The Small Creative Ritual That Sparked Big Growth in My Lettering Work
When I started my National Doodle Days creative warm-up series, I truly thought it would last a month, maybe two. It was meant to be simple—a quick illustration based on a fun (almost) daily holiday. A few minutes of drawing just for me, with no pressure to make it perfect.
National Sardines Day | November 24
Four months later, I’m still at it and this “quick warm-up” has become one of the most powerful creative habits I’ve ever built. It’s pulled me into creative channels I never thought I’d be active on, pushed me to experiment and re-establish my style, and reminded me how energizing it is to show up consistently for my craft. It’s also sharpened my skills as a lettering artist.
And here’s the twist I didn’t expect: the discipline I’ve built from my role in Creative Operations is exactly what helped this ritual flourish.
The Ritual That Started With Zero Expectations
When I started, my goal was simply to start each day with 15 minutes of art. No grand themes. No polished finishes. No required revisions. Just a quick moment for playful drawing before the daily chaos of life and work took over.
Some days it was a food illustration. Other days it was hand-lettering. Sometimes it was both. But the rule stayed the same: keep it small, keep it fun, and keep it light. Don’t overthink it. And always, share it. Whether I loved it or hated how it turned out, let others see the process, the progress.
What surprised me most was how quickly the habit built itself. Once I got past the idea that every piece had to be portfolio-ready, creativity actually became easier. More spontaneous. More joyful.
Creative Warm-up Illustration Series: National Doodle Days
Creative Ops: The Unexpected Secret Ingredient
Part of what surprised me most is how my Creative Operations background naturally found its way into the process.
Warm-ups are often seen as spontaneous or purely expressive, but introducing a bit of structure—just enough—turned out to be a powerful combination. It helped me streamline how I work and shared content, while also opening up more room for experimentation.
A Little Structure Goes a Long Way
I set up a loose framework:
a daily or themed prompt (fun national holidays)
a single medium (markers)
a short window of time
and a simple objective—“just create something”
The combination of structure + creative freedom turned out to be the perfect formula. With the “how” taken care of, I could focus on the “what.” This tiny system removed decision fatigue while still leaving room for creativity. And honestly, it reminded me exactly why creative ops and creativity don’t have to sit on opposite sides of the room. They actually feed each other.
Knowing the Rules Helps You Break Them With Purpose
Because the structure was there, I didn’t have to waste energy figuring out where to begin. I could focus the creative choices that make any piece of art feel alive.
That’s where the breakthroughs happened.
Ops Makes the Art Flow Further
Another unexpected benefit of this daily warm-up has been how it pushed me to tighten up my after-creation workflow. Instead of letting finished pieces sit in my camera roll, I finally built a simple system to help me share consistently—spreadsheets to track what I’ve posted, quick templates to repurpose content, and a few AI tools to help with captions (my weak spot).
Streamlining that part of the process made everything feel lighter. It took the pressure off the “what do I say?” moment and freed up more mental space for what actually matters: creating, experimenting, and letting new ideas show up.
The Artistic Evolution That Followed
This simple creative warm-up quickly became something bigger—a reminder of what I’m capable of when I give myself the room to play.
This has pushed me into:
Illustration subjects I never thought I’d try.
New lettering styles and artistic typography experiments.
Posting consistently on platforms I rarely touched before (YouTube Shorts and TikTok).
Working regularly with AI tools to enhance and expedite my process so I have more time to create.
Every little doodle helped me trust myself more as a lettering artist, illustrator, and designer. It expanded my range, sharpened my hand, and reinforced something I already knew deep down: creativity grows when you give it space every day, even if it’s small. And putting it out there doesn’t feel so scary anymore.
Blending Both Sides of My Creative Life
My day job in marketing operations and my personal art practice may seem worlds apart, but they constantly feed each other.
The structure of Ops keeps my practice consistent.
My art and lettering keep me inspired, curious, and creatively sharp for my Ops role.
The problem-solving required in both realms makes me more adaptable and inventive.
And having a creative ritual outside of work ensures I’m not relying solely on my job for artistic fulfillment.
It’s a loop—one that’s made me better at both.
Why a Creative Ritual Works (Even When You’re Busy)
Balancing a full-time creative role with personal projects can make rituals feel impossible. But carving out just 10–15 minutes a day created ripple effects I didn’t expect.
Ideas come faster.
My style has become clearer.
My confidence in trying new techniques is stronger.
Posting pieces that aren’t perfect feels… freeing.
I’ve reconnected with the pure joy of creating.
This tiny habit, a small drawing a day, helped me reconnect with the artistic part of myself that sometimes gets overshadowed by deadlines, meetings, and production timelines.
And the best part?
It Makes Starting Less Scary
Blank pages are intimidating. Warm-ups are not.
Having a ritual means you always know where to begin.
It Keeps You in Motion
Creativity likes momentum.
A small daily habit builds that in a way big, infrequent projects can’t.
It Reminds You Why You Started Creating in the First Place
And at the end of the day, that’s the energy that helps you grow.
The Takeaway
If you’re a designer, artist, creator (or someone who just misses making things for yourself), here’s my biggest learning:
Start small. Start imperfect. Start today.
Let consistency do the heavy lifting. You never know—your next big breakthrough might come from a tiny ritual you almost didn’t start.
Looking Ahead
I plan to continue this warm-up series as long as it inspires me. Maybe it evolves into something new. But I know this for sure:
It’s sparked ideas for new mediums, lettering projects, and process improvements that make creativity feel lighter and more sustainable.
It’s inspiring new ways to eventually expand into small business offerings or partnerships.
It’s helping me carve out a clearer, more intentional creative identity.
And it’s reinforcing that tiny, consistent actions can create powerful momentum over time.
This ritual has become part creative practice, part personal challenge, and part reminder that the things we do consistently change us often in ways we don’t see immediately.
