From Burnout to CutieSquad: How I Found My Way Through Kawaii Art

The beginning

For as long as I can remember, I have been drawing cute things. Even while working in IT consultancy, I carried sketchbooks, fluffy pens, and little doodles everywhere. On paper, everything looked stable, but inside, I felt disconnected. It felt like I was following a path that was expected of me, not one that made me happy.

When everything changed

After experiencing a burnout, I finally stepped back and asked myself what I truly wanted. I quit my job and took one month to breathe, draw, and reset. No deadlines, no pressure, and no expectations from others. Just time to be myself again.

During that month, I rediscovered how happy drawing made me. I turned moments, feelings, and even the quirks of people around me into characters. Every family member became a cute little creature with their own story. It helped me process everything, and it slowly grew into something bigger.

That was the moment CutieSquad started to take shape.

Finding my purpose

I learned that it was never about chasing the perfect job. It was about building a life that matched who I am. The Japanese word ikigai describes this feeling well. It is the reason you get up in the morning and the thing that makes your life feel meaningful.

For me, that purpose is drawing, storytelling, and creating a world that feels soft, chaotic, and comforting at the same time.

What CutieSquad means to me

CutieSquad is more than cute characters. It grew out of a moment where I needed lightness, humour, and comfort. Creating these characters helped me heal, and now they help me bring a bit of that comfort to others.

Today I get to draw every day, build stories, work with my community, and create something that feels true to me. I am grateful that I chose to take that step outside my comfort zone.

A reminder for anyone reading this

You do not have to quit your job or take a full month away from everything, but you do deserve space to explore what makes you happy. Your purpose can be small, gentle, or playful. It only has to be yours.

Want to see what grew from that one month of drawing

Explore the CutieSquad characters and the world they came from.