Unavailable by Design
Putting your creative work first
I have a handful of close friends, and one of them is nearly impossible to reach.
We can go weeks and sometimes even months, without talking. But when we reconnect, it’s like no time has passed. We pick up right where we left off.
Lately, I’ve admired how unavailable she’s become.
She doesn’t post on social media. She leaves messages on read. And every time we talk, she carries this quiet aura of inner peace.
As I take stock of my own life and realign myself with my creative work, I’m starting to understand the value of being unavailable.
I wrote a post about it recently, and it’s made me think more deeply about how we focus our attention—how we might cut out distractions like social media or let go of the pressure to respond when we simply don’t have the energy.
What if we stopped picking up the phone?
What if we ignored the noise and focused only on what truly matters?
Maybe it would bring us into deeper connection with ourselves and our work. Or maybe it would mean spending more time with family and loved ones.
For me, it’s about protecting my energy. I’m an over-giver—and I’m learning to hold things back. Not out of selfishness, but for preservation.
The world is full of distractions. And many of them leave us drained. Sometimes, the most radical thing we can do is create space.
To choose what matters.
Even if that means putting ourselves first—and leaving some things, and some people, behind.
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