When Creativity Becomes a Lifeline

Through the Creative Door with Milly Taylor

Some people create because they have something to say.

Others create because they don't yet have the words.

When I sat down with my beautiful friend Milly Taylor, we quickly discovered that creativity isn't simply something she enjoys, it is something she lives. Whether she's writing poetry, painting, photographing the world, singing with SGT Hunka or Alexis naylor, or authoring books, creativity has become woven into every part of her life.

But perhaps the most fascinating part of our conversation wasn't what she creates.

It was why.

Creativity isn't a place… it's a feeling.

When I asked Milly what a creative space looks like for her, she surprised me.

"It's not really a space," she explained. "It's a feeling."

Rather than waiting for the perfect studio or ideal conditions, she follows whatever creative outlet her mind and body need in that moment. Some days that's painting. Other days it's writing poetry, picking up a camera, or singing.

Working in the mental health field, Milly refers to these practices as "wellness tools"… creative outlets as you would say that help regulate her nervous system when life becomes overwhelming.

For her, creativity isn't just about making art.

It's about coming home to herself.

Why our hardest seasons often produce our best work.

One of the most honest moments of our conversation came when Milly admitted something many creatives quietly experience.

When life is peaceful...

She creates less.

During periods of trauma, heartbreak and emotional upheaval, creativity became her lifeline. Poetry poured out daily. Paintings filled canvases. Social media became a place to share what she couldn't always say aloud.

Now, after years of healing and trauma therapy, life feels calmer.

And that's changed the rhythm of her creativity.

Rather than seeing this as a loss, Milly sees it as a sign of healing.

Sometimes the greatest creative achievement is simply living a peaceful life.

Music: the creative home she always returns to

Although Milly works across many artistic disciplines, music remains the one she'll drop everything for.

Whether rehearsing or performing alongside friends, music offers something unique.

It isn't only about creating songs.

It's about belonging.

It's about community.

It's about walking into rehearsal feeling exhausted and walking out feeling alive again.

Sometimes healing doesn't happen alone in a studio.

Sometimes it happens in harmony.

Dancing with our emotions

One idea from the conversation stayed with me long after we finished recording.

A trauma therapist once told Milly to stop avoiding difficult emotions.

Instead...

Dance with them.

If you're angry, don't pretend you're not.

Find music that matches it.

Throw axes.

Paint with aggressive brushstrokes.

Move your body.

Create.

Rather than suppressing emotions, creativity gives them somewhere safe to land.

And in doing so, transforms them into something that might help someone else feel seen.

That's one of the beautiful paradoxes of art.

The more personal it becomes, the more universal it often feels.

When creativity stops being about performance

Towards the end of our conversation, Milly shared one piece of advice every creative probably needs to hear.

Take the pressure off.

Stop creating for algorithms.

Stop creating for approval.

Stop creating because you think it needs to make money.

Create because it feels good.

Because it's fun.

Because play is where creativity begins.

Only afterwards—if it happens—should success, recognition or income enter the conversation.

When we replace curiosity with pressure, creativity quietly walks out the door.

Final Thoughts

Our conversation reminded me that creativity isn't always about producing something extraordinary.

Sometimes it's about surviving.

Sometimes it's about celebrating.

Sometimes it's about understanding ourselves just a little better than we did yesterday.

Whether you're an artist, musician, writer, cook, gardener, dancer or someone who's convinced they "aren't creative" at all, maybe creativity isn't asking you to make something perfect.

Maybe it's simply inviting you to feel.

And perhaps that's where healing begins.

A x

Listen to the full conversation with Milly Taylor on S1.E1 on Through the Creative Door, where we explore creativity, trauma, healing, music, and why making art can sometimes be the safest place to meet ourselves.