When the Tank Is Empty, Listen. New Ideas Will Emerge
I thought I’d be writing an inspiring blog this week about surface pattern design. Something motivational. Something that makes you want to leap into action.
But guess what, I can't. I’m going to tell you something most business coaches would never admit.
I’m not charging into the new year with a color-coded plan, a perfectly mapped launch calendar, or boundless enthusiasm.
I’m tired.
Not the “I need a good night’s sleep” kind of tired. The quieter, deeper kind that comes from a long season of responsibility, and years of creating content and showing up, even when things are heavy.
I took some real time off between Christmas and New Year’s. And as I enter my eighth year of business, I can feel that I’m starting this year differently than I usually do.
Not worse.
Just… differently.
And instead of pushing past that feeling, I’ve been trying something new.
I’ve been listening. To myself.
A Quieter January Than Usual
January has a lot of expectations attached to it. We’re supposed to feel motivated. Organized. Ready to conquer something big.
Most years, I’m right there. Energized, excited, and already ten steps ahead.
This year, not so much. I’m caring for my father in palliative care. I visited him nearly every day last year and it has taken an invisible emotional toll on me.
I’ve been navigating some health issues of my own with a recent diagnosis of osteoporosis.
And after years of the launch–rest–launch cycle, my body and brain are asking for a different pace. When I look at my usual January plans, instead of feeling energized, I feel overwhelmed.
And instead of ignoring that signal, I’m paying attention to it. Because I’ve learned this the hard way: when you don’t listen early, your body finds louder ways to speak.
The Questions We Don’t Always Say Out Loud
When things feel hard as an entrepreneur, especially after years of doing this, the questions we ask ourselves aren’t always tactical. Sometimes they’re much bigger than that.
Questions like:
Have I had a good enough run?
Is it time to shut it all down?
Is there a better, more sustainable way of doing this?
Do I even want to try?
I’ve had moments this month where those questions floated through my mind. Not because I don’t love this work. Not because I don’t want to support you and not because I don’t love surface pattern design. But because I’m listening more carefully to what my energy, and my body, are asking for right now.
And here’s the important part: Those questions don’t automatically mean “quit. But they are invitations to adjust.
Adjusting Shows Resilience
This is something I want you, and my entire creative community, to hear clearly. Listening to your body, and the season that you’re in is important.
Instead of asking, “Should I shut this down?”, I asked a better question:
How can I continue supporting you in a way that’s less taxing, mentally and physically, without disappearing altogether?
That one question opened up space. Space to simplify. Space to rethink how and what I teach. Space to focus on what truly matters, not what might appear to others as impressive.
And it’s exactly the kind of reframe I encourage you to practice in your own creative life and business.
Start Simple.
After teaching thousands of women surface pattern design, I know this to be true. Most people don’t get stuck because they lack talent. They get stuck because they don’t know where to begin. Or they think beginning has to be big.
Five-day challenges
Perfect conditions
A wide-open calendar
When you’re tired, overwhelmed, or navigating real life, that kind of start can feel impossible. But small, concrete steps? Those are doable. And they’re often where momentum quietly begins to emerge.
The Best Way to Start (Right Now)
Rather than pushing myself, or you, into something bigger than feels right in this moment, I want to offer something simple and grounding.
If you’ve been feeling a creative pull…
If you’ve been curious about surface pattern design…
If you want something tangible to work on that’s broken down into easy to follow steps…
The best place to start right now is with my From Doodles to Dollars® workbook.
It’s a clear, step-by-step guide that walks you through how to create your very first repeating pattern. Something you can actually finish and that gives you confidence to learn more. Because creating one pattern changes how you see yourself. It’s often the first quiet proof that yes, you really can do this.
You don’t need to know everything. You don’t need a big block of free time. You just need a place to begin.
What’s Coming Next
I’m still in the process of rethinking what the rest of January will look like, both for me and for my business. I have ideas. I’m going to experiment. And I’m going to choose sustainability wherever possible.
More details will be coming soon. But for now, this feels like the right invitation. Start small. Start gently. Start with something you can actually complete.
If You’re Feeling Behind Too
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I don’t feel ready for 2026 either,” I want you to know that you’re not alone. And we’re all just human. The goal isn’t to push harder than your life allows. The goal is to keep creating, and building, in a way that honors the season you’re in.
When we listen instead of forcing things, something interesting happens. New paths begin to show themselves. New ideas start to take shape. And forward motion emerges. Not all at once, but step by step.
A Gentle Next Step
If you’d like something simple to work on while you find your footing this month, my From Doodles to Dollars® workbook is a beautiful place to start. It’s only $10 and it’s practical. It’s very step by step. And it gives you something real to dig into. The sense of joy and accomplishment you’ll feel when you create your first repeating pattern is a beautiful thing. It’s impossible to describe and I’d love for you to experience it.
You can download it here → From Doodles to Dollars® workbook
Let’s take 2026 one step at a time so that new ideas have space to emerge.
xo,
Anne
It’s Never Too Late to Create®
If you enjoyed this blog please share it with your friends, family and creative colleagues. Check out my favorite resources by clicking the red button below.
The Creative Business Spark Podcast.
Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.
Create your very first repeating pattern by following my Three Golden Rules. Grab this downloadable PDF workbook and get started today.
Get started for just $10.00. Click HERE for details.
Up level your surface pattern design skills and learn at your own pace in The Pattern Design Academy® Self-Study Program!
Enjoy working at your own pace? Enroll in the Pattern Design Academy® Self-Study program. Click HERE for details.
The Creative Business Mastermind is my highest level program. Learn how to implement the 6-part framework I used to build my creative business from scratch.
By application only. Click HERE for details.
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.
