Last updated November 10, 2025
Getting your spark back might sound like a creative cliché, but for Finnish designer, author and happiness coach Emmi Salonen, it became a personal mission post-burnout.
After 15 years running a London design studio, Salonen was living the dream. Until she wasn’t. Long hours, endless client demands and the constant push for perfection had left her drained. “I wasn’t uninspired,” she says. “I was depleted.”
That realization sent her on what she calls an inspiration expedition, a year-long journey from the Marquesas Islands to her native Finland, in search of rest, renewal and meaning.
What she discovered became the foundation for her new book, The Creative Wellbeing Handbook, part manifesto/part toolkit for anyone longing to get their spark back after burnout.
At its core lies a radical idea: that productivity does not prove passion, and that true creativity—and happiness—thrive when we slow down enough to listen.
“You don’t need more time or discipline,” says Salonen, “You just need a way to refuel with the resources you already have.”
It was during her inspiration expedition that Salonen began to connect the dots, noticing which areas of her life needed more care. The result was the Creative Ecosystem—a five-part framework built around Connection, Wonder, Pause, Movement and Joy.
Rooted in tools from her years as a designer, it took shape through conversations with makers and thinkers across cultures. Her travels deepened her understanding of the framework, which she later expanded upon in her book.
Together, these principles offer a way to restore energy, clarity and purpose, whether designing brands, leading teams or simply navigating everyday life. Because losing your spark affects everyone, not just creatives. Losing your spark is a human challenge.
When Burnout Steals Your Spark
For many of us, losing our spark unfolds quietly rather than in a dramatic collapse. It fades almost without notice. It’s when the work we once loved starts to feel heavy, when the to-do list becomes our identity or when even rest feels unproductive.
Salonen says it often begins with over-identifying with our work or purpose. “These days, so many of us work in purpose-led roles. We care deeply about what we do,” she says. “But when things go wrong, it’s harder to separate ourselves. We take it personally, and that emotional weight builds up.”
The first warning sign? Exhaustion that rest doesn’t fix. “You feel out of energy regardless of what you do,” she recalls. “You start canceling plans, skipping movement and cutting out the things that actually refill you.”
It’s a cycle of depletion that’s easy to normalize, especially in a culture that glorifies busyness. Yet, as Salonen points out, happiness isn’t tied to constant positivity.
“True happiness means being present with the whole spectrum of emotion,” she explains. “It’s not a question of avoiding heaviness, but allowing it to exist and trusting that it will pass. Such balance grows gradually.”
Getting Your Spark Back with the Creative Ecosystem
When Salonen speaks of creative well-being, she means living with curiosity, fluidity and purpose. “It’s in the everyday habits where joy and energy hide,” she says.
Her framework, the Creative Ecosystem, is built around five elements that anyone—not just creatives—can apply to real life.
Connection aligns who you are with what you do. Ask yourself: Does my work reflect my values? Am I nurturing relationships that sustain me? Salonen suggests starting with a brief. “Create a brief for your life, like you would for a project,” she says. “Where are you now, and where do you want to go? Who can support you and who can you support in return?”
Wonder rekindles curiosity, a quality that adults lose to routine. “Try seeing your environment differently,” she suggests. “Taste only foods of one color for a day, or sleep the opposite way in bed. Little acts of sensory play remind your brain there’s always something new to discover.”
Pause invites space for reflection and reset, which is something our phones rarely allow. “In the morning, I don’t turn on my phone until after yoga, journaling and breakfast,” she says. “Those quiet moments let me check in with myself before the world comes rushing in.” Even waiting until you finish brushing your teeth to turn on your phone can shift your focus back inward.
Movement goes beyond physical exercise; it also moves your mood, says Salonen. “Take a walk, stretch, shake out tension. Clear your mind by embracing movement.”
And finally, Joy… the feeling of flow that arises in the moment when you’re absorbed in something that lights you up. “For me, it’s watering plants after finishing a task or taking myself to dinner to mark a milestone,” Salonen says. “Joy is what tells your system: you’re alive.”
Five Simple Habits for Big Impact
If The Creative Wellbeing Handbook has one message, it’s that small habits can help you restore balance and bring energy back into your life. And if readers remember only one thing, Salonen hopes it’s this: “That they are good enough as they are.”
That reminder is as comforting as it is science-backed. Research by happiness expert Sonja Lyubomirsky found that approximately 50% of our happiness is shaped by genetics, a remarkable 40% by our own actions and only 10% by circumstances.
“That’s a lot of space to take back control,” says Salonen. “No matter how difficult things get, we have more power over our feelings than we realize.”
To help you get your spark back and bring more energy into everyday life, Salonen shares five simple practices anyone can try:
- Rituals count, but don’t feel pressured to do them daily.
- Book time with yourself. Schedule personal time like a meeting. This could be for reading, movement or seeing a friend. “Every two months, I schedule an Emmi day—a commitment to myself,” she says.
- Celebrate small wins. “When I finish something that took effort, I mark it,” she says. “Maybe I water my plants or take a walk. It doesn’t have to be grand. It’s gratitude.”
- Stay curious. “You never truly arrive at a solution,” Salonen says. “Curiosity keeps you open, and wonder is where inspiration comes from.”
- Start something. Action fuels energy. “Whatever it is, begin.”
Emmi Salonen is a graphic designer, creative director and educator who founded London-based Studio Emmi in 2005. Her work centers on Positive Creativity—the idea that design can connect people, foster well-being and support sustainable choices. Emmi developed the Creative Ecosystem model to help reduce stress and burnout. A leading advocate for creative well-being, she speaks internationally at academic institutions and conferences. You can find her book, The Creative Wellbeing Handbook, here.
Snapshot Summary
Finnish designer and happiness coach Emmi Salonen shows how to get your spark back after burnout in The Creative Wellbeing Handbook. Her five-part Creative Ecosystem—Connection, Wonder, Pause, Movement and Joy—guides restoring balance, energy and focus. Research shows 40% of happiness comes from our actions. Simple habits like booking self-time, celebrating small wins and staying curious help anyone recover energy and well-being after burnout.
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