On creative ruts, 9-5 realities, and showing up anyway
How do you get out of a creative rut? Genuinely.
Somewhere between a 9-5 and a dream, I lost my creative rhythm and I’m trying to find my way back.
I’ve been meaning to write for weeks now, but every time I open my laptop to start, I freeze. Not because I have nothing to say. In fact, it’s the opposite. I have so much on my mind, so many ideas sitting half-written in my Notes app, half-finished videos, inventory I keep meaning to sort, and yet… I’m stuck.
Lately, I’ve been in a creative rut. The kind that feels like you're running on autopilot.
The kind where you still care deeply, but you can't seem to move the needle - creatively, emotionally, energetically.
Let me rewind a bit.
Earlier this year, I made a decision that felt both empowering and confronting: I went back to a full-time 9-5 job after doing a semi-sabbatical.
Mesa was (and is) still growing, but I knew that in order to build it the way I wanted to - with intention, integrity, and the ability to experiment without fear - I needed financial security. I also want to buy a home closer to my family. And I knew that meant getting honest with myself about what this season of life needed to look like.
So during the day, I’m back in my corporate desk - my comfort zone, my training ground, my default… and at night (or on weekends, or in blurry in-between pockets), I’m still building Mesa… developing products, sourcing inventory, figuring out how to grow this brand from a quiet idea into something that lives and breathes and gathers people together.
But I won’t lie - it’s hard.
It’s hard to be in two worlds at once. It’s hard to come home from work and then switch into creative mode. It’s hard to want to show up online when your brain is already foggy from meetings and deliverables. It’s hard to post consistently and share beautifully when your energy feels like it’s been rationed down to crumbs.
And still… I want to show up.
I want Mesa to be a social-first brand. I want to tell stories in real-time, not just in hindsight. I want to document the process, the mistakes, the wins, the dinners with strangers, the sewing projects that turn into linen prototypes, the people who sit at the table and leave changed.
I want this to be more than a business. I want it to feel like a movement - however small. A reminder that connection can still be slow, tactile, intentional. That setting a table is not just about aesthetics, but about presence.
So here I am. Not with a polished brand update. Not with a “launch.” But with a question.
How do you get out of a creative rut?
Genuinely.
What works for you when your mind is full, your soul is tired, and your hands miss making things?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
And if you’ve ever been in this in-between, I’d love to know.
What helped you show up for your creative work while still holding down a job? What did your version of balance look like (or not look like)? What would you want to see from a brand like Mesa - not just products, but real stories, content, community touchpoints?
I know this project is still in its early days, and I’m so grateful for everyone who’s been quietly following along. You being here matters to me more than you know.
I don’t have all the answers, but I’m figuring it out - and I’m glad you’re here for the ride.
More soon,
Trish