🦩 Studio Sonder’s 21 Hard: Creativity & Mindset Challenge
My call to creative arms for you, Rebels.
Inspired by Anna Wrigley’s mantra “I can do hard things” and her being the badass she is, running a 10k this weekend and previously completing the 75 Hard Challenge (bloody go, Anna, go!).
Also props to Julia Cameron - the skeleton of these challenges is siphoned and adapted from The Artist’s Way in an attempt to force myself to finish the 12-week plan.
Right, let’s crack on!
WTF is this challenge?
⭐ Daily creative/mindset challenges for you to complete.
⭐ 2 bonus weekly challenges.
⭐ 21 days.
Studio Sonder’s 21 Hard Challenge is not intended as an additional “thing to do.”
It is designed to help you make space for your mind, body, and creativity.
By doing this together, we can prioritise the things that make us feel good, hold one another accountable, and make some REAL progress.
You can swap something to fit your goals if you need it, but please try to stick to the timings.
If you need to opt out of anything, that’s fine - try to do what you can.
Below is each step of the challenge, including (soft) rules and guidance.
📌 DAILY - Morning Pages: 2 Pages of Free Writing ✍️
You can take as long as you like, but you’re not allowed to stop the task until you’ve written your two pages (or three pages if you’re feeling spicy).
It is best done as your first task of the day.
Grab a coffee/drink, set up a dedicated writing space and choose a notebook/writing app to work from.
Having done this previously, handwritten is a better experience (and you can write fewer words with an A5 notebook 😉)
❌ No editing.
❌ No overthinking.
❌ Do not re-read.
❌ These pages are not to be shared.
✅ They are for you alone.
✅ Write whatever comes to mind.
(even if you have to write “sheep” repeatedly for two pages)
✍️ Get it all out.
🤬 Vent.
😭 Cry.
🤩 Praise.
🫰 Affirm.
💡 Test ideas.
📌 DAILY - Reading: 5 Pages 📖
You can read non-fiction/fiction, but aim for something that will inspire your creative work.
Try to read at the same time every day. Want to go a step further? Read a whole chapter.
📌 DAILY - 45 Minutes: Move Your Body 🏋️♀️
Our brains are only as good as our bodies.
No, thank you: This challenge is not related to weight or appearance.
It’s health-driven to help you feel better, get the blood circulating throughout your body/brain, and reignite your energy.
Please choose something suitable for your body and health, and avoid pushing yourself beyond your limits.
Also, please consult a doctor if you have any concerns and stop if you need to.
You can do anything - choose something you enjoy:
🏃♀️ Walking/running on a treadmill
👟 Walking/running outside
🧘♀️ Yoga or pilates
🏋️ Lifting weights
🏀 Playing sports
🫧 Housework
🏊♀️ Swimming
🕺 Dancing
Whatever gets your body moving.
Must be one continuous session of movement.
📌 DAILY - 45 Minutes: Your Creative Outlet 🎨
It could be:
🎬 Screenwriting
📝 Blog Writing
📚 Novel Writing
🎶 Poetry Writing
💸 Business Plan Writing
🎨 Painting/Drawing
🧶 Crafting/Building
💖 Graphic Design/Illustration
Or anything related to your creative passion/goals.
✅ Spend 45 minutes on your creative project.
✅ Focus on your process, not the outcome.
✅ Make new progress each day.
✅ Take messy action.
✅ Try new things.
📌 WEEKLY - 1 Hour: Artist’s Date 🤍
Carve out one extra hour a week to take yourself on an artist’s date.
Examples:
🤸♀️ Learn a new skill.
📍 Go to a new place.
🖼️ Visit that exhibit you’ve wanted to see.
🪅 Spend extra time working on your project.
🎭 Watch/read/play that thing you’ve been meaning to.
Aim to do this solo, but sharing this time with others is also fine as pie.
📌 WEEKLY - 10 Minutes: Accountability Update 💌
Every Sunday, share an update.
It could be a Substack post, with a friend, in your journal, or you can hop over to Studio Sonder and join our Rebel collective!
Also, please let me know how you're getting on. I’ll be sharing updates here daily, so feel free to slide into my comments and let’s keep each other accountable.
Here are some reflection prompts:
❤️🔥 What have you learned?
❤️🔥 What was a struggle?
❤️🔥 How are you feeling?
❤️🔥 What has changed?
❤️🔥 What have you overcome?
❤️🔥 Where do you need help?
And is there anything else related to your previous week that you would like to note down?
✨ Bonus aura points for photos or sharing your creative work in progress!
May the odds be ever in your favour, Rebels.
Keep taking messy action daily,
D x
P.S. Check in with me daily on my Substack or get involved with our Creative Rebels inside The Studio - use code STUDIOSUMMER50 to get 50% off your membership for 3 months (on top of our standard 1-month free trial - bloody bargain, mate).