April 19, 2025 is probably best known as the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s midnight ride, the moment that sparked the American Revolution.
But for me, it also marked the final day of a personal experiment: a “100 Days of Creativity” project that I started on a whim back in early January. The idea came out of nowhere, really—just a simple way to get through the long winter in the Northeast and play around with some creative projects I’d been putting off.
I scribbled down a few loose rules, and before I could overthink it, I was off and running. The only constraints I gave myself were:
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For 100 days, spend at least 15 minutes each day painting or drawing. (Watching YouTube videos of other people doing it didn’t count.)
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Use only the supplies I already had—no new purchases allowed.
That was it.
Pretty quickly, I realized I was onto something. Giving myself permission to simply play every day felt… calming. Even just 15 minutes of art—which often stretched into an hour or more—left me feeling grounded and centered in a way I hadn’t expected.
I also tried a bunch of things I never would’ve made time for otherwise. Were they all masterpieces? Absolutely not. Did it matter? Not even a little.
Now that I’ve had a moment to reflect, here are three key takeaways from the experience—things to consider if you’re thinking of starting your own version of a creative challenge:
1. Just start.
Don’t overthink it. Adjust as you go. Although I called it “100 Days of Creativity,” it wasn’t 100 consecutive days. Partway through, I took a seven-day “spring break” in March—life got busy, and honestly, my right hand needed a break.
The important thing was sticking with it and showing up more often than not.
2. Constraints are powerful.
One of my only rules was “no new supplies,” and it turns out that was both challenging and incredibly useful. There were so many moments where I thought, If I only had that one brush or pen, I could really make something good.
But it wasn’t true. Working with what I had forced me to get more creative with my approach.
Full disclosure: halfway through the project, I entered a Skillshare contest (random drawing) to win a set of watercolors. That sparked a burst of creative energy—I tried all kinds of new things just to enter. And guess what? I won! I genuinely appreciate those paints more because I had to earn them, not just pick them up at a store. Go figure.
3. It’s not about the results.
It’s about showing up. There was something incredibly meditative about the daily rhythm. Kind of like art therapy, I imagine.
Some days (14, to be exact), all I did was draw a page full of leaves. And that was totally fine. The consistency became the point. Somewhere along the way, I came across the phrase: “Consistency is the highest form of devotion." Maybe, just maybe, this project became a kind of spiritual practice. Imagine that.
This whole experience was surprisingly meaningful—and one I’d recommend to anyone looking to stretch creatively, or simply carve out a few minutes of calm in a noisy world. I don’t think you’d regret it.
So, what now?
Good question.
I don’t plan to stop.