Weeks 1-3 of The Artist’s Way

Weeks 1-3 of The Artist’s Way

I first picked up Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way back in 2021. I had every intention of seeing it through, but life happened, and it ended up on a shelf gathering dust. This year, I decided to give it another go, and now that I’m three weeks in, I’m so glad I did.

If you haven’t heard of it, The Artist’s Way is a 12-week program to help you reconnect with your creativity. It’s been around forever (since 1992!), but it still feels so relevant. There’s something about the way it combines practical tools with deeper reflection—it just works.

It hasn't been smooth sailing —I missed my Artist Date on week 1, thanks to a trip to the  local A&E. Not exactly the creative break I was hoping for. Morning Pages have been a nice way to clear my head each day, but I've also missed a couple of days here and there. 

Theres lots of qood takeaways. A favourite of mine is: "It is impossible to get better and look good at the same time." A reminder to embrace the messy, imperfect parts of the process and let go of the need to look polished. It's a good push towards creating in a way that feels more real and authentic.

In Week 2, Cameron writes, "You will learn to enjoy the process of being a creative channel and to surrender your need to control the result. You will discover the joy of practicing your creativity. The process, not the product, will become your focus."

Overthinking every tiny detail, afraid to start unless I knew it would turn out perfectly—that’s something I can relate to in a big way. Learning to let go of that need for control has been challenging, but it’s made creating feel happy again.

If you’re feeling creatively stuck, I’d definitely recommend giving The Artist’s Way a try. It’s not about churning out masterpieces or even finishing a specific project. It’s about reconnecting with yourself and your creativity, step by step.

The start of the year is always a reflective time, but I’ve never been great at setting goals. This feels different. It’s less about achieving something tangible and more about making space for myself—to think, dream, and just be. Cameron’s words from Week 1 really resonate: "Creativity flourishes when we have a sense of safety and self-acceptance." These first three weeks have been about creating that space, and I can’t wait to see where the rest of this journey takes me.