Even If You’re Feeling Stripped
Every time I shift from creativity mode to productivity mode, I feel a sudden wave of fatigue wash over me.
I’ve interpreted that feeling as inherent laziness and mercilessly criticized myself for it for years upon years. If I had energy to create but struggled to switch into “getting things done” mode, I assumed there was something wrong with me.
Recently, I became curious about what was actually happening.
What I learned is that creativity and productivity engage different parts of the brain. When we are immersed in creative flow, we often lose track of time. We are thinking associatively, intuitively, and emotionally (often called right-brain thinking). When it is time to shift into planning, organizing, decision-making, and follow-through, our brains have to switch gears.
That transition takes energy.
Suddenly, I understood something that had puzzled me for years: the weariness I felt was physiologically real. It wasn’t a personal weakness or a sign that something was wrong with me. It actually means that my brain is working perfectly!
But, more so, this wasn’t about brain chemistry; it was about transitions.
Getting good at managing transitions is something every teacher needs to be able to do. I used to be a special education teacher, and this skill saved my bacon more than once. Children often struggle when they are pulled away from one activity and asked to do another. So learning to ease a child into a transition is a gentle way to make everyone’s day go a bit smoother.
But guess what? We ALL struggle when life suddenly changes course. It can be a small change, like a sudden change in schedule, or a major life change, like the death of a loved one. Whether it is a career change, a move, a divorce, a health challenge, retirement, or even a shift in our daily routines, transitions ask our nervous systems to adapt to a new reality.
And adaptation takes time.
This month, I have found myself in the middle of several transitions at once. My husband recently retired. My son and daughter-in-law are navigating a divorce. I’m still within my first year of a new job and continuing to find my footing. There are questions about finances, insurance, and what comes next. No wonder I’ve been feeling a little sluggish lately!
None of these things are necessarily bad. But they are changes. And changes require energy.
As I reflected on all of this, I realized why my most recent painting emerged the way it did.
I titled it “Stripped.”
Stripped by Lori Poff Kellogg, May 2026
When I painted it, I described the feeling as being like a stripped wire: something that has lost its insulation and feels exposed and vulnerable.
At first, I thought the painting was about stress.
Now I think it was about transition.
What I am learning is that humans need three things to move through transitions well:
Time, safety, and support.
When a child is struggling with a big change, we don’t shame them for needing time to adjust. We don’t criticize them for feeling uncertain or emotional. We offer patience, reassurance, and support until they find their footing again.
Maybe I deserve the same.
Instead of criticizing myself for feeling tired, I can offer myself compassion.
Instead of assuming something is wrong with me, I can trust that my body is responding exactly as it was designed to.
Instead of measuring my worth by how productive I am, I can remember that rest, adjustment, and uncertainty are all part of being human.
And I am learning that I can hold two things to be true at the same time:
I’m sad, but there’s good news…
I feel afraid, but I know I’ll be okay.
I’m disappointed, but I’m hopeful.
I don’t know the outcome, but I trust myself.
There is nothing wrong with needing time to adapt to change.
There is nothing wrong with feeling tender when life asks us to let go of what was familiar and step into what comes next.
And maybe the most healing thing we can do is offer ourselves the same kindness we would so freely give to someone we love.