Pain asks me to “do something.” I wanted to learn how these figurative demands affect my Everyday Living. So, I created a new topic in my commonplace book: my pain metaphor.

My grandma once said, "First years don't always follow a traditional calendar year, Honey.” I like to remember her words when the rhythm of life inaugurates a new era. A tender loss, triumphant start, or unexpected move—the seasons of life turn, turn, turn.

The process of selecting topics for my commonplace book is fairly intuitive. The choices I make come from the topics I come across in my daily life. Each topic helps manage my records while directing where I’d like to go next. The beauty is I don’t have to be overly strategic at the start.

Dwelling on current woes in home and work life is normal. As an artist, introspection is often the way to a wellspring of ideas. If you are isolated at home because of pain or fatigue, deriving inspiration from seemingly mundane or limited experiences can help you cope.