Sometimes, doing what you love for others burns you out. It can smother the joy in you. This year, I learned how to shut down the creative heart in me so others couldn't have it. I was burned out and frustrated with myself for sabotaging any free time I had to work. I selfishly clung to the little ember of creativity left inside me, and I hid it from the world.

And what, friends, is the point of creating if you are going to trap it within you? What is the point if the thought of picking up a camera or writing a poem causes your spirit to subdue itself in an indifferent slumber?

A friend of mine asked what I needed to do to move my business and blog in the right direction. I sat there for a while, and all I could say is, "I just need to think. I need to be able to sit for an entire afternoon and just think freely."

So she told me to take the next few months and create for myself because sometimes, you've been wounded creatively, and you need to create in a safe place free of the opinions of others before you're ready to go out there and share.

So with that, I'll be taking a creative leave for a few months while I experiment with content. I'll still be around, but this blog will be quiet. You can see little glimpses of a creative pulse on Instagram, and you can subscribe to my newsletter, A Quiet Story, where I'll be sharing a small sliver of what this time of creative leave has inspired me to write and photograph.

I look forward to returning with creative purpose and reconnecting with you all soon.

Your thoughtful photographer, quiet champion, and loyal friend,

Christina Elyse