Undo Urgency

So here’s the thing: planning has always been one of my comfort zones, and it’s always been a bit personal for me. When I was a kid, orange was my favorite color—partly because I loved those orange slice candies and maybe also a nod to the Chicago Bears uniforms. Then I hit my black phase as I got older—you know, that cool, grown-up vibe. And now I find myself drawn to purple, maybe thanks to a little Prince influence, since Purple Rain was the first R-rated movie I ever saw in a theater.

So this week, I went ahead and got myself some pens in those colors: orange for that childhood nostalgia, black for that classic edge, and purple for where I am now. And at first, I just let them sit there because there’s comfort in the planning phase. But I realized that after finishing my doctorate, I’ve been stuck in that urgency mindset for so long that I forgot how to just enjoy the creative process.

So now I’m putting down the urgency and picking up the joy again. And I’d love to hear from you: how do you rediscover joy in your creativity when you’ve been caught up in the rush? Let’s share those stories