How to do a creative reset
Entire your ecosystem to prepare for a new year of creation
Welcome to another issue of apartamento 710, a newsletter about living a creative life. If you are new here, I invite you to explore my interview series, Sobremesa, my section Reference Library, or a fan’s favorite: My rules for making.
I am hosting an apartamento 710 meetup in Toronto this January on Sunday, the 18th. Are you based in the city or have friends who live there? Let them know, I want to see you all there! If interested in joining us, leave a comment on this letter, reply to this email, or send me a dm to confirm your attendance. I will send you the full details and meeting place. Can’t wait to meet you there!
Dear reader,
Over the years, I’ve learned that my creativity doesn’t respond well to pressure or ambition alone. It responds to my environment. To the often invisible conditions that either invite me in to create or quietly push me away. Before I think about what I want to make in the new year, I like to take a close look at what I’m surrounded by.
Every year, usually somewhere between the limbo of the last week of December and the beginning of January, I do a reset. Not really a goal-setting exercise, but an audit of my entire creative ecosystem. A way of noticing what’s working, what feels outdated in my practice, and what needs more space to grow.
What I mean by “creative ecosystem”
When I talk about a creative ecosystem, I mean everything that shapes how and whether I make things. It’s the physical space I work in, yes, but also the information I consume, the conversations I am having, the objects I keep within reach, the commitments or collabs I’ve said yes to, and the inner state I’m moving through.
Let’s get started
Grab a notebook, your beverage of choice, and give yourself plenty of time to go through your audit →
Let’s start with your physical space: Here is where I ask myself, where do I actually like to sit and work? Not where I think I should work, but where my body naturally gravitates towards.
This past year, I got myself a nice standing desk, hoping to spend less time sitting and hopefully improve my poor posture. The truth is, I spent most of the time doing work at my kitchen table, next to the window where the light hits in a very celestial way. Knowing this, I’m planning to rearrange things a bit around my apartment to see if that motivates me to spend more time in my neglected desk.
Remember: Notice which objects make you want to touch, write, sketch, or simply begin something. Move things around. Put some things away. Your space needs to support you and your lifestyle.
Online world: When it comes to auditing our digital worlds, decluttering your email, subscriptions, and your social media feed is a great way to start. Pay attention to what leaves you feeling sad or anxious compared to what sparks inspiration, curiosity, and makes you want to go make something of your own.
Pro tip: If you are a Gmail user, go to your left-hand side panel > Click ‘More’ > Manage subscriptions. You should be able to unsubscribe from anything that doesn’t add much value today or feels unaligned.
Take this as an opportunity to go back to your photo, video, and screenshots folders and put on your detective hat to search for patterns.
What colors, textures, or patterns caught your eye the most this year? Make a mood board with your own images and screenshots.
Any artists or online friends whose work you saved over and over? Send them a message letting them know their work inspires you; something can flourish from that message!
Projects or crafts, or techniques that sparked your curiosity? Make a list of all the media you would like to experiment with next year, or find a course online/in-person that can help you dive deeper into that topic
🍅 I created this checklist for us with a few fun ideas to help fully reset our creative worlds. I’ll be printing it and putting it on my wall to work through over the next few weeks. Enjoy : )
Notice patterns of creation
I like to look back at when my best ideas showed up last year. Early mornings or late nights? Long walks? After a date with a friend? Make note of these moments so you can keep making space for them. This year, I challenged myself to be a more active member of my community through volunteering and visiting my favorite third spaces—the library, local galleries, and community centers. Some of my best work this year came from those visits, usually accompanied by old and new friends. Such a great reminder that creativity doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s always in conversation with its surroundings.
Input (aka what we consume)
I think about everything I read, watched, and listened to that actually stayed with me. The books I keep returning to. The albums and films that stayed with me for weeks. My section Reference Library is a nice exercise in this way, as it helps me metabolize everything I consume every quarter. Some people like to keep a digital garden, which I think is a nice idea that allows you to digest and form an opinion on the things you are consuming online.
A big part of any reset is letting go. Letting go of projects that once made sense but no longer do. Of habits we’ve outgrown. Of obligations we’ve been carrying out of momentum rather than intention.
After doing this exercise, notice what remains. What are the practices you want to keep tending? Materials you are excited to return to? If you do this exercise, let me know how it goes! And please let me know what else would you add to the list, too!
I am reading Moominland Midwinter, and it’s the best book to indulge in during this season. I got this special edition that features some of Tove’s most beautiful winter illustrations.
One of my intentions for 2026 is to meditate every day for at least 5 minutes. The winter is a great time to start building this habit I think. I am doing Open’s 21-day challenge. You can use this link to get 30 days free and give it a try with me!
I keep returning to this poem by Mary Oliver.
Lastly, a friendly reminder to take it easy this time of year. While the start of a new year can be energizing, it can also feel overwhelming. Keep in mind that astrologically, Spring is the actually new year.
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Until the next one!
Florencia
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