What if your creative well hasn't run dry... but you've simply forgotten the path back to your own source?

In this nurturing episode, host Jodi Rose Gonzales explores the essential art of creative self-nourishment for those who've spent years caring for others while forgetting to tend their own creative needs.

Through the story of Dorothy, a retired nurse rediscovering her love of quilting, and grounded in research on compassion fatigue and self-compassion, Jodi reveals the profound difference between having an empty creative well and having one you've simply forgotten to visit.

This episode is a gentle invitation for anyone who's been the reliable one, the caregiver, the person everyone turns to—while somehow losing touch with what nourishes their own creative soul.

Key Takeaways

• Your Creative Well Isn't Empty: There's a crucial difference between creative depletion and simply forgetting to nourish yourself from your own source.
• The Four Springs of Creative Nourishment: Permission, Gentleness, Community, and Curiosity are the essential elements for returning to your creative wellspring.
• Micro-Nourishment Matters: Small moments of creative attention—arranging flowers, choosing beautiful colors, taking photos—can begin to restore your connection to creativity.
• Self-Nourishment Enhances Caregiving: Tending to your own creative needs actually improves your ability to care for others, not the reverse.

Art Practice: Finding Your Wellspring

Create an image of your creative wellspring using any materials you prefer. Then dialogue with your creation using these questions:

• What wisdom does your wellspring have to share?
• What is currently making you feel like your well is running dry?
• What 1-3 specific actions can you take to return to your creative source?
• What would help you feel replenished?

Write your responses with your non-dominant hand for deeper insight and to help you slow down.

Resources

• Join the iROSE Society: https://www.jodirosestudio.com/society

Referenced Research

• Neff, K. (2011). Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
• Brown, A. (2021). Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times
• Cameron, J. (1992). The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity