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The Side Quests logo is an old antique compass with the words SIDE QUESTS in white font over it.

You identify as an artist, but you’re caught in a loop of consuming more than you create. You have ambitious ideas of what you could be doing, but you procrastinate instead, waiting for the perfect conditions to align.

Or maybe you can see the path forward, but the voice of perfectionism and the fear of failure keep you glued to your phone, doomscrolling and feeling jealous of other creators who are living their best, creative lives.

Does this sound familiar?

Or perhaps you know you're creative, but your daily habits don’t reflect this reality. You’re easily discouraged, instead of inspired, when you witness other artists sharing their work because you feel you’ll never be as good as them.

It feels safer to never try, to suppress all your creative urges. But deep down, you long to feel brave enough to take creative risks. 

I know what it’s like to deny and avoid your destiny as an artist. I created the 30 Days of Side Quests Challenge as an alternative pathway for artists and closet creatives to break free from the loop of perfectionism, procrastination, and mindless social media consumption. 

This isn’t your average Hero’s journey. This is an adventure that requires you to deviate from the main plot. Are you ready to go on a Side Quest, my liege?

Aryn the Alchemist is a white person with brown hair and blue eyes dressed as The Bard.. They wear a long white shirt with a black vest over it and a bolo tie. They're holding a guitar and looking off into the distance with leaves behind them.

Break the loop of doomscrolling, procrastination, and perfectionism by joining the 30 Days of Side Quests Challenge.

Say less, I'm in

30 Days of Side Quests Challenge for Artists

The 30 Days of Side Quests Challenge is a free, choose-your-own-adventure challenge for cultivating creativity, curiosity and community.

For one month, you’ll receive a weekly letter in ye’ ole email with multi-medium creative prompts, artistic inspiration, and a field notes template for documenting your journey.

You will generate creative work in this challenge, but that is not the main value of this offering. 30 Days of Side Quests gives you permission to let your creative whims take the wheel without the pressure of creating something perfect and polished.

It’s not just about what we create.
It’s who we become through creating.

Your success is entirely dependent on your sense of whimsy. In the world of Side Quests, digressions and diversions are sacred again. In this space, we allow our curiosity and penchant for novelty take the wheel.

Starting on February 18th, 2026 at 3pm CST with a virtual kick-off call, the 30 Days of Side Quests Challenge can be adapted to any artistic medium and level of commitment. You can complete every quest or dabble in just a few. There are 30+ (and counting) Side Quests to move you out of freeze and into creation.

Side Quests helps the hesitant creative claim their artistic authority.

The 30 Day Side Quest Challenge
is also designed for…

⚔️ The artist who wants to break the loop of consuming more than they create.

⚔️ The creative who wants to shed
paralyzing perfectionism.

⚔️ The multi-medium creator who longs to connect their various interests together.

I'm ready to embark

Embarking on a Side Quest solves the problem of feeling stuck and un-inspired.

Side Quests….

⚜️ Relieve creative stress from
main projects.

⚜️ Give you permission to explore
new artistic mediums.

⚜️ Cultivate curiosity about what
exhilarates and inspires you.

⚜️ Deepen your understanding of your
creative practice and process.

⚜️ Transmute feeling stuck into
feeling inspired.

Portrait of Aryn the Alchemist, a white person with green glasses and a brown mullet wearing a green halter top. They are posed in front of an original collage.

Meet your facilitator

My name is Aryn the Alchemist (they/them) and I’m a writer, astrologer, pagan devotee and perpetual Side Quester. As an interdisciplinary artist, the Side Quests framework helps me connect all of my various creative interests together. I write more about this in my Substack series Side Quests.

30 Days of Side Quests started as an Instagram visibility challenge, facilitated by Captolia in her Witch & Famous program. I created a series of reels documenting a variety of my projects, including sewing, writing stories based on astrology, hosting a presentation party, building devotional altars, and touching grass. Now, I’m offering my community the opportunity to join me.

Side Quests is my way of working with, rather than against, my tendency to get distracted and my penchant for whimsy. As a neurodivergent creator, Side Quests is a permission slip for letting curiosity, instead of rigid expectations, lead the way.

The Side Quests logo is an old antique compass with the words SIDE QUESTS in white font over it.

The 30 Days of Side Quest Challenge is not for:

⚔️ Folks looking for constructive critiques of their art. While editing and refinement are important parts of the creative process, 30 Days of Side Quests is a container for clearing blockages and doing the damn thing. Feedback is more encouraging than constructive.

⚔️ Artists who want to be told exactly what to do. As your guide, I offer possible pathways but you get to make the decision of which ones to follow (or not). This space gives you the opportunity to develop your intuition and artistic freedom.

⚔️ This challenge would not be a good fit for people who believe creative expression doesn’t matter or isn’t important.

Can't relate, sign me up!
White text that says Archetypal Guides with a silver sword behind the text.
Aryn the Alchemist is dressed up as The Bard, a white person with bangs, a mustache and wearing a white long sleeve shirt with a vest. The Bard holds a black guitar and a gold coin in front of his face.
The Bard in white medieval inspired text with green accents.

Side Quests from the Bard cultivate your sense of whimsy and wonder while prioritizing playfulness and self-expression. Many of them are creative sprints: high frequency, low intensity.

A white feather associated with The Bard

Quick Stats:

  • He/They

  • The Fool meets Hermes 

  • Planetary patrons: Mercury and Jupiter

  • High Charisma, Low Stamina 

  • Powers: Persuasion, Telepathy, Song.

  • Associated objects: Musical instruments, feathers, coins.

I'm ready to sing along 🎶
Image of Aryn the Alchemist dressed as The Witch Archetype, a white person with wrinkles wearing a black dress, spiderweb gloves, and a black necklace and standing in front of a red background.
The Witch written in white text with red accents and sparkles.

Side Quests from the Witch develop your creative intuition, harness your inner magnetism, and encourage communication with spirits, gods and ancestors.

Quick stats:

  • She/her

  • The High Priestess meets Persephone

  • Planetary patrons: Venus and the Moon

  • High Charisma, Low Strength

  • Powers: Shape-shifting, Manifestation, Glamours.

  • Associated objects: Divination orb, ribbon, wand.

Let's get to spellcasting 🪄
Aryn the Alchemist, a white person with a brown mullet, is wearing a gold and black shirt, black and gold earrings, and black makeup shaped like a butterfly near their face.

Side Quests from the Monarch nurture your commitment to excellence and elevate your creative authority. Their quests require more time, energy, mastery and visibility.

Quick stats:

  • They/them

  • The Emperor meets Helios

  • Planetary patrons: Saturn and the Sun

  • High Intelligence, Low Dexterity

  • Powers: Scrying, Healing, Transformation.

  • Associated objects: Butterflies, scepter, throne.

Challenge accepted 👑

30 Days of Side Quests will feature special guests who suggest their own Side Quest for you to venture deeper into their magical worlds.

Karina Hagelin

Karina Hagelin (they/them) is disabled nonbinary queer femme artist, educator, keynote speaker, librarian, & survivor who transforms trauma through cute & colorful art, alchemizes affirmations for survivors (I believe you), & uses aesthetics as a spell for healing. Immerse yourself in Karina’s technicolored universe on their website, check out their zines, and follow them on Instagram at @femmesupremacy.

Adriana Michelle

Adriana Michelle (she/they) is a first-generation Mexican-American bruja, doula and film lover who is reimagining how we live, die and begin again via storytelling. Her work focuses on rekindling your dreams and feral aliveness. Explore their cinematic offerings, listen to their Death Alchemist Radio show and follow them on Instagram @thedeathalchemist.

Samar Jade

Samar Jade (they/them) is a Black, fat, gender expansive, teacher, magician, writer, creative, parent, and friend. Their work as the Ensoulment Doula is the hand you find within the holy darkness. They provide support during your journey of reclaiming your sovereignty and nurture your relationship to your sacred shadow. Meet them at the crossroads on their website, receive their free Shadow Work guide, and follow them on Instagram at @ensoulment.doula

Side Quests gives artists permission to…

🧭 “Free my inner explorer.” — Kathleen

🧭 “Make my own rules.” — Ayu

🧭 “Be in touch with my shadows.” — Niki

The emotions my clients feel when they step into my world are…

✨ Fascinated
✨ Stimulated
✨ Playful

✨ Expanded
✨ Curious
✨ Confident

✨ Inspired
✨ Excited
✨ Motivated

Schedule

🧭

Schedule 🧭

  • Live virtual kick-off call on February 18th, 2026 at 1pm PST | 3pm CST | 4pm EST

  • Introduce yourself in the Side Quests Discord

  • Week 1 Side Quest prompts from The Bard

  • Side Quest from guest: Karina Hagelin, @femmesupremacy

Week 1 : 2/18-2/25

Week 2 : 2/25-3/4

  • Virtual co-working space in Discord.

  • Week 2 Side Quest prompts from The Witch

  • Side Quest from guest: Adriana Michelle @thedeathalchemist

  • Virtual co-working space in Discord

  • Week 3 Side Quest prompts from
    The Monarch

  • Side Quest from guest: Samar Jade, @ensoulment.doula

Week 3: 3/4-3/11

  • Week 4’s focus is on integration of
    previous weeks.

  • Live virtual call on March 19th, 2026 at 3pm PST | 5pm CST | 6pm EST to celebrate our hard work and share what we created.

Week 4: 3/11-3/18

A part of the Douce Apocalypse, an illuminated manuscript with a tower crumbling.

FAQs about 30 Days of Side Quest Challenge

  • I define a Side Quest as an activity that diverges from your main path. It could be a project in a medium you wish to explore, something to do to cure boredom, or an opportunity to connect deeper to the community or place you’re in.

  • There will be two live scheduled calls at the beginning of the program to kick it off (2/18 at 3pm CST) and at the end to celebrate our journey (3/19 at 5pm CST).

    There will also be casual co-working spaces held in Discord during Week 2 + 3.

  • No. The 30 Days of Side Quests Challenge is completely free to participate in.

  • 30 Days of Side Quests is designed to be flexible and accommodating to however you wish to participate, whether you want to go all in or simply dabble. Choose your own adventure, my liege.

  • Yes. You will gain access to a Discord channel with fellow Side Questers. There are different channels to discuss your experiences, brainstorm ideas and share what you create in this container.

  • Absolutely. Side Quests will remain the title of my Substack newsletter and the community container will continue to evolve with my business.

    About a month after the Challenge ends, I will be launching another Side Quests container with a new theme and various payment tiers.

    I will host another 30 Days of Side Quests Challenge at a later date if you can’t participate in this round.