How a cup of tea and a daily sketch brought me back to myself—and my creativity.

Nearly seven years ago, I paused for the first time in a very long while. It was as if I had stepped off a moving conveyor belt and finally heard my own breath again. In that quiet moment, I realised I wasn’t living the life I had imagined. I had drifted from my true self, lost somewhere in the blur of routine.

So I stopped. I began waking slowly, making tea, running or swimming before work—small rituals that brought me back to the creative part of myself I had been missing. From that stillness, something new began to grow. I picked up a sketchbook and drew whatever was in front of me. To quiet the “what should I draw?” question, I made a simple list of ten ways to draw and followed one each day. Wherever I am in the world, my sketchbook travels with me. Today marks day 665: the soft, familiar outline of our cups of tea.

Day 665 - two cups of tea, outside lines only

Over time, my drawing has shifted and deepened. I’ve filled sketchbooks I love, watching the seasons unfold page by page. Day 8—“Shapes, then Add Pattern Inside”—has become one of my favourites. These small daily sketches have grown into the foundation of my studio work and the textile designs I’m developing now.

Day 548 Shapes & add patterns inside. Apple Tree outside my studio

I love the simplicity of drawing mugs of tea, coffee cups, porridge bowls—the quiet still life of everyday living. It is a beautiful practice, one that has helped me return to myself. Creative. Grounded. Happy.

This is my story of learning to make art every day, of choosing a slower life—one built on intention, quality, and reclaiming my time for what brings me joy and fulfilment. #DailySketchBook #Drawing #Painting #DailyRoutine