22 February,2026 10:36 AM IST | Mumbai | Aastha Atray Banan
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Sometimes, a date with ourselves could be just as exciting as a romantic date. It's the time we allot every week to know more about who we are, what are we thinking about, and it's the time we use to inspire ourselves. In 1992, author Julia Cameron wrote the now bestselling The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. It was supposed to be a self-help book to teach people techniques that aim at unlocking their highest creative potential. In the following decades, it has become a handbook for artistes who are hoping to get inspired, and break free from the rut.
One of these techniques is the "Artist Date", which Cameron insists is a must for creative recovery. It's a weekly (or monthly if you don't have the time) solo expedition to engage in hobbies, or endeavours that interest you. In her own words, an artiste date is "is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, you inner artiste. In its most primary form, the artiste date is an excursion, a play date that you pre-plan and defend against interlopers. You do not take anyone on this artiste date but you and your inner artiste, aka your creative child."
This writer is a big fan of Artist Dates and tries to squeeze one in every two weeks. And so, here are some easy, breezy, tried and tested dates you can plan for yourself in the city. It's going to be fun!
>> Jot down ideas in your idea diary - small, big, unrealistic, aspirational - write them all down. It helps us get clear on our goals.
>> Make a gratitude list. Reminding yourself of all that you have will make you feel inspired to do more.
>> Journal about your feelings, your situation in life, the questions you need answers for - writing it down may help in processing.
>> Read. It's always beneficial to get lost in the pages of a book. You can travel the world, without leaving the city.
>> Stay quiet and listen to your thoughts. And let them pass by. Breathe in, and breathe out.
For me, even a Starbucks in a mall on a weekday works. It's quiet, with only a few remote employees immersed in their laptops. Get a coffee and gaze out. Make sure you don't spend time scrolling - give your brain some time to be free of overstimulation.
Put your phone on silent, and take in some history in a museum. Read all the inscriptions, and adopt a slow pace. Use this time to think about topics beyond your personal space. Zone out.
If you are lucky to have a park near you, go to a park, lay down under a tree and stare at its branches and leaves. Talk to it. Trees have a way of making you feel relaxed and in touch with nature, even if it is smack in the middle of a city.
Walk slowly around an art gallery and really look at a painting. Think about what it means. It may not make sense to you, but it doesn't have to. Maybe its purpose is to help you pause.
Maybe indulge in an activity that always helps you get inspired - watch a movie, go to a book store, play a game, do some trekking, or go for a concert. Learn to love your own company. After all, you are your own date!
