November is basically waving a big, soft ‘be kind to yourself’ banner at us. There’s Stress Awareness Day (5th), World Kindness Day (13th), and Self Care Week (17th). It’s like the month is quietly nudging us to slow down, take a deep breath, and remember that rest doesn’t have to be earned.
The idea of self care might make you think of long walks, baths, or a cup of tea that you actually get to finish while it’s still warm. But there’s another kind of care that’s just as soothing - and a little more colourful.
It’s mindful art.
Art without an agenda
Here’s the magic of mindful art: it doesn’t need to be anything. There’s no finished piece to display, no ‘right’ way to do it. It’s not about skill, it’s about presence.
You just sit down with your materials (whatever’s closest - pens, paints, scraps of paper, maybe even the back of an old envelope) and begin. No plan. No Pinterest inspiration board. Just you, your hands, and your curiosity.
Let the lines wander. Doodle without direction. Smudge the paint, scribble outside the edges, and see what happens. Watch how the ink glides or the colour pools in the paper’s tiny dips and folds. That’s where the mindfulness hides - in those tiny, sensory moments that remind you you’re here, right now.
It’s not about making something beautiful; it’s about making something honest.
Colour as reflection
If you’ve ever found yourself saying, ‘I don’t know how I feel’, art can help you find out. Colours often say what words can’t.
Before you start, take a small pause. Ask yourself, What’s going on for me today? You don’t have to answer - just notice. Then pick a colour that matches. Maybe it’s a soft grey that feels a bit foggy, or a bright yellow that’s buzzing with energy.
Let that colour lead the way. It doesn’t need to become a picture. It might just be swirls, shapes, or layers that build up over time. These moments of colour are like emotional fingerprints - a visual diary of where you’ve been and how you’ve felt.
Over the weeks, when you look back at your pages, you’ll start to see your own rhythm. Your energy, moods, and quiet reflections all captured without a single word.
The joy of slowing down
There’s something deliciously rebellious about choosing to go slow in a fast-moving world. Mindful art is one of those rare spaces where time softens around the edges. You get to watch the brush trail across the page, hear the scratch of your pencil, or feel the texture of the paper.
It’s grounding, sensory, and surprisingly calming. Even five minutes can get your day off to a completely different start!
You don’t need fancy tools, a special setup, or even a big idea. Just a bit of paper, something to make a mark with, and a willingness to let it be imperfect.
And sometimes, in that beautiful mess of ink and thought, you find exactly what you needed to hear.
Kindness, colour, and a little creative chaos
This month’s theme of kindness isn’t only about how we treat others, it’s about how we treat ourselves. Mindful art is a soft form of self-kindness. It gives you permission to show up exactly as you are, whether that’s scattered, calm, tired, hopeful, or somewhere in between.
When you let go of the need to get it right, something shifts. You make space for curiosity, play, and a sense of gentle joy that doesn’t depend on outcomes.
So if life’s felt a bit loud lately, maybe this is your invitation to slow it all down. Put on your comfiest jumper, clear a tiny space on the table, and just… make.
A mindful nod to the festive season
As we tiptoe toward the festive season (and all its wonderful chaos), mindful making becomes even more special. There’s something grounding about using your hands - cutting, gluing, painting, creating - when everything else feels a bit sparkly and busy.
That’s why I’ve poured this spirit of mindful creativity into my Festive Craft Kits. They’re designed not just for making beautiful decorations, but for slowing down and being in the making. Each kit is an invitation to pause, to play with texture and colour, to feel the materials, to make something that’s uniquely yours.
You don’t need to be arty. You just need a little curiosity and a cup of tea (and maybe a biscuit or two).
So this Self Care Week, and beyond, give yourself permission to create - not for anyone else, but for the quiet, kind, creative part of you that’s been waiting to exhale.
If you need a little guidance to get started and fancy trying out one of my festive kits, you can take a look at them here: Mindful Craft Kits for Creative Time at Home | Eden Fay
Or if you are a business and you'd like to gift a moment of pause to your team this Christmas, get in touch for my corporate packages.