Embracing Creativity in 2025: How Daily Art Practice Anchors a Life of Contentment and Growth
Pen and ink contemporary fine art by Doug Ashby.
As the new year begins, I recently came across advice about maximizing happiness—or rather, contentment—as the word seems to shift. The suggestion was simple: reflect on the moments from the past year when you felt at your best, while also recognizing those times you felt less than ideal. The goal for the new year is to maximize the good and minimize the bad. This reflection got me thinking, and it was no surprise that the moments I felt most fulfilled were when I was engaged in creative work. Creativity has been a constant throughout my life, and this realization is a valuable anchor as I move forward.
The artwork I’m sharing with this essay is slightly different from my usual pieces. While the surrealist imagery remains, I’ve introduced color, something I don’t often work with due to my protanopia, or red/green color blindness. Still, the familiar theme of being untethered is present, with tree roots floating in the ether, reaching for solid ground. For a long time, this image mirrored how I felt—disconnected, in search of stability. But now, I see it differently. I realize I am an artist. That truth has always been there, even when I doubted it.
It’s hard to pinpoint specific moments when my creative practice made an immediate difference, but over the past decade, my time spent drawing, especially in pen and ink, has been a profound way to reduce anxiety and stay grounded. Whether those moments are brief or long, the impact on my mental health has been immeasurable. Creativity has been my life companion, giving far more than it takes. The sheer volume of artwork I’ve created stands as a testament to that. Perhaps that’s why I’m an artist—not for the recognition (though it’s wonderful when it happens), but for the well-being it brings me.
As I reflect on this, I’m considering a shift in focus for the new year. Instead of asking, “Can I make a living from this?” I’m starting to think, “How can I make a daily practice sustainable?” Of course, the idea of an art career is important, but I want to prioritize why I create. A daily creative practice, no matter how small, can build toward something bigger over time. Maybe the process itself—showing up every day and letting the work unfold—is more important than trying to control the outcome.
Chasing after a dream or an idealized future can be exhausting. It often feels like running on a hedonic treadmill, always striving but never arriving. That’s not what I want. I fear becoming trapped by a narrow vision of success, only to find myself just as stuck as I’ve felt in the past. Dreams and goals are important, of course, but so is taking a step back and appreciating the journey. Striking that balance is challenging, but necessary.
It’s in the small, everyday moments where I’ve found the most peace. Life ebbs and flows between challenges and moments of “flow,” and staying present in the here and now reduces the pressure of achieving grand outcomes. I suspect that many people who are truly successful wake up one day and realize they’ve achieved their goals without even realizing it. It’s the daily practice that ultimately brings success, and focusing on that instead of the end goal keeps me more aligned with what I truly want.
As I look toward 2025, I plan to continue doing what I’ve been doing—creating art daily and reflecting through writing—but with less focus on the bigger questions of success. It’s funny how, as we age, we realize that it’s the “boring” parts of life that bring the most contentment. The consistent, daily actions are what lead to progress. And as I work on my craft, I can see how this consistency has improved my work over time. Perhaps the same will be true for my art career—it’s not about a single breakthrough moment but the small steps I take each day.
So, for this new year, I’m committing to more discipline, both in my art and in my reflections. Writing and art-making have become intertwined for me, and I enjoy the balance they bring. If you’re on a similar journey, I invite you to join me in cultivating a daily practice. Discipline, I believe, is the secret ingredient to success. It’s the foundation that allows us to weather both our successes and our failures. At the end of the day, we just have to get back to the work.
There’s a lot of talk about values, and for me, creativity is one of the most important. Being an artist is central to who I am. As this year unfolds, I want to remain mindful of that and not overthink the process. Letting go of the pressure to succeed and embracing the steadiness of my practice will, I hope, lead to a more grounded life. After all, life is a journey, one that we can never fully predict. But we keep moving forward. This year, I’m choosing to take joy in the small daily efforts that bring me happiness. With that said, it’s time to get back to work.
As always, I hope you enjoy the art and the reflections. Please leave a comment and let’s connect!
Doug
