This Season’s Musings Pt. 2

On Finding Creative Community and Making Space for Rest

May 22, 2025

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on community, the importance of rest, and the comfort I find in creative outlets.

I went to a Ladies, Wine & Design event in London last week, and it was such a joy to see women come together to support one another and seek connection. I’m currently in the process of being onboarded as a host for the group, which I’m so excited about! One thing I’ve always found incredibly important in the creative world is community. Finding like-minded people to connect with and share ideas.

Whenever I move to a new place, the very first thing I do is start researching creative organizations I can get involved in. In my own creative process, having a design community to lean on—to seek guidance, share inspiration, or just speak the same visual language—is essential. It’s comforting to know someone else gets it. That you’re not alone. That others have faced similar struggles or think about things in the same way you do.

Every time I go to one of those events, I leave feeling inspired and energized (despite the introvert in me needing 3–5 business days to recover).

It’s no secret that creatives are proud of their craft and love what we’re doing and creating. It definitely has its challenges, but most of us are here because we have some sort of passion for the arts. Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between, putting yourself out there at networking events can leave you with new perspectives, fresh ideas, and new people to reach out to when something comes up.

And for my non-creative readers—this doesn’t just apply to creatives. There are events for most (if not all) industries, you just have to search for them. Your community is out there, waiting for you to find them.

If you're looking for a place to start, here are a few of my favorites:

Creative Mornings (global)
AIGA - The Professional Association for Design (US)
Ladies, Wine & Design (global)
Creative Lunch Club (global)
Conferences (in any industry, global)

Conferences—while they can be intimidating (thanks, social anxiety)—are also a wonderful place to start. One great thing about them is that everyone’s there for a reason. It gives you a built-in starting point for conversation. Just a simple, “What brought you here?” can lead you into something deeper. Before you know it, you’re building your own community.

And while I love community, I’ve also been prioritizing rest.

Taking time to journal, meditate, and spend time alone has been really healing. I know I’m not alone in getting caught in the cycle of constantly doing—running errands, cleaning my flat, meeting up with friends, date nights, endless scrolling, planning future trips, medical appointments... the list goes on.

But giving myself the space to rest has helped me recharge and return to things with more clarity and energy. If you can, I encourage you to carve out a little time in the next few weeks to prioritize yourself and your downtime. Spend a night in with takeout, go for a walk without headphones and listen to the world around you, do a short meditation, write a quick gratitude list in your journal.

Small acts of care. A little space to breathe. It all adds up.

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For the exhausted creative

If you’re feeling exhausted by the ever-changing and always-evolving creative world, you’re not alone. This piece by Tabitha Swanson is a great read.

This line really stuck with me: “Perhaps what we’ve lost is the time to enjoy the process.”

For the editorial lover

I’m obsessed with everything about this article, especially the exquisite design work. The spread layout, the color palette, and the background and inspiration behind the project are all so thoughtfully executed. I especially love the way it explores traditionally masculine and feminine hobbies, and how she blurs those lines while encouraging everyone to embrace whatever hobbies bring them joy.