Creative Restoration aka Mouping

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“Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.” – William Plomer

By the time my kids went back to school on Tuesday of this week, we’d been together for 11 days. Christmas, New Year, a few days at an AirBnB on the coast – all great things. But I imagine like a lot of people, the days without a predictable rhythm, rich foods to eat, and special events have left their mark. The house is a mess, my body is out of whack, and my mind needs some help settling down.

I have a young friend, Alia, who told me she made up a name for creative restoration – mouping. When she’s mouping, she’s drawing, crocheting or doing something else creative but also a little mindless and repetitive.

It reminds me of the advice that scrolling social media is not restorative (why is it that I have such trouble putting the phone down?). But doing something like coloring or my recent favorite, glass mosaics, feels to me much more therapeutic.

Trying to connect the dots on why this might be makes me think of something I learned from Brené Brown: “unexpressed creativity is not benign – it’s malignant.”

Here’s one of the points the Brené makes about what she’s learned about creativity from her research:

“If we want to make meaning, we need to make art. Cook, write, draw, doodle, paint, scrapbook, take pictures, collage, knit, rebuild an engine, sculpt, dance, decorate, act sing – it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re creating, we’re cultivating meaning.”

Brené Brown in The Gifts of Imperfection

When I’m in the rush of the holidays, I am spending my time interacting with others at best, and reacting to others at the most exhausting points. But mouping feels like changing the rhythm — moving from ping pong to tai chi. It’s reestablishing the flow of life and balance that exists within me that I’ve suppressed when surrounded by others.

Alia texted me her explanation, “It’s one of my favorite things I’ve done for myself. It doesn’t mean I’m just hanging out when I could be doing other things but is dedicated time to recharging bc that time is just as necessary for me as checking things off a list is. 😊”

I have to say that I’m impressed she’s figured this out at 23-years-old (and actually she started mouping as a teenager) because I’m just now putting my finger on what really works to help renew me. Even Brené didn’t figure it out til she was in her 40’s.

But whenever we figure it out, it’s helpful to know that time mouping is not frivolous but something that helps us cultivate meaning.

54 thoughts on “Creative Restoration aka Mouping”

  2. You’ve identified precisely the way I feel after my routine’s been disrupted and/or I’ve needed to be “on” for a length of time. That said, mouping is a word I must incorporate into my vocabulary! And I’m impressed with your young friend’s wisdom as well, Wynne. As to the mosaic? It’s absolutely lovely! Is that one you created?

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    1. I love how you say after “I’ve needed to be ‘on’ for a length of time.” Exactly! And then there has to be something to transition back down. Yes, Alia is brilliant!

      Yes, that’s one of my mosaics. I love the hunt for little pieces and when you put it all together that it makes a pattern — kind of like life… 🙂 Thank you, Kendra! 🙂

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  3. I hate it when creativity takes a hike and leaves me stuck in a quagmire of frustration and the inability to muster up the motivation to move forward. It’s really miraculous how one simple little act of shifting gears into something fun works to move from left-brain to right-brain thinking and reactivates the willingness to move from ping pong to tai chi. Or from slug-stuck to butterfly. Love this post, Wynne. Thanks!

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    1. A quagmire of frustration – so perfectly put, Julia! And you’re right – it is miraculous how one simple act can restore it so I’m not sure why it is I regularly forget this piece of wisdom. But then I remember and begin again… 🙂

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  4. Such creative pursuits can also induce a state of flow which is good for our minds and hearts. Occasionally, I get to this in writing, if I can turn off my editor brain or self-doubt. Dancing is the one creative pursuit that always takes me out of my head. Here’s to a creative new year!

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    1. Oh, I love the idea of dancing, Evelyn. And turning off the editor and self-doubt brain, although I find that so hard to do.

      I second your motion for a creative new year! Sending all my best wishes to you!

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  5. Mouping? I love it. Mouping for everyone! I’m learning that I have to quit things…move on…circle back…and yes…that switching gears and doing something creative is a tonic. As Evelyn said, sometimes writing can be that ‘mouping’ thing, sometimes it’s the plague, LOL, but the point is to shake things up. Love it! 😉😉😉

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  6. Ooh, I like this mouping thing! Somewhere along the line, I came across the idea of replacing “consumption” with “creation.” It’s a simple concept, but it helped me move away from social media and retail and gave me permission to pursue ANY and ALL creative endeavors… no matter if I was “good” or whether it might one day be monetized. Creativity for the sake of creating, nourishment for the soul, and a tool to cultivate meaning. Fantastic! 😊

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    1. Oh, I really like “replace ‘consumption’ with ‘creation.'” That’s brilliant!! I think that should be the tagline for mouping! Thanks for adding that perspective and wisdom!

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  7. I wonder if mouping is somehow related to what I know as busy work? I think the concept of busy work goes back to the adage about idle hands and the devil. It is often those things we do in a mindless way rather that be creative endeavors or busy work tasks that can be accomplished without thought. I think back to my paternal grandmother. A very industrious person and one who, even when she did sit down to rest or recharge mentally, always had something occupying her hands. Shelling peas from her garden, folding linens, and most often crocheting items that would then be shared with family. Everything she did was with purpose and I think that purpose was about showing her love and making memories.

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    1. Love this! As the mom of said “mouper” , this coined term has been used regularly in our family! It does sum up the action quite well. Love your take on it, Wynne!❤️

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      1. Oh, how fun to have you weigh in, my dear friend! Alia and I had a little laugh about how to spell it and what might have been her teenager resistance to your suggestion… 🙂

        Mouping is great! Thanks for sharing it — and your amazing and wonderful daughter!! ❤ ❤ ❤

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    2. What an interesting connection you’ve made, Deb. The ‘busy work’ that we’ve replaced with having our phones in our hands (speaking for myself, I mean). Maybe mouping with those tasks was a part of life for that older generation?

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      1. Grandma was a farm wife so I suspect there was very little down time living that lifestyle. I can imagine quite clearly how those moments to simply sit, even with a small task at hand, were rejuvenating after almost ceaseless work. I bet she looked for daily if possible to those little breaks. I do have to laugh though Wynne, as you mentioned phones. There is no way I can seriously conjure an image of grandma scrolling through a phone!

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  9. I find that as long as I’m able to be creative in some small way, I’m able to handle a lot of stress and challenges that I might not have been able to handle. Give me five minutes to write or let my wind wander and I can go for a long time. Take away that five minutes and those work or even family challenges start to really eat at me and I may not be as giving and caring to others. One more thing, the time from Christmas to back to school is a crazy time. I’ve long been convinced that parents need two holidays: one for the end of the year and then another one when the kids go back. It’s a crazy time. Hang in there. Hopefully you have some free time coming up later in January or February!!!!

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    1. What a great point you make about it not having to be a long time. Right – just a small switch to something else helps to reset.

      And yes, you are so right about needing two holidays! Thanks for the comforting and encouraging words!! 🙂 ❤

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  10. I find if I don’t make the time for some creative expression, it will get away from me. Just like creating a time for yoga or meditation, we also need to mindfully create time To be creative, however we express it. When I go for a while without, I notice it, so I take some time to unplug creatively. When I feel too overloaded to do anything structured or figurative, I will just do some Mark making, which can simply be mindless scratchings with a pen or marker.

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      1. It’s surprisingly therapeutic! I often end up with very pleasing pieces. If not, I can cut them up and recycle them to add to cards or another artwork. Nothing is ever lost.

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  11. Mouping! I like this word.
    We had 10 days of so much fun, laughter, and affection with family and friends. Once my son and daughter(in-Law) left after loving, caring, and togetherness, our home seemed so empty.
    Without saying a word, my husband, my daughter and I got busy with cleaning, doing laundry, and such. Though we didn’t do creative activities, we worked mindfully to our favorite music to restore our equilibrium and to postpone missing our loved ones.

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    1. I love the together business you are fell into. That makes a lot of sense of how to help with the transition and get back to equilibrium as you say so well, Chaya! Beautiful comment!

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  15. I was feeling somewhat mopey and decided to log into WordPress..I came across your post and was overjoyed that there was a whole post on moping :)..have to say this is better. Mouping sounds like a good way to regroup..

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  16. I was reading an interview with film director Guillermo Del Toro who critiques AI generated art as soulless because it’s created by code and machines and misses the meaning of what the human soul is trying to convey through lived experience, dreams and emotions.

    And I agree with everything you said in your post. Art allows us to express our ideas, thoughts and creativity and the expression is meaningful.

    Hope you enjoyed your mouping into the weekend!

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    1. How interesting – but it makes sense to me. AI can’t make human meaning. And you are so right that art allows us so much. I hope you get to do some mouping this weekend, my dear friend!

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  17. I like this word Mouping – I’m certainly trying to get back to normalcy after my elderly sister (not unexpected) death and a close friend who is now not living in my region but still in NZ with a newly diagnosed disease that is terminal (time frame n/a). Yesterday I thought I would try to involve my art in a more personal level, but I’m not good at that…so today some paper presented me with a “let’s do this…” and I’m happy with it so far, tiny but restorative…

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    1. “Tiny but restorative…” well said. I’m so sorry about your friend’s diagnosis and of course for the death your older sister. Sending you great wishes for much helpful mouping, Catherine!

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  18. These excellent observations remind me that much of women’s traditional work has always been both repetitive and rhythmic ~ slightly hypnotic ~ and with needlework one adds the little metallic flash as well…

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  19. Undoubtedly there’s some brain science behind something creative being better for us than the screen. Maybe because it’s more active, peaceful, calming, less stimulating? Maybe because of getting our eyes off the screen and giving our brains a rest? There’s definitely something to that whole adult coloring book craze. I wonder what brain analyzers say is the diff, but not enough to research it. After all, that would require looking at a screen. 😛

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    1. “After all, that would require looking at a screen”…good one, my friend. I don’t know. I went back to Brene’s book for this post and she didn’t specify what research either so I just looked it up. The Cleveland clinic says it’s because it takes the attention off ourselves, relaxes the brain and is low stakes. Seems like 3 good things for a break!

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  21. 1. Just looking at that mosaic piece fills me with joy, and confirms an earlier suspicion my littler one will likely enjoy this. Thank you!

    2. These words, too, bring me can’t-help-grinning joy: “moving from ping pong to tai chi.” I would like to spend a little more time in the latter, an idea I can spend thousands of words (fruitlessly) trying to express. So, I will be borrowing this phrase, with gratitude, in applicable live conversation! (I will, of course, provide attribution; my learning being so path dependent, this is my hard default, much to many people’s chagrin. 😂)

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