Hello, bestie! If you’re reading this, you likely understand what it feels like to run on fumes. Living with someone who exhibits narcissist traits is not just emotionally draining; it’s physically and mentally exhausting.

The constant vigilance, the gaslighting, the emotional rollercoasters – it leaves you with barely enough energy to get through the day, let alone engage in grand acts of self-care.

But here’s the truth I want you to hold onto: You deserve rest. You deserve peace. And you deserve moments of quiet joy, even when your energy reserves feel completely empty.

This isn’t about pushing yourself to create a masterpiece. This is about finding small, gentle ways to reconnect with yourself, to soothe your nervous system, and to quietly assert your right to peace, even in just a few minutes. These are not grand projects; they are tiny acts of rebellion for your soul. This is your essential selfcare for narcissist recovery.

So, grab your favorite warm drink, find a cozy corner, and let’s explore five low-energy creative hobbies designed for when you are utterly, profoundly exhausted. These are your anchors back to yourself.

1. Mindful Doodle & Breathe (5-10 Minutes)

When your mind is racing with replays of conversations or worries about the next interaction, sometimes the simplest act of creation can be the most powerful. Doodling isn’t about skill; it’s about the gentle, repetitive motion.

Why it helps:
Doodling requires just enough focus to pull you away from intrusive thoughts without demanding intense concentration. The repetitive motion can be meditative, slowing your breath and bringing you into the present moment. It’s a quiet way to assert control over your internal space when external control feels impossible. This type of focused, low-effort Creative Self-Care is vital for emotional regulation.

How to do it:
Keep a small notebook and a single pen or pencil nearby. During a break, or when you feel overwhelmed, simply draw circles, squiggles, lines, or abstract shapes. Don’t judge it. Just let your hand move. You can even combine this with mindful breathing: inhale for four counts while drawing a line, hold for four while pausing, exhale for four while drawing another line.

Release the negativity with each stroke. You can use a pencil, marker, watercolor, color pencils and even your toddler’s crayons!

2. The Comforting Color Swatch (5-15 Minutes)

You might have a set of watercolors already from your previous project, or perhaps a child’s crayon set. This isn’t about painting a scene; it’s about pure, sensory comfort.

Why it helps:
Choosing and mixing colors can be incredibly soothing. The soft, fluid movement of watercolor, or the smooth glide of a crayon, engages different parts of your brain than analytical thought.

It’s a non-verbal way to express or simply feel a sense of beauty and calm, redirecting your energy from depletion to gentle restoration. This practice supports your narcissist recovery by giving you a reliable source of internal validation.

How to do it:
Pick 2-3 colors that appeal to you right now. Get a small piece of paper. Slowly, deliberately, paint or color swatches of these colors onto the paper. Observe how the colors blend, how they feel. Notice the texture of the paper. This is just for you, a visual balm for your soul.

At the moment, I am eyeing for Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolor. It looks so beautiful on watercolor paper!

3. Gratitude Tracing (5-10 Minutes)

When you’re constantly dealing with criticism or a lack of appreciation, it’s easy to lose sight of the good things, however small. Tracing can be a beautiful, low-effort way to bring focus back to gratitude.

Why it helps:
Tracing requires minimal creative effort but engages your hands and eyes in a focused, calming activity. By tracing words or simple images related to gratitude, you gently shift your mental state from what’s missing to what is present, no matter how small.

It’s an act of affirming the positive in a world that often feels negative.

How to do it:
Find a simple quote about peace, strength, or gratitude. You can print it out or find it online. Place a piece of tracing paper (or even thin printer paper) over it and slowly trace the letters.

Alternatively, trace the outline of a simple object or picture that brings you joy – a leaf, a teacup, a flower. As you trace, gently repeat positive words and thoughts in your mind.

Some examples of positive words you can tell yourself:

• I am worthy
• I am living happily ever after
• I am thankful
• Everything I need is within me

4. The Fabric Fiddle & Fold (10-20 Minutes)

This hobby taps into the tactile, sensory experience. If you have any fabric scraps, ribbons, or even old clothes you can cut up, this is for you.

Why it helps:
Working with textiles is deeply grounding. The feel of different textures, the act of folding, tying, or gently arranging fabric engages your senses and provides a quiet, repetitive rhythm. It’s a way to create something tangible, however small, when your life might feel chaotic and intangible.

It offers a sense of control and creation. There is no wrong in doing this art!

How to do it:
Gather small pieces of fabric. Simply sort them by color or texture, fold them neatly, or arrange them into small, pleasing piles. You could even loosely braid a few strips of fabric together.

The goal isn’t a finished product, but the calming, sensory experience of touch and gentle order. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even make tiny, no-sew fabric “pastries” by gathering and tying scraps.

You can glue them together, sew them or simply paste them on a cardboard! There is no wrong in doing this activity! You can even do it with your toddlers – they will love sticking fabrics together!

5. Quiet Collage (15-30 Minutes or longer!)

This might sound like more effort, but a “quiet collage” is about gentle assembly, not grand design. It’s a wonderful way to piece together tiny bits of beauty and meaning.

This is like scrapbooking!

Why it helps:
Creating a collage allows you to externalize feelings or hopes in a non-verbal way. The act of tearing, cutting, and arranging tiny pieces gives you a sense of agency and focus.

It can be incredibly therapeutic to create a visual representation of your desired peace, even if it’s just for your eyes. It counters the feeling of fragmentation that often comes from living with narcissist traits.

How to do it:
Gather old magazines, junk mail, pretty packaging, or even scraps from previous art projects. Look for colors, textures, words, or images that bring you a whisper of peace or joy.

Don’t overthink it. Simply tear or cut out these pieces and glue them onto a small piece of paper or cardstock. Let the images speak for themselves. You could create a “Peace Patchwork” from tiny scraps.

You know you can create a Vision Board too! Many successful people created Vision Boards and some have forgotten all about it!

Make art. Find peace.

Remember my friend, these are not demands; they are invitations. Invitations to step back, breathe, and gently remind yourself that your worth is not tied to someone else’s narrative.

Your energy is a sacred resource, and these quiet moments of creative self-care are how you protect and replenish it.

It’s okay to start small. It’s okay if the results aren’t perfect. The goal is simply to Make Art. Find Peace. Even if it’s just for five minutes today.

Which of these quiet creative moments calls to you first? Try one today. Your soul will thank you.