Baby Steps to Breakthroughs: Navigating the Messy Middle of Creativity

When I’m in the middle of a big project, it’s such a mix of excitement and exhaustion. Sometimes it feels like I’m balancing between a creative flow and total frustration. Honestly, it makes me think of What About Bob —you know that part where he’s doing his “baby steps” around the office? That’s how I feel sometimes: one baby step, one tiny brush stroke, one small line at a time. It might be slow, but hey, it’s still progress, and that’s what keeps me going.

Small Steps, Big Progress

Momentum isn’t always about taking big leaps. When I’m deep in a project and things feel messy or incomplete, those little, steady steps are what push things forward. I have to remind myself that it’s okay to take it day by day, piece by piece. That overwhelming feeling? It’s usually a sign that the work is becoming real—it’s transforming from just an idea into something tangible.

Reconnect with the Vision

When I hit those moments of feeling stuck or overwhelmed, I like to step back and reconnect with why I started the project in the first place. I look at the work that’s already coming together like the body prints on my canvas or the contributions from my friends, and I remind myself that this project is alive—it’s evolving. It doesn’t have to be perfect right now. I just need to focus on one small area, maybe just a line or a brush stroke, and let that be enough to keep things moving forward.

Change It Up

Another thing that helps is switching up what I’m doing. If I’m blocked, I’ll shift from painting to stitching those pieces onto the canvas. There’s something about physically stitching things together that makes me feel like I’m pulling the project toward completion, even when it still feels far from finished.

Trust the Process

At the end of the day, it’s all about trusting the process. Taking those baby steps and letting the work evolve at its own pace.

How do you keep your creative momentum going when things feel unfinished or messy? What baby steps help you push through?