You Took Time Off. Now What?

What really happens when you return to your art — and how to make work again without getting stuck in what could have been.

You took time off from your art. Maybe it was a few months. Maybe it was twenty years.

You built a life, raised kids, held it together, paid the bills — and now you’re trying to come back. But instead of feeling proud of everything you carried, you feel... behind. Disconnected. Like you lost something. Like you’re supposed to apologize for the years you weren’t painting.

This episode is about that feeling — and why it’s lying to you.

This one’s for artists who made a real-life choice — and now can’t shake the feeling they’re starting all over again.

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking I should’ve found a way or stared at a canvas wondering how much time you wasted... yeah. You’re in the right place.

In this episode:

• The invisible comparison that’s keeping you stuck (hint: you’re measuring yourself against someone who doesn’t exist)
• Why “I’m behind” feels so convincing — and what your brain’s actually doing when it feeds you that line
• What this costs you beyond just lost time (it’s happening right now, while you’re listening)
• The part nobody talks about: why that gap wasn’t wasted, even when it feels like it was
• One shift that’ll change how you walk into the studio tomorrow

What to expect:

No pep talk, no punishment. Just a clear-eyed look at what comes next — and how to make work again without dragging shame in with you.

This episode’s for you if:

• Coming back feels harder than stepping away ever did
• You can run a household or a business — but still feel like a beginner when you pick up a brush
• You’re proud of your choices and gutted by what you didn’t get to do — both can be true
• You’re in it right now, wondering if it’s even worth trying to paint again

Do you spend more time thinking about making art than actually making it? Start things you never finish? Make work and then stack it against the wall, facing inward, so you don't have to look at it?

If any of that sounds familiar, I'd love to chat.

Click here: savvypainter.com/survey to tell me what's going on. If it seems like I need more info, I'll reach out to schedule a call.

Thanks so much!

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I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️