The Blue Owl Found Me
How One Little Drawing Became the Beginning of My Creative Journey
“Sometimes, the smallest moments become the biggest turning points.”
There are moments in life that quietly change everything.
Not because they’re planned.
Not because they’re extraordinary.
But because, without realising it, they awaken something that has been waiting inside us all along.
For me, that moment began with a little blue owl.
How one little drawing changed the way I saw myself
“I often say creativity changed my life, but the truth is… it all started with one little blue owl.”
When people see the blue owls I wear, or the little owl sitting on my desk, they often ask,
“Why blue owls?”
The answer is never a simple one.
It’s a story that began years ago with a blank piece of paper, a handful of coloured pencils and someone who didn’t believe she could draw.
That someone was me.
“I wasn’t trying to create art…”
If you’d asked me back then whether I was an artist, I would probably have laughed.
I honestly believed that art was for talented people.
I thought artists were born, not made.
I certainly never imagined that one day I’d be teaching creativity to hundreds of people.
I wasn’t trying to create a masterpiece.
I was simply curious enough to have a go.
Lesson learned
“You don’t have to believe you’re creative to begin creating.”
The Blue Owl Found Me
Out of nowhere, a little blue owl appeared.
Wonky eyes.
Crooked feathers.
Not exactly gallery quality… or so I thought.
Looking at it now, I don’t see perfection.
I see courage.
Because that drawing represents something much bigger than an owl.
It represents the moment I stopped listening to the voice that said,
“You can’t.”
Then something extraordinary happened.
That very first drawing was chosen to be exhibited at the Cooper Gallery.
I remember staring at the letter thinking…
“Surely they’ve made a mistake.”
They hadn’t.
Perhaps the gallery didn’t just see a drawing.
Perhaps they saw what I couldn’t yet see in myself.
Lesson learned
“Sometimes other people see your potential long before you do.”
Learning to Trust My Intuition
Since then, blue owls have continued to appear throughout my life.
Sometimes they’re gifts.
Sometimes they’re jewellery.
Sometimes they’re simply there when I need reminding to slow down.
People often ask whether I believe in spirit animals.
My answer is this…
I believe we all have symbols that become meaningful.
For me, the blue owl reminds me to pause, listen and trust myself.
Not because it has magical powers.
Because it reminds me that I already have wisdom within me.
One of my favourite reminders is:
“Your intuition whispers. Your fear shouts. Learn which voice deserves your attention.”
What the Owl Has Taught Me About Creativity
One sentence has stayed with me throughout my journey.
“I can’t draw.”
I’ve heard it thousands of times.
And every single time, I smile.
Because those were once my words too.
I’ve discovered that creativity isn’t something reserved for artists.
Creativity belongs to everyone.
The difference is simply whether we’ve given ourselves permission to play.
I truly believe…
“Creativity isn’t about producing beautiful art. It’s about discovering beautiful parts of yourself.”
That’s what happened to me.
The owl wasn’t the achievement.
The person I became while drawing it was.
Seeing Beyond the Darkness
Life has brought challenges, just as it does for all of us.
There have been moments of self-doubt.
Loss.
Anxiety.
Times when I questioned everything.
The owl has become my reminder that even in darkness, we can still see.
Not because the darkness disappears.
Because our perspective changes.
One brushstroke.
One conversation.
One act of kindness.
One creative moment at a time.
What I’ve learned
“Healing doesn’t always arrive with big answers. Sometimes it begins with picking up a pencil.”
Why Nature Helps Me Heal
Nature has always been one of my greatest teachers.
When I’m surrounded by trees, flowers or birdsong, life feels slower.
Kinder.
More forgiving.
Perhaps that’s why so many of my workshops are inspired by nature.
Nature never rushes.
A flower doesn’t compare itself to another flower.
A tree doesn’t apologise for growing slowly.
Neither should we.
One lesson nature keeps teaching me
“Growth isn’t always visible… but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”
Listening to the Quiet Voice Within
The older I’ve become, the more I’ve realised how noisy life can be.
Everyone has an opinion.
Everyone has advice.
Everyone tells us who we should become.
The blue owl reminds me to become quiet enough to hear my own voice again.
That’s usually where the best answers are.
Not outside ourselves.
Within ourselves.
The Wisdom of Starting Before You’re Ready
Looking back, it’s funny to think that none of this was planned.
No business plan.
No five-year strategy.
No dream of creating Art for Wellness.
There was simply one little drawing.
Then another.
Then another.
Looking back now I realise…
Art for Wellness didn’t begin when I registered a Community Interest Company.
It began when I stopped saying,
“I’m not creative.”
My biggest lesson
“You don’t need confidence before you begin. Confidence grows because you begin.”
Creativity Changed My Life
People sometimes ask me what creativity has given me.
The easy answer would be workshops.
Books.
Podcasts.
Awards.
But those aren’t the real gifts.
The real gift has been becoming more myself.
Creativity gave me permission to stop hiding.
To believe I had something worth sharing.
To realise that helping others create brings me just as much joy as creating myself.
The Blue Owl Still Walks Beside Me
Today you’ll often see me wearing blue owl jewellery.
Some people see an owl necklace.
I see a reminder.
A reminder of courage.
A reminder of hope.
A reminder that beginnings rarely look spectacular.
They usually look small.
Quiet.
Almost insignificant.
Until one day you look back and realise…
Everything started there.
People sometimes ask me whether I found the blue owl.
I smile.
Because I think the truth is…
The Blue Owl Found Me.
A Reflection for You
Can I leave you with one question?
What is your blue owl?
Perhaps it isn’t an owl at all.
Perhaps it’s a place.
A song.
A feather.
A person.
A memory.
Something that reminds you who you are when life gets noisy.
I’d love you to share it with me.
Because I believe every one of us has a story waiting to be told.
And sometimes…
One small story gives someone else permission to begin their own.
🦉 Wisdom from the Blue Owl
“Creativity didn’t change because I became an artist. Creativity changed because I finally believed I was allowed to create.” — Debbie Crouch
