What I struggle with most is the expectation to make creativity “useful.” I can’t seem to create just for the sake of it anymore. Everything feels like it has to lead to money, productivity, or some kind of outcome. That mindset kills the spark before I even begin.
I’m late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD, and dealing with long-term burnout, so the constant push to turn creative work into a hustle feels especially exhausting. I'd love to see more conversation around what sustainable creativity looks like for people who don't thrive in hustle culture.
Thanks for the reading list. This still felt like a “real” issue to me.
AH, you are definitely not alone in that! It's so hard to convince ourselves that creativity can JUST be for therapeutic reasons or for play when the world tells us everything must be monetized. Thank you for sharing; I think that's a topic that hits home for a lot of people, and I agree that sustainable creativity is something we should absolutely explore!
And I'm very glad this issue was still helpful. :)
This is very minor, but I’m struggling with the desire to support writers on Substack versus justifying including it in our family budget when I’m not bringing in an income currently. This pushed me to turn on paid subscriptions on my own newsletter, to try to earn back some of the money I’m spending on others’. But this system isn’t really working, in part because I want to support way more people than want to support me. And so I feel like I’m paying into some kind of pyramid scheme. Sorry if you’ve already explored this in your newsletter and I’ve missed it!
Okay, the "pyramid scheme" thing definitely resonates. I feel this way about a lot of the art economy, actually. It's no one's fault, but how do we burst past it and create a support system that isn't just exchanging the same $5 back and forth? (Or is that actually better than it sounds?)
Adrianne, writing a newsletter does feel unidirectional at times. I started my own here with the hope it would be a circle of conversations (thus the name "Barefoot Circle") , and although they happen — it's not always visible to everyone, as I get DMs and messages on my personal channels. All that to say, I appreciate and feel solidarity with you for asking for comments.
What I struggle with is: how can we reduce trash and actually recycle more when the system isn't structured to help us do that? I don't have a huge budget or a big house to buy in bulk and avoid plastic containers and styrofoam. I'm a regular person shopping at a local grocery store who reads labels and buys things that seem to be organic and real food within my budget. But I wonder what creative ideas people have used to reduce trash production that also don't mean turning your house into a yard of potential art projects — I take a very minimalist approach to this.
Oh, you have no idea how much I've been thinking about this same topic as of late! (Well, you might have some idea. But you know what I mean. :)
My partner and I have been working on reducing waste (and the accumulation of stuff around the house) but it's so hard when everything around us has been made disposable. And I definitely understand what you mean when you say you're wary of turning your house into a yard of potential art projects. My mom thrifted a book on the zero-waste lifestyle recently, and it made me wonder how the heck some people manage to fit a year's worth of trash into a single mason jar—how many ways could there possibly be to repurpose a sour cream container or a tissue box?!
This is something I'll keep noodling on. Thank you for sharing that it's been on your mind, too!
Let's keep these reflections and conversation going, we might come up with great ideas. I never understood either how people fit a year's worth of trash into a single mason jar or how we can do all that while also not going bankrupt because to be healthy tends to cost more money. Stay cool!
What I struggle with most is the expectation to make creativity “useful.” I can’t seem to create just for the sake of it anymore. Everything feels like it has to lead to money, productivity, or some kind of outcome. That mindset kills the spark before I even begin.
I’m late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD, and dealing with long-term burnout, so the constant push to turn creative work into a hustle feels especially exhausting. I'd love to see more conversation around what sustainable creativity looks like for people who don't thrive in hustle culture.
Thanks for the reading list. This still felt like a “real” issue to me.
AH, you are definitely not alone in that! It's so hard to convince ourselves that creativity can JUST be for therapeutic reasons or for play when the world tells us everything must be monetized. Thank you for sharing; I think that's a topic that hits home for a lot of people, and I agree that sustainable creativity is something we should absolutely explore!
And I'm very glad this issue was still helpful. :)
This is very minor, but I’m struggling with the desire to support writers on Substack versus justifying including it in our family budget when I’m not bringing in an income currently. This pushed me to turn on paid subscriptions on my own newsletter, to try to earn back some of the money I’m spending on others’. But this system isn’t really working, in part because I want to support way more people than want to support me. And so I feel like I’m paying into some kind of pyramid scheme. Sorry if you’ve already explored this in your newsletter and I’ve missed it!
Okay, the "pyramid scheme" thing definitely resonates. I feel this way about a lot of the art economy, actually. It's no one's fault, but how do we burst past it and create a support system that isn't just exchanging the same $5 back and forth? (Or is that actually better than it sounds?)
i don't really consider myself a creative but i do think of myself as curious. i enjoy reading your work, thank you!
This is so kind, thank you! I'm glad you're here.
Thank you!!!!
Impeccable taste on these book recs wow!!!
Adrianne, writing a newsletter does feel unidirectional at times. I started my own here with the hope it would be a circle of conversations (thus the name "Barefoot Circle") , and although they happen — it's not always visible to everyone, as I get DMs and messages on my personal channels. All that to say, I appreciate and feel solidarity with you for asking for comments.
What I struggle with is: how can we reduce trash and actually recycle more when the system isn't structured to help us do that? I don't have a huge budget or a big house to buy in bulk and avoid plastic containers and styrofoam. I'm a regular person shopping at a local grocery store who reads labels and buys things that seem to be organic and real food within my budget. But I wonder what creative ideas people have used to reduce trash production that also don't mean turning your house into a yard of potential art projects — I take a very minimalist approach to this.
I've written a bit about how all we need is less, but back to your point, I didn't get much response on the topic (https://anaclaraotoni.substack.com/p/all-we-need-is-less).
Happy to hear thoughts from your community.
Enjoy your week off! 💛
Oh, you have no idea how much I've been thinking about this same topic as of late! (Well, you might have some idea. But you know what I mean. :)
My partner and I have been working on reducing waste (and the accumulation of stuff around the house) but it's so hard when everything around us has been made disposable. And I definitely understand what you mean when you say you're wary of turning your house into a yard of potential art projects. My mom thrifted a book on the zero-waste lifestyle recently, and it made me wonder how the heck some people manage to fit a year's worth of trash into a single mason jar—how many ways could there possibly be to repurpose a sour cream container or a tissue box?!
This is something I'll keep noodling on. Thank you for sharing that it's been on your mind, too!
Let's keep these reflections and conversation going, we might come up with great ideas. I never understood either how people fit a year's worth of trash into a single mason jar or how we can do all that while also not going bankrupt because to be healthy tends to cost more money. Stay cool!