Hey, {{ first_name | Rebel }}!

You’re doing so much better than you think.

I know the world is on fire, and everything feels so damn loud, but you’re still here, taking messy action, and finding your whimsy.

That counts for everything.

So, if you feel like you haven’t made enough “progress” yet this year…

Or that horrible voice in your head has been beating you to a pulp, just know you’re still doing great.

Let this little note be a reminder to stop and enjoy the view for a minute.

It’s so easy to feel like we’re not moving forward when we don’t glance over our shoulders to see how far we’ve come.

Take out a pen and paper. Write down how you have grown so far in 2026. 

Throw the vanity metrics in the bin. They are of no use to anyone. 

Instead, measure your growth in the hurdles you’ve overcome, things you’ve learned, new ways of thinking, connections you’ve made, and the parts of your creative process you’ve fallen back in love with. 

Write it down. Stick it somewhere you can see it. Remind yourself daily.

Take it from an autistic ADHD creative rebel: existing can feel like the hardest thing you do each day.

And for each day you say, “You know what? I’m gonna try and create something anyway,” that’s your small act of rebellion.

When you receive this message, I want you to come up with one creative thing you’d love to do and make space for it.

Five minutes or five hours, the length of time doesn’t matter. But you deserve to make space for your creativity. 

Sometimes, the most creative thing you can do is rest. 

After all, creatives need to sit around and do nothing. Boredom and stillness have a magical way of presenting the path ahead.

Trust me, your to-do list can wait, and there will always be something else nagging for your attention.

Five minutes is where you start, and who knows, maybe it’ll offer enough CreativeFuel to reignite the alchemist within you.

Stay rebellious and keep taking messy action,

— Dr Demi

Founder & Creative in Chief | Studio Sonder