by Zack Orsborn
I lost my connection to my creative energy in the middle of the tangled scruff of life: a pandemic, a failing marriage careening toward divorce, a descent into a colorful array of addictions, and the sluggishness of burnout.
My insides felt like an ashtray. I was so overstimulated that at one point during lockdown, birdsong made me want to rip off my skin.
Numbed, I discarded my true self: a curious, ambitious, creative person. We are all creative, no matter how much you think you suck at drawing. The act of existing, problem-solving, communicating—it’s all creative. Without creativity, you lose your true self.
Through some miracle, I was able to reconnect with my creative self when I found a habit-building app called Fabulous. It provided structure to regain energy through challenges and tasks that launched an almost obsessive experiment: How can I maintain consistent creative energy without burning out, so I can stay connected to my true self at all times?
That’s how I developed the Four Codes of Creative Energy.
CONDITION
I absolutely hated working out, especially growing up in small-town Mississippi, where the only “healthy” exercise was football. Trauma from being the target in “Smear the Queer” kept me away.
Then, I discovered daily walks in nature. I hated the monotony of the treadmill. I needed to see trees swaying, to hear the birds (yes, I forgave them), to shake off pent-up self-pity.
Condition isn’t about losing weight; it’s about reconnecting with your body in gentle ways. A walk in Overton Park will do wonders. So will thrashing around to dance a little.
CLARITY
Once I got the hang of consistent walking, I discovered meditation and journaling. Meditation changed everything for someone who has been digitally vomited upon since age nine. I learned to hear my breath, retrain my brain, and see that thoughts are just thoughts, not reality.
Journaling helped me externalize anxieties, fears, and negative loops. Every free-form session brought me closer to my true self, which whispered: You were meant to create.
CRAFT
The more you make, the more energy you get. A doodle, a line of a poem, the hum of a melody—all matter. Waiting for inspiration creates pressure. Daily small creation keeps you aligned. Reading or exploring new media can also spark your craft.
COMMUNITY
This took the longest. Isolated as a kid, I turned to substances and dating apps to manufacture intimacy, creating only a false self. Recovery groups taught me how to share, receive support, and nurture others, which, in turn, fueled my creative energy. Fear drains creativity more than anything.
ALL THE CODES, TOGETHER
A typical day using the Four Codes looks like:
- 5-minute morning stretch (Condition)
- Stream-of-conscious journaling (Clarity)
- Focused project work (Craft)
- Mid-day 15-minute meditation (Clarity)
- Hour of reading or learning about art, creativity, or spirituality (Craft)
- 30-minute brisk walk or jog (Condition)
Aligned in the Four Codes, I honor the sacredness of creativity, nurture my best self, and strive to make the world a better place through creation.
