Why I Need a Creative Ritual

Letters to my daughter and other creators

It’s 6:00 am when I hear your voice from the bedroom.

Daddy, where are you?!

I can’t help but smile. I’m down here. In the same place I always am when you wake up. Sitting on the kitchen table with my laptop, next to your pink hair clip and lunchbox, sometimes an Elsa doll or unfinished cup of apple juice.

I’ve been here before sunrise.

You don’t know it yet, but this is my creative ritual.

I’m writing a new novel.

I’m building a new world.

I’ve been doing the same ritual for fifteen years.

I consider this a spiritual practice, coffee is my sacrament.

One day, I hope you’ll know that your dad was relentless. He never stopped creating. He might have had a regular job, but he never stopped fighting for his dream. I hope you remember the sound of the keys typing, or the far-off look on my face when I’m lost in a world.

Upstairs are all my books. None of them are bestsellers yet. That’s ok. Because occasionally, I get a message from a reader. They share how much they loved my story. That my books made them feel seen.

And that makes it worth the fight. All those early mornings, and failures and piles of rejection letters. Not fame or followers or money. But to create things that serve the world. To create the things only I can create.

My prayer is that you find your dream, too. The one thing that gets you out of bed before dawn. That makes your life an adventure. Because if you chase it, that’s exactly what you’ll get. I can’t promise it’ll be an easy path. Quite the opposite. It will be full of heartache and pain, rejection and failure. But also full of possibility, wonder and love. I hope you experience it all.

You’re downstairs now, and you give me a hug.

Good morning daddy.

Good morning, little creator.

The day is full of possibilities.

I hope you create the best one yet.

-K

** writing desk with toys surrounding me.

Creator’s Note: This is usually when I stop writing. When my girls run up to me at the table or everyone announces they’re hungry.

In the letter, I don’t call it a writing routine. It’s always been a creative ritual.

A ritual feels sacred. It’s more than a habit or a routine. Rituals are meant to prepare you to receive, to open yourself to something beyond your limited self. That’s what this feels like. I’m not just writing. I’m co-creating with a higher power, with God.

One day, maybe I’ll have a big office with a grand desk, surrounded by my own books and pictures. But for this chaotic stage of life, a kitchen table with an Elsa doll and an apple juice cup feels like the perfect sacred space.

Thanks for reading!

---

Things inspiring me lately.

Books

I finally finished The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest. It’s a great book for anyone who struggles with anxiety, feels stuck, or just wants a perspective shift. I had it on my phone and would read it whenever I had the urge to doom scroll. It always grounded me.

For fiction, I’m currently reading Yellowface by R. F. Kuang. This is my first book of hers, and she lives up to the hype. I’m amazed by how little actually happens in the story, and yet I’m completely engrossed.

Podcasts

Mel Robbins Podcast
One of the most impactful podcasts I’ve listened to lately is Mel Robbins’ interview with Carl Lentz. I’ll admit, I watched the Hillsong scandal documentary and had a limited view of this former pastor. But the vulnerability he shares in this conversation is remarkable. Deep suffering can lead to profound breakthroughs.

Soul Boom with Casey Neistat

It took me a while to separate Rainn Wilson the actor with Dwight Schrute the character. But his podcast is really well done. His conversation with Casey Neistat was fascinating. He pushed Casey to go deeper than he usually does. Highly recommend.

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