I was writing a research-heavy essay on ADHD and focus for this month’s newsletter, but then took a break to walk with Roo on one of our favorite trails and decided this trail poem is better share right now instead:
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Remember when it was all mud?
Wet and filling our shoes and socks
We had to be careful or we’d slip and slide and maybe fall all the way down
Then the flowers came,
long strolls, bright days
and feeling the soft tops of the fresh grass
Now it’s all dry
all foxtails and pricking our ankles and I wonder
what happened to spring?
But it’s not winter yet
and I’m out here
warm,
bathing in sun,
only burning sometimes.
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In writing about attention and focus and ADHD I was looking for answers as to how to regain some of my lost focus, but really the answer is just to think less about doing things and to start doing them instead. The doing starts a domino effect and you’ll wonder why it took you so long to start doing in the first place. Don’t confuse this creative doing with the “productivity” we often get wrapped up in these days— just do the things you’d actually like to be doing. A sign that maybe a thing is something you should just start doing is if every time you think about it, your brain jumps to “I wish I had time to do that” or “I won’t be able to do that until __ (I quit my job, have more money, have more skills, etc). If there’s something you’ve been putting off, try thinking less about why or all the barriers in your way and just go for it!
For the past few year’s I’ve been working on a certification in Trauma Informed Expressive Arts Therapy. One of my favorite parts of this practice is the emphasis on combining multiple mediums. Rather than just draw a picture to represent an emotion, one would then write about their experience creating the drawing or about the drawing itself. Combinations of expression can be anything from singing & dancing to collaging & composing, from moving & writing to painting & sculpting. Combining multiple media not only allows for additional reflection and exploration, but it can help you see and experience from a whole new angle.
Recently I’ve been trying to expand this practice in my own life, which for me usually means doing more creative journaling and free writing before working on other paintings and drawings. By incorporating this practice more into my daily life I’ve noticed that art feels less precious and I am inspired to create more often. When I was out on the walk described above with my dog Roo, thinking about how quickly the grass had turned to straw, I had the urge to write about it. I’m not super into poetry but somehow in that moment it just felt like what I needed to do, and then rather than let that be the end of it I decided to see what sort of visual would come out of the words rather than looking at a photo and trying to literally capture the moment. In reflecting on that experience, I can see how getting myself into a regular creative practice (or practice of “just doing”) opened my mind up so even during moments when I wasn’t actively creating (like out on the trail) more ideas came to me. The word “generative” is often used to describe AI these days but I wonder about reclaiming the term and seeing how creatively generative we can be as humans. When we stop looking at screens and focus back into our world and our art, what can we generate?
If you’re looking for a fun place to start exploring some expressive arts exercises, I recommend The Creative Journal by Lucia Capacchione. Her book focuses on 2D art and writing but you can adapt the prompts to fit any medium. There are also many expressive arts interventions on youtube and elsewhere to get you into the swing of things and back to creation. Let me know how it goes!
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As noted in the essay above, I’ve had a hard time focusing on one thing lately (but when don’t I?). In the spirit of “just doing,” I’ve tried to set smaller chunks of time aside to let myself work on whatever feels right in that moment. I thought I needed to focus on one thing at a time to create more, but letting go of the pressure I felt around focusing on one medium at a time has actually led to even more creation. I’ve noticed that when I make anything, whether a drawing or a painting or whatever, I feel more grounded and focused— the focus I was looking for comes after I get started, not before. Through letting some rigidity around expectations go I’ve been able to explore some new themes and to get a bit looser with my style.
What do you love to do but haven’t been making the time to do recently? Get back in there! I bet you’ll feel better and regain some precious focus.
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In this section I’ll answer a real life mental health question or offer a practical mental health tip that you can use to add a little more WeLlNeSs to your everyday life.
Now that summer is officially underway (happy summer solstice!) it’s time to make the most of it. If you’re like me, you may have a tendency to count the days left in summer as soon as it starts, which has the magical effect of making the season even shorter than it already is. Thankfully there is a cure to fix this disease: making a summer bucket list and focusing on every delicious moment rather than how much time there is left!
I am tempted to make a big list of ideas for things you can add to your list but I will refrain because I want you to have whatever summer sounds great to you. Maybe that is one packed with pool days and seaside adventures or maybe actually you would rather be indoors on the couch binge watching Love Island (por que no los dos?). Either way, I hope this exercise helps you explore what a good summer would be and helps you make that happen. Below is a bucket list template in two formats: a normal little list and a fun bookmark to stick in your beach read. Let me know what’s on your list!
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So excited about the gen z horror movie revolution— more 17 year old directors please!
Super into the surf videos that Fielder Films is putting out there— they are at once so calming and so full of adventure. Theres something about surf videos that has always drawn me in— maybe how they take the substance of a nature film and add human characters and a bit of sports into it. Probably its just because I like looking at the ocean. Either way, highly recommend these!
Another great list of things to do besides sit on your phone. Can never have enough of these!
Just now becoming aware of the Joyce Carol Oates - Elon Musk Twitter feud that happened in November. Here for it— I love this quote by Oates in reference to Musk (found via this article):
”So curious that such a wealthy man never posts anything that indicates that he enjoys or is even aware of what virtually everyone appreciates – scenes from nature, pet dog or cat, praise for a movie, music, a book (but doubt that he reads); pride in a friend’s or relative’s accomplishment; condolences for someone who has died; pleasure in sports, acclaim for a favorite team; references to history. In fact he seems totally uneducated, uncultured. The poorest persons on Twitter may have access to more beauty & meaning in life than the ‘most wealthy person in the world.’"I have had a dedicated tab open displaying Michael McGrath’s Soft Signals show for the past month. So so good!
This month’s off-screen question for you to discuss amongst friends or journal about on your own:
What makes time slow down for you?
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Thanks for reading – see you next month!
✨ the information in this newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not a substitution for therapy. if you or someone you know needs help, reach out to a local mental health provider or contact 988 for immediate support✨
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