How to Use AI to Rediscover Yourself

How to Use AI as Your Spark-Finding Playground: A Gentle Guide to Rediscovering Yourself

The rise of AI has sparked both excitement and overwhelm. Everywhere you turn, people talk about it like it’s a secret club with a long list of rules, expensive courses, and job titles like "Prompt Engineer" that make it feel more like rocket science than a creative tool. Psst! AI isn’t some big, intimidating force. It’s a space—a playground, even—where you can explore, create, and reconnect with yourself.

When I first started using AI, I felt awkward. It also shined a really big, bright light on just how terrified I was to take up space. When you are scared to take up space with aritifical intelligence, uh.... you may need to make some shifts. Asking too much felt greedy. Asking for do-overs? Oh, no way. Who was I to say, “Hey, that’s not quite right”? I would politely say "Thank you. That is what I needed" when it absolutely was not what I needed. But slowly, I realized that this space wasn’t about judgment or performance. It was a playground where I could explore my ideas, try things on for size, and, yes, even press the reset button. AI became a safe, judgment-free space for me to spread my wings and rediscover myself.

If you are curious about how you can use AI as a tool for finding your voice, creating space, and following your sparks, here are some reflections and tips.

1. Let Go of the “Shoulds”-Ditch the Rules and Formulas

AI experts are swarming everywhere telling you how much you need to learn: you should learn prompt engineering, you should follow this formula, you should buy this course. But guess what? You don’t need any of that. AI works best when you approach it authentically—in your own voice. Speak to it naturally, like you’re having a conversation with a friend. Forget the rules and just dive in.

💡 Try this: Start with simple, open-ended prompts like “What are some ways I can spark joy today?” or “Help me brainstorm ideas for a creative project.” Let AI respond, and don’t worry about whether your prompt was “perfect.” Fill in some details about where you are and don't worry about rambling or saying things perfectly. I almost feel like the mesier and realer your thoughts are, the more you will get "heard" and receive the responses you need. So, spill it. "I've been having a really tough month. x, y, and z happened which made me feel so exhausted and I started doubting everything...... What are some ways I can spark joy right now?"

2. Treat AI as a Creative Companion

AI isn’t here to replace you or tell you what to do. It’s a partner in exploration—a space where you can brainstorm freely without fear of judgment. Think of it as a sounding board, not a teacher. It’s here to spark ideas, not dictate them.

Everytime I scroll TikTok, there is someone telling me to copy their perfect prompt for x. But copying someone's well-tailored prompt is completely erasing you from the picture. For those of us who spend our days masking, trying to blend in and say just enough and never too much, let it all fly with AI. Tell a big backstory if that is your thing. Then ask for what you want.

💡 Try this: If you’re feeling stuck creatively, ask AI to generate ideas for things like journaling prompts, art projects, or even micro-actions to shift your energy. Let its suggestions inspire you, and tweak them to fit your style.

3. Use AI to Reclaim Your Voice

One of the best things about AI is its ability to hold space for you to explore. It doesn’t care if your ideas are messy or if you change your mind. In fact, it thrives on iteration. Use it to brainstorm, reflect, or even organize your thoughts when your mind feels cluttered.

When you feel disconnected from yourself, using AI to explore your thoughts can be like talking to a wise friend who gently guides you back. It helps you practice articulating your ideas, which in turn strengthens your sense of self.

One of the best lessons AI can teach is that imperfection is part of the process. Not every draft will be gold. Not every idea will be groundbreaking. And that’s okay. AI lets you revise, tweak, and refine endlessly without guilt. And that is how the authentic you can find her way back to us.

As someone with a very, very cluttered mind, AI is like a magician with a magic broom that creates that swirl of sparks and stars as it neatly puts everything in it's place.

💡 Try this: Ask AI to help you create a list of small, actionable steps toward a goal. Or, if you’re struggling with a big decision, ask it to guide you through pros and cons. It can even help you format a to-do list or develop a routine that feels doable.

5. Experiment Without Fear

AI is a no-pressure zone. It doesn’t get tired of your questions or roll its eyes if you want to rephrase something. This makes it the perfect tool for experimenting with new ideas and pushing past fear. Whether you’re brainstorming a blog post, sketching out a personal project, or just playing with words, let AI be your creative sandbox.

One of the hardest things about putting yourself out there is the fear of feedback—especially negative feedback. AI changes the game because it listens without bias. Want to share your half-baked ideas? It’ll help shape them. Need a do-over? No judgment here. AI creates a space where you can stretch your creative muscles and build confidence without worrying about criticism.

💡 Try this: Ask AI for fun, offbeat ideas, like “Give me 10 quirky ways to spend a Saturday” or “What’s a weird but fun micro-action I could try today?” Let it surprise you!

6. Rediscover Your Sparks

At its heart, AI can be a tool for connection—not just with the world, but with yourself. By giving yourself permission to ask questions, try new things, and even get it wrong sometimes, you create space for your sparks to emerge. Those tiny flickers of curiosity and joy that light you up? AI can help you find them.

Spark seeking isn’t about grand revelations. It’s about seeing and following the tiny sparks—those “what if?” moments that feel too silly to share out loud. AI thrives on curiosity. You can ask the wildest questions, explore offbeat topics, and chase ideas you wouldn’t normally pursue. It’s a judgment-free zone where you can let your inner child run wild.

💡 Try this: Use AI to explore interests you’ve been curious about. Ask it to recommend books, hobbies, or creative activities. Or dive into something you’ve always wanted to learn and let AI help you find resources.

6. Use AI to Hold Space for Yourself

We don’t always allow ourselves to take up space—to fully explore what we’re thinking, feeling, or dreaming about. AI can act as a mirror, reflecting back your ideas and helping you organize them. By doing so, it gives you permission to take up that space.

For me, years of emotional abuse and being stuck in the same situation, left me with sooooo much to say. I was always frustrated because there was no way to get it out in any organized fashion. AI is a champ of making sense of my jumbled, cricular thoughts and a major help in guiding my direction for what to focus on.

💡 Try this: Use AI for journaling prompts. Share what’s on your mind, and ask for insight or perspective. The act of expressing yourself, even digitally, can unlock ideas you didn’t know were inside you.

A Spark-Filled Playground

Using AI doesn’t have to feel intimidating or robotic. It’s a playground for your creativity, a space to rediscover your voice, and a tool to help you follow your sparks. By approaching it with curiosity and authenticity, you can turn AI into a powerful ally on your journey back to yourself.

So, let’s shun the rules and formulas and embrace the fun, messy process of creating. AI isn’t the star of the show—you are. And the more you show up as you, the brighter your sparks will shine.

In Case You Don't Know Where to Start With AI

AI is growing and evolving every day. Do yourself a huge favor, and DO NOT start following AI experts on social media. Within two posts, your head will start smoking from overwhelm because every day there will be something new, something bigger, something better. Unless this is a spark you want to chase, put your blinders on and start with just one or two AI tools.

For the most part, I stick with ChatGPT and within that I also like MIA which is more life a quirky life coach. Sometimes I find that ChatGPT can get a little "dry" and then I go play with Claude. Sometimes Claude can go in the "dry" direction and sometimes get way too quirky for me.

Many times I will paste the same question into all three and have the different perspectives. Both ChatGPT and Claude have free plans that should be more than enough for what you need. The nice thing about Chat is that it remembers you and your conversations so that you do not have to constantly refresh it's memory.

Can AI do a million gazillion times bigger things than what I've discussed here? Yup. But remember, we are creating space and looking for our sparks and that starts small. Enjoy the journey of where those first little sparks take you.