CAF Podcast: EP 219 | Making in the Mess

What You’ll Get from This Episode

In this episode, we’re chatting about:

Why the blank page can feel so intimidating (and how to shift your mindset)

The easiest tricks to start creating when you’re feeling stuck

How to make creative decisions faster so you don’t get trapped in overthinking

Whether you’re a scrapbooker, journaler, painter, or anything in between—these tips work across every creative practice.

Big Takeaways

🖌 The blank page is only scary if you let it be.Instead of pressuring yourself to create something amazing, shift your mindset to just starting. One mark, one sticker, one sentence—that’s all it takes to get moving.

📖 Use small, repeatable tricks to jumpstart your creativity.A simple prompt, a tiny goal, or a familiar layout can take the guesswork out of where to begin. Looking at past pages for inspiration? Game changer.

🎨 Lower your expectations to open up creative freedom.Instead of worrying about wasting supplies, set a challenge: Make the ugliest page possible. Try using only stickers. Create with your non-dominant hand. Take the pressure off, and creativity will flow.

What We Talked About

We kicked things off by talking about why blank pages feel so overwhelming—too many choices, fear of messing up, decision fatigue (we’ve all been there!). The key? Making one small decision to anchor everything else.

Then, we explored quick tricks for getting unstuck:

Setting tiny goals (one mark, one sticker, one word—just start!)

Using prompts like Currently Lists or screenshots from your phone for inspiration

Copying a past page layout with small tweaks (colors, patterns, themes)

And of course, we dug into how expectations can block creativity—and why sometimes, making something terrible on purpose is the best way to move forward.

Take a moment today to notice where you feel stuck most in your creative process. Is it the first step? Overthinking your choices? Worrying about the end result?

Now—try one of the strategies from this episode. Pick a tiny goal, grab a prompt, or set a weird challenge for yourself.

I’d love to know—what’s your go-to trick for overcoming the blank page? Hit reply and tell me, or come share inside The Awesome Ladies Project.

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