In April of 2024 I started a Monday Mindfulness ritual where first thing in the morning I sit and create.
My tools are a sketchbook, washi tape, watercolor brush pens, gel ink pens, and black fine sharpie.
April 1 and 8
For the month of April I started with washi tape as my lead which created designated space to play within. Each line was an opportunity to inhale and exhale. The only rule I had was that I had to connect the washi tape markers from the previous week to the next week. My first exercise was to create a color template so I knew each shade of the watercolor pen.
In May I decided to let my lines take the lead and see where it would take me. Only rule I created was that the end of a line had to be the beginning of another and I decided to only use the black sharpie as the main tool and washi tape to interpret an end.
April 15
My very first May Monday Mindfulness project caught me by surprise. It agitated me instead of bringing calm, frustrated me instead of creating relief. This stirred an internal conversation, pushing me to write this article.
April Mondays were mostly effortless, though I faced challenges and detours. Sometimes, I could take deep inhales and exhales; other times, I had to force it. I often had to remind myself to slow down and return to the activity's intention. I had rules, boundaries, and a specific goal. While I felt constrained, I also felt safe, tackling one area at a time and handling the page in bite-sized chunks.
April 22 and 29
Come May I had the entire field to myself. I could do whatever I liked. I was excited to place my first few lines and see where they would take me. I could start in the middle or the end of the page. I could make them straight or curved. They could be long or short and they could connect wherever they wanted to, I had full freedom!
May 6 and 13
And boy, was that hard! Harder than I had imagined. For my May 6th activity, I started with long restful breaths, mindful of each line I placed. I played with my rule of connecting lines. As I got through 1/3 of the page, I sensed stress building up. This was supposed to be my Mindful Monday; I should slow down and have fun. But I wasn't. As I reached 3/4 of the page, I was dumbstruck on how to fill the entire page. My lines grew shorter and denser, my breathing rapid. I finished the page but felt restless all day. The chaotic page mirrored my mind—a lightbulb moment. By May 13, I found myself creating guardrails, being intentional and consistent.
April reflected my life before I stepped down as CEO of the nonprofit I founded 16 years ago. It was organized chaos with challenges, ups and downs, but with purpose and tasks to tackle. I had put up washi tape guardrails like answering to my Board, team, volunteers, donors, and stakeholders. I could be creative within boundaries.
May, however, brought the curse of freedom. Has anyone ever felt that a clean slate is both exciting and terrifying? With no rules and no one to answer to but yourself, you may feel elated until you start scratching your head and twiddling your thumbs. Too much time can cause FOMO (fear of missing out) when you should feel JOMO (joy of missing out).
After analyzing why my art activity perturbed me so much I realized that the activity was reflecting my current newfound freedom. I am in discovery phase of ‘what do I want to do next’ which meant -
The empty piece of paper has no guardrails = I can do whatever I want and be whoever I want = exciting and scary.
Fill the page with the intention of connecting at least one line = I must intentionally connect past successes and failures to find my purpose = very scary.
May 20 and 27
These Monday Mindful activities have been revelatory in identifying my strengths and weaknesses, and could benefit others exploring their paths. I learned that I thrive with a few guardrails. An open expanse without purpose isn't freeing; it's distracting.
These activities push you out of your comfort zone. It's not about creating perfect art or Instagram-ready pieces. It's about play and letting go. Instead of following structured templates, I suggest trying 'one breath per line' activities. Don't rush it—follow through for a couple of months on a weekly basis and then reflect. I suggest an 8-week commitment. Share any revelations in the comments area. Remember, this is a safe space.
If you'd like this project for your team, call me for my services. I focus on creative placemaking, intergenerational well-being, and playful aging. See how I included poetry and storytelling with my sophomore User Experience students at the California College of the Arts.