We Started The Artist’s Way Today – A Creative Journey Begins

It was the introduction call this week. Week 1 starts next Wednesday. There is still time to join us.

Today, The Heart Leap Writing Club gathered for our first session of The Artist’s Way, stepping into a 12-week journey of creativity, self-discovery, and renewal. There’s something powerful about beginning—whether it’s a project, a habit, or simply the decision to show up for yourself in a new way.

We talked about the basic tools of the course, including:

• Morning Pages – Three pages of freewriting each morning to clear the mind and unlock creativity.

• The Artist’s Date – A weekly solo creative experience, designed to nurture inspiration and play.

• Weekly exercises – Guided activities to help us move past creative blocks and reconnect with ourselves.

For some, this is their first time. Others are returning, knowing that each time, a new layer unfolds. The beauty of The Artist’s Way is that it meets you where you are, but never leaves you there.

How Do You Spend Quality Time With Yourself?

This was the first question we explored. In a world full of commitments, responsibilities, and endless to-do lists, it can be easy to put ourselves last. The Artist’s Way invites us to shift that—to make time for our own creative well-being.

If you don’t know the answer, that’s okay. That’s what this journey is for. Julia Cameron gives us three tools to help:

• Morning Pages – A daily practice of freewriting every morning, allowing us to move past mental clutter and into clarity.

• The Artist’s Date – A commitment to spending time with our creative self, exploring what brings joy, curiosity, and inspiration.

• Weekly exercises – Thoughtful tasks designed to unblock, inspire, and reconnect us with our creative flow.

Meeting the Inner Critic (And Learning to Move Past It)

One of the biggest challenges in creative work isn’t lack of talent, ideas, or skill—it’s that voice inside that tells us we’re not good enough, not creative enough, or that it’s too late. Julia Cameron calls this the censor, and this week, we acknowledged it.

We all have an inner critic, but the good news is, it’s not the truth—just a collection of old fears and doubts. That’s why we write Morning Pages—to clear out the noise and make space for something new.

The Artist’s Date: Reconnecting With Play

If Morning Pages help us let go, The Artist’s Date helps us fill up. It’s a simple but profound concept: set aside time each week for creative play, inspiration, and joy. It could be visiting an art gallery, taking a long walk, trying a new hobby—anything that lights you up, even just a little.

For many of us, the idea of spending time alone in this way feels unfamiliar. But the more we do it, the more we remember how important it is to nurture ourselves.

Committing to the Journey

At the end of our first session, I invite you to sign The Contract, a commitment to stick with the process, take care of ourselves, and trust the journey.

The Contract

“I, …………., understand that I am undertaking an intensive, guided encounter with my own creativity. I commit myself to the 12-week duration of the course. I commit to weekly reading, daily morning pages, a weekly artist date, and the fulfillment of each week’s tasks.

I further understand that this course will raise issues and emotions for me to deal with. I commit myself to excellent self-care, adequate sleep, diet, and exercise, and pampering for the duration of the course.”

Signed: ………….
Date……..

(Say I DO in the comments section below if you’re in!)

If you’re feeling drawn to this process, it’s not too late to join us. There’s something powerful about stepping into creativity with the support of a community.

This journey isn’t about getting it perfect—it’s about showing up, staying open, and allowing creativity to unfold in its own time. Here’s to the weeks ahead.

Here are some prompts to get us started.

Morning Pages Prompts (For when you don’t know what to write about)

1. Right now, I feel…

2. If I wasn’t afraid, I would…

3. A dream I’ve been ignoring is…

4. The things I tell myself I “don’t have time for” are…

5. If I could create anything without fear of failure, it would be…

6. What’s one small change I could make today to feel more creative?

7. What’s something I used to love doing as a child? Do I still do it? Why or why not?

8. One thing I need to let go of to move forward is…

9. A part of my life that feels stagnant or stuck is… and here’s what I’d love to do about it.

10. If my creativity had a voice, it would say…

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Artist’s Date Prompts (To inspire solo creative adventures)

1. If I were planning a fun, curiosity-filled afternoon for my inner artist, what would we do?

2. What’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t made time for?

3. What kind of shop or environment makes me feel most inspired? (A bookshop, an art store, a garden centre?)

4. What’s a creative hobby or activity I’ve secretly always wanted to try?

5. If I had a whole day just for myself, with no responsibilities, how would I spend it?

6. What’s something I could do this week just for the pure joy of it?

7. When was the last time I did something for the first time?

8. What’s a childhood passion I’d love to reconnect with?

9. If I could take myself anywhere on a mini “creative retreat,” where would I go?

10. What’s an experience I’ve been meaning to gift myself but keep putting off?

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Overcoming Creative Blocks Prompts (For when you feel stuck, resistant, or uninspired)

1. The biggest lie my inner critic tells me is… and the truth is…

2. What am I afraid will happen if I fully step into my creativity?

3. What’s one thing I can do today to prove to myself that I’m creative?

4. Who in my life has encouraged my creativity, and what did they say or do?

5. Who or what made me believe I wasn’t creative? (And do I still believe that?)

6. What creative project or dream keeps tugging at me? What’s one small step I can take toward it?

7. If I had all the time, money, and confidence in the world, I would create…

8. What’s a creative risk I’ve taken in the past that actually paid off?

9. What’s a piece of creative work (book, film, art, music) that deeply moved me? Why?

10. How does resistance show up for me? What’s my usual excuse for not creating?