Open this when you need a creative palate cleanser
15 ways I hit refresh when my brain is doing cartwheels
A palate cleanser is something (usually a food or drink) that you consume between courses during a meal to reset your taste buds.
I've never actually used a palate cleanser in the culinary world; I'm definitely not fancy enough for that level of dining. A palate cleanser makes me think of all the times I go to Ulta and feel paralyzed in the perfume aisle because I can't stop smelling all the scents. It reminds me of those coffee beans I sniff in between essentially inhaling (to the point of my nostrils burning) Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet and Burberry Goddess.
So, no… I haven’t fine dined my way to enjoy broth or bread between my courses. I don’t think my local diner offers it. However, I do understand and appreciate the metaphor.
We spent a week vacationing as a family of four in Aruba, an island special to my husband and me. It was our first "couples trip," our honeymoon destination, and now our first passport experience with our family.
I knew in my brain this was the perfect opportunity to document the trip. Oh, all the outfit selfies I could string together. The perfect aesthetic photos. The family smiles. And the iconic "what I packed for my trip" post (no, but literally, these are my favorite types of posts to read). But, I just wasn’t feeling it.
I had plenty of time to pack, but I waited until 8 p.m. the night before.1 Everything I'd pre-planned on my Indyx app just didn’t look good. I was dissatisfied and stressed. As the rapper Fabolous once said, "Just throw it in the bag," so that’s what I did.
Song reference if you’re confused:
So instead of beating myself up over the missed opportunity to document potential greatness, I leaned into something else. I realized that I was subtly entering into a state of overstimulation. Too many options, too many things on my mind, a lot of visual stimuli, and my brain was constantly operating at 392 mph. I start stressing over details, overanalyzing my work, and then questioning my purpose.
Don’t worry, I’m going to be A-OK. This happens to me from time to time. I wish my husband would actually comment on my posts because he would give you nothing but a thumbs-up emoji to confirm this is true.
As I was reflecting on my publication and how far it’s come, I realized that once things start moving in the right direction in my life, I often enter a state of self-sabotage and immediately burn it all to the ground (remember when I randomly deleted my IG a few months ago?). It’s this weird feeling of not deserving good things.
I realized what I needed was a creative palate cleanser. And that's what I did. I went to my favorite island, with my favorite people, with NO LAPTOP. The result: my iPhone has 4,215 random words, notes, and quotes in the most bizarre spots that I most likely will never locate (or understand their meaning). But I was able to come up with a cohesive list that really helped me.
Here is my list of things I have done to help spark creativity when things feel overwhelming.
1. pause & look up
I usually snap photos whenever I see something beautiful, or when my kids do something adorable. But this time, I just paused. A few pictures, yes, but mostly I quietly stared, captured the moment in my mind, and consciously savored it. Rooted in gratitude, it felt really good.
2. start a hobby that’s different
I have the attention span of a goldfish, which is probably obvious in my writing by now.
I was reading
’s latest post and she said something super profound. She wrote “The first step in personal style is figuring out what lights you up!”
I think this is true with the images we look at of different outfits and looks we love. As well as random things in our life that light our fire.
I love art, I love colors (shocker because my wardrobe leans super neutral), and I love coloring. I’ve been doing a lot of coloring at home with my daughter during summer break. Of course, I am limited to only drawing Pokémon of her choice. However, I find it to be so soothing and fun.
So I bought myself an adult coloring book and some fancy colored pencils from Amazon.
Guys, I colored everywhere! The plane, beach, balcony, hotel room. It’s was SO relaxing, and experimenting with color combos even sparked my creativity in a whole new way.2
It’s a non-screen-related activity. I was low-key embarrassed to be coloring in public, but I really didn’t care. I was thriving.
3. learn
When everything in my wardrobe starts to blend together and I catch myself trying to buy a shirt I already own in 15 other colors, I force myself to stop. I replace that behavior with something I love: learning. As a history & government teacher, I’m passionate about so many topics.
One of my favorite areas of study is Native American culture: their style, food, and rituals. While I love things like turquoise jewelry, beadwork, and fringe, I feel a responsibility to understand their historical and cultural significance. I love to learn about various tribes and find ways to support Native and Indigenous artists so I can engage with these styles respectfully and ethically.
These are some of my favorite pieces that I actually own from the Faherty collaborations with Native artists3, as well as Native-made pieces I’ve purchased directly from artists themselves.
I still have so much to learn, and I’m not sure I’m doing this all right myself. When I wear designs that reference Native culture, I want to be sure my money supports the Native creators themselves (even if it’s more $$$ than I want to spend)—not just brands inspired by them.
NOTE: I’ll be expanding on this soon, because supporting Indigenous artists deserves its own full post.
4. support a small business
Sometimes creativity shines brightest in one person quietly building something from the ground up. I’ve mentioned
a lot because she’s truly incredible.Priscila is not only an incredible stylist, but she is an educator, mother, and an absolute artist. Her business is called Freguesa, which means “loyal customer” in Portuguese. Her business honors her Brazilian roots and a passionate desire to connect with the people who wear her brand on a personal level.
Her site is full of hand-painted bandanas, upcycled jackets with her signature fish designs, unique jewelry, and more. Seeing what one person can build is VERY inspiring.
5. pet an animal (no, seriously)
I don’t know the exact science behind this, but when I need a creative jolt, I turn to my two German Shepherds. I usually leave with a mouthful of hair, but I think it’s the clarity I get from snuggling them that helps reignite the spark.
I also stalk all the animals on any trip we take as a family and made this cute little friend in Aruba last week.
6. read a book
Between
, , and , I have books lined up for the next several months. Danielle encouraged me to read The Silent Patient (which I gobbled up and loved) and now has me working on Beautiful Ugly.I usually stick to self-help and non-fiction, which horrifies everyone I know. I figured if I’m not learning something, I’m wasting time. Welp, that’s quite stupid. Reading and losing yourself in an imaginary world, scenario, life, or situation literally opens the door for endless imaginative ideas.
7. spend time with your people
Being together, the four of us always brings a smile to my face. Laughing at my kids, waking up together snuggled in a small space, and watching the kids do something for the first time (they ordered room service!!) brings genuine joy to my heart. Genuine joy leads to gratitude, and gratitude helps me think clearly.
8. spend time alone
Listen, I love my kiddos, but I am an introverted-extrovert (a very Aquarius-coded individual), which means I live for my space and alone time. I declined the invitation to do some wild water sports with the family and spent time just relaxing alone with my thoughts (no devices, no headphones, no “MOM I NEED ____”).
Plus, my daughter is in a phase where she asks me 310 questions per minute. I literally started writing them down because they were so hilarious. Here are a few:
Why does ketchup sound like farts?
What were toilets like in the old days?
What happens if a stingray stings you in the butt crack?
Then it got dark: when do you think you’ll die?
So yeah, I needed some alone time.
9. do something that scares you
I went to Australia in college with my lacrosse team and snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef. I was the only person who wore a life vest (safety is paramount in my eyes)4.
I’m not the biggest adventurer, but I did join the family and snorkeled in some pretty choppy waters on our trip. It was stunning. The multi-colored fish (we saw Dory!), the crystal-clear water, an abandoned ship at the bottom of the ocean, and meeting some adorable content creators on the boat was fantastic.
10. lean into your wardrobe pieces that ignite joy
I was reading
’s latest post, and she wrote, “I’ve found that restrictions and limitations truly spark creativity, helping me dissect what I want from what I need.”
I actually had to read it a few times. It’s super powerful.
I used to think more pieces meant more creativity. Now I see the opposite: working with what I already have pushes me to create in a whole new way. I stan
, and I’m seeing this play out in real time.When I’m not feeling inspired, I lean on the wardrobe staples I love.
11. second hand gems
I’ve been inspired by so many on Substack to explore second-hand finds. I scored this croc-embossed Longchamp bag and I’m obsessed. I can’t explain it, it feels so special. Is it the art of the find? The curiosity of who owned it prior? IDK, but I’m loving it.
12. listen to unusual music
I was vibing with the steel drummer in our hotel lobby. The music was so soothing and upbeat. I danced alone in the lobby, and my son declared, "You are the most embarrassing mom ever." I shall wear it like a badge of honor.
Here’s a playlist. Hopefully it brings the same joy in January’s frigid darkness.
13. break a rule
Alright, not endorsing breaking and entering or anything. I planned all my vacation looks on Indyx and packed my carry-on perfectly. Once in Aruba, I didn’t feel like wearing my planned combos, so I broke my own rules. I re-styled everything and just wore what felt right.
Both outfits I wore to and from the airport were not what I had planned but they worked!
14. watch a movie that gives you all the feels
Guys, this one is huge. I watched the movie, The Unbreakable Boy, on the plane ride to Aruba. I sobbed. I’m not kidding, like I needed napkins because I couldn’t stop crying.
Sometimes getting back in touch with your emotions, even extreme ones, helps ground you and provide clarity. If you know of anyone who is raising children with special needs, this movie was fantastic. It gives you a tiny snapshot into what their lives are like. It’s not perfect, and it’s Hollywood, but it's definitely worth a watch.
15. remember your why
If you’re new here, you may have missed this post. It’s my why. It explains why I’m here, why I write, and how far I’ve come. When I feel like quitting, I re-read it.
How do you learn to love a body that let you down?
Trigger Warning: This post contains discussion of miscarriage and sensitive topics related to pregnancy loss. Please take care while reading.
So, let’s keep this party going! I’m glad I had a nice week to reset, breathe, and get my head right. I am excited to continue our creative journey together and am deeply appreciative that so many of you have continued to support and stand by me.
Next week, I’m back to the office! You’ll start to notice a slight shift in my style as I have to look presentable M-F. I’m pumped to style, create, color coordinate, and to keep our train moving.
So tell me, what do you do to keep the creative juices flowing? Any tips or strategies? Are there any adult coloring book allies out there? Show yourselves so I feel less cringey.
May your mocktails be fizzy, your palate cleansed & your creativity ignited! xo,
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Spoiler: I have been home for 3 days and still have made no progress in unpacking.
I mean, look at this BIG TIME neutral girlie coloring with bright bold & exciting colors.
Here is a really interesting article about Faherty, who was once criticized for selling “Native-inspired” designs. The brand apologized in 2017 & shifted to long-term collaborations with Native artists.
I’m not sure when I became terrified of so many non-terrifying things, but I blame having children.
“I was vibing with the steel drummer in our hotel lobby.” Are you me? Am I you? I love this and this would be me.
I love all these suggestions- reading this definitely triggered me to think long and hard about how to implement some of these ideas into my week. I’ve been really stressed and overwhelmed and need to re-center! This was perfect timing to land in my inbox.
Want to know a REALLY random thing I watch when I need a creative palette cleanser? On Disney Plus there is a Frozen 2 Documentary and I swear it’s the most invigorating kick in the butt ever and I watch it every few months. It’s so beautiful and heartwarming and creative and a little heartbreaking. I recommend it to so many adults!!!
I'm so glad I read this on the eve of LDW. Taking it as a sign to unplug, slow down, and try all of your palate cleanser suggestions this long weekend. Thank you, thank you!!!