Independence Day & Creativity
When you decided to pursue a creative dream, what were you really chasing?
For many of us, it’s about getting really good at a creative practice that brings us joy and fulfillment in the pursuit of excellence.
It can be hard to prioritize your creative practice because you have so many other things pulling at your time, attention and energy.
On this 4th of July, I want to celebrate what pursuing your dreams means. And how doing the hard work, step by step, can give you:
✅ Freedom to set your own schedule.
✅ Freedom to build something meaningful on your own terms.
✅ Freedom to create beautiful work that reflects your values.
I invite you to pause and reflect on how you can lean into this even more deeply for the balance of 2025.
What Does Independence Look Like in Your Business?
If you’re anything like me, your creative business journey began with a powerful desire:
“I want to create something of my own, something no one can take away from me.”
I felt this deeply after I was laid off in my late 50s. For years, I’d built my identity around my corporate role, and in a single moment, that was gone.
Starting my creative business wasn’t just about making an income (though that was very important). It was about building a life where I could choose:
How I spent my time
Who I served
What I created
And as I’ve built this business, I’ve realized: freedom doesn’t happen by accident.
Freedom is a series of choices
We don’t always feel free in our businesses, even though that was the whole point of starting one!
Why? Because we can fall into habits that make us feel boxed in:
Taking on projects that don’t light us up
Saying yes when we mean no
Filling our schedules with busywork instead of focusing on work that will move us forward
Comparing ourselves to others and losing sight of our own path
Real creative freedom comes when we intentionally design our business or side hustle to serve the life we want, not the other way around.
Three Reflection Questions for Creative Independence
This July 4th week, I want to offer you three simple (but powerful) questions. Take 10 minutes, grab your journal, and explore these.
🖋 1. Where do I feel the most free in my business right now?
Is it in your art-making? Your schedule? Your connections with customers? What feels light, joyful, easy?
🖋 2. Where do I feel constrained — and what small shift could I make to change that?
Maybe it’s a product you don’t love making anymore. Maybe it’s a deadline that feels too tight. Maybe it’s a tech tool that frustrates you. What’s one tiny change that could create more breathing room?
🖋 3. What’s one decision I can make this week that aligns with the creative life I want?
It could be as small as blocking an afternoon for sketching. Or as big as finally saying no to a project that doesn’t fit anymore. The key is to decide.
Practical Ways to Lean Into Creative Freedom This Month
✨ Revisit your schedule.
Are you designing your days, or reacting to everyone else’s needs? Look for one spot to reclaim. Maybe it’s a morning each week that becomes your creative time.
✨ Reevaluate your offers.
Does everything you sell or teach feel aligned with the life you want? If not, start making notes about what could shift.
✨ Reconnect to your “why.”
Remember why you started. Not the polished mission statement — but the deeper truth. Was it about spending more time with family? Expressing yourself? Supporting a cause you care about? Write that at the top of your planner this month.
✨ Simplify where you can.
Freedom often comes from simplifying. Is there a tool, platform, or process that’s overcomplicated? Take one small step toward simplifying it.
How I Protect My Own Creative Freedom
Over the years, I’ve found that creative freedom doesn’t just come from starting a business — it comes from protecting my time, energy, and focus as I grow the business.
Here’s what that looks like for me:
I use simple tools I trust (like Squarespace, Kajabi, and Ecamm) so I’m not tangled up in tech headaches.
I batch content so I’m not always scrambling. This gives me space for spontaneous inspiration.
I say no, kindly but firmly, to projects that don’t align with my goals.
I build community through my programs because I know we all achieve more when we’re not doing it all alone.
Final Thoughts: Claim Your Freedom
This week, as fireworks light up the sky, I hope you’ll take a moment to celebrate the freedoms that we cherish as Americans. In this country, we are so blessed.
You can change your circumstances with hard work.
You can find support in creative communities where everyone cheers each other on.
You just need to start making small choices that honor your values, and the life you want to live.
Remember, it’s never too late to create®. Build your dream, your way.
xo,
Anne
P.S. I will be live on Wednesday! Scroll down for details on when, where and how to join me.
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It’s Never Too Late to Create®
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MEET ANNE
Hi…I’m Anne!
My creative inspiration comes from a lifetime of observation. I grew up in Paris on the Place St. Sulpice and walked to school through the Luxembourg gardens. And that was only the beginning… Learn more by watching the video on my About page.
