Take your muse pause ➡️ NOW

I was genuinely stunned to learn that there’s a scientific explanation for why we suddenly start feeling down: our energy drops, motivation disappears, we begin questioning our lives, and scrolling or eating junk food suddenly feels like a great escape.

This is actually the question I asked my therapist during one of our recent sessions: Why do I sometimes start seeing everything in such a negative way out of the blue, even though just a few hours earlier everything felt fine, I was working, and I felt fulfilled?

Honestly, I expected the usual answers like you need a break, you’re stressed, you’re overworking. But… no. Everything was actually fine.

What surprised me most was learning that this shift often follows a scientifically proven brain pattern. And once you recognize it, you can literally stop the spiral before it takes over your mood and your entire day.

We’re talking about a specific part of the brain called the Default Mode Network (DMN). It’s responsible for:

• self-reflection

• remembering past moments

• imagining the future

On its own, the DMN isn’t the enemy, it’s ESSENTIAL.

But when it becomes overactive, it can push us into rumination, catastrophizing, and worst-case thinking. That’s when mood drops happen seemingly “out of nowhere.”

Importantly, the DMN itself doesn’t cause catastrophizing but when it’s overactive, it contributes to it.

This often happens during in-between moments: when we pause, take a break, or get slightly distracted. That transition moment is critical.

Once I understood this, I started reading more about it and discovered something fascinating:
👉 the first emotional dip is usually very brief, often under a couple of minutes.
But our thoughts can keep it alive.

This is where the inspiration list comes in.

When the brain gets stuck in a loop, it’s almost impossible to “think positively” your way out of it. That’s why having a prepared list of low-effort, joy-inducing activities is so powerful. It interrupts the loop before it escalates.

On my own list, I have things like:

• quick sketching at a nearby art and design museum (yes, this one - I literally went there during my own spiral) 

• looking at artworks by my favorite artist, David Hockney

• reading Architectural Digest or IDEAT

• revisiting my gratitude list

• reminding myself of my own achievements

These activities are intentionally low effort, because when your brain is overwhelmed, it can’t handle anything demanding.

In my case, sketching works perfectly. It’s enjoyable, calming, and doesn’t require decision-making. I grabbed my iPad, went to the museum, sketched, and when I came back, I felt like a fresh version of myself. With new energy. New ideas. New clarity!

This is one of the reasons I truly believe that drawing should be a tool in everyone’s toolkit, regardless of whether they identify as an artist or not.

That’s also why I do what I do - showing you how to draw in a way that’s accessible, intuitive, and grounding.
The waitlist for my upcoming short drawing course is open, and you can join for early access, bonuses, and special offers.

And that’s it.
I’m really curious, had you heard about this before? Have you experienced something similar? What are your thoughts?

With big drawing energy,
Anna at @andshedrawsbig