not the ‘gram.

This time of year can trigger comparison overload.
Everyone’s posting their “year in review.”
I’m asking myself:
What worked for me?
What do I want to feel more of next year?
What can I leave behind?

If You Need a Reset (Without the Overwhelm)

If all of this is hitting home,
and you’re craving a softer way to wrap up the year…

I made you something.

It’s called the Creative Reset Challenge.
It’s free.
It’s simple.
No perfect journal or fancy system needed.

Just a few prompts and a gentle rhythm
to help you start next year feeling more clear and less cluttered.

You can do it in your PJs.
With tea.
Or during your lunch break.
You don’t need to hustle your way into a recharge.

Also — if your heart needs faith right now…

I found a beautiful little reading plan on the Bible App called
“Unleashing Your God-Given Creativity.”

It’s five days.
Nothing intense.
Just reminders of how creativity and purpose are deeply connected.

I’ll link it in the show notes if you want to check it out.
Sometimes the reset we need isn’t just mental — it’s spiritual too.

A Little Reminder Before You Go

You don’t need to finish this year strong.
You just need to finish honest.

If your creativity feels distant,
she’s not gone.
She’s just resetting.

Be kind to yourself.
Take the nap.
Write the idea.
Ignore Instagram.
Let your dreams stretch.

And when your spark returns,
welcome her like an old friend.

You’re not too late.
You’re not too tired.
You’re not alone.

Design your life, wherever you are.
And I’ll talk to you again soon.