Some days are easier than others to show up ready to be creative with coffee in one hand and brushes in the other. Other days? Crickets! That’s when habits, not inspiration, save the day. Here are my some little rituals that make showing up in the studio feel automatic and fun, even when I’d rather scroll than sketch.

A five‑minute starter

Promise yourself five minutes. Set up a small canvas, a sketchbook, or even a scrap of paper. Nine times out of ten, five minutes grows into fifty once the brush is wet.

Soundtrack or podcast the vibe

Playlists and podcasts are mood‑shaping magic. Classical beats for focus and calm, and pop when I’m pushing through resistance. The Greatest Showman is an all time favourite! Some favorite podcasts are Back Porch Theology with Lisa Harper when I am super focused and Talking with Painters is an easy go to no matter my mood.

A little prep the night before

Laying out paints, filling water jars, and taping paper edges the night before is a great motivator to get straight into the creative flow. When I walk in, all I have to do is start.

Anchor objects

Put on an apron, or wear the same “studio outfit.” Physical anchors train your brain: this is art time now.

Micro‑break rituals

Stretch between layers, step outside for fresh air, or change perspective by flipping a canvas upside down.

Rituals = momentum

The point is to make showing up easy, giving creativity a chance to bloom. Rituals build rhythm, which in turn builds momentum.

Do you have a studio ritual? If you’d like a peek at my own setup, I’ll share behind‑the‑scenes snippets on socials.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you stay motivated to paint every day?

A: The honest answer is that motivation isn’t always there — but rituals are. I lay out my paints and fill water jars the night before so that when I walk into the studio the only thing left to do is start. The preparation is the motivation. Once the brush is wet, everything else tends to follow.

Q: What do you do when you don’t feel like painting?

A: I give myself a five-minute permission slip. I set up a small canvas or scrap of paper and promise myself only five minutes. Nine times out of ten, five minutes becomes fifty. The resistance is almost always in the starting, not the doing.

Q: What music or podcasts do you listen to while painting?

A: It changes with what a session needs. Classical music for focus and layering work that requires careful decisions; pop or upbeat playlists when I need to push through resistance. For podcasts, Back Porch Theology with Lisa Harper when I’m deeply focused, and Talking with Painters as a reliable companion for any session.

Q: Do you have a set studio schedule?

A: I paint across different times of day, but late evenings are often my most productive. There’s a particular quality of focus when the house is quiet. I also find that the ritual of a specific ‘studio outfit’ — even just an apron — signals to my brain that it’s time to create.

Q: How do you keep creativity going through a long project?

A: Micro-breaks are essential. Stretching between layers, stepping outside, or physically flipping a canvas upside down — these small interruptions reset my eye and often reveal solutions I couldn’t see when I was too close to the work.

Q: What advice would you give artists who struggle to show up consistently?

A: Start smaller than you think you need to. The pressure of needing a ‘full studio day’ is often what stops people from showing up at all. Ten minutes with a sketchbook counts. Momentum builds from showing up, not from the length of the session.