Creative block?
Ever find yourself in a state of creative stagnancy? In a state where all you do is stare at a blank screen/canvas and nothing comes out of you besides a salt-and-vinegar-chips-flavoured burp?
If you've never had the pleasure of experiencing that dark hole (literally—cause the blank canvas can certainly drain you dry), you're lucky.
I've certainly felt like that on more than one occasion, especially when I've been stressing about not being creatively productive (I know, the irony!).
While some might argue that a creative block is just a convenient excuse for not putting in the necessary work (which is true on some levels—put in the work!), sometimes we just need to take a little breather. So we can come back to that blank space with renewed vigour.
But when we take that little breather, it helps to...
1. Clear your mind. Sometimes you just need to get into that zen state—clear everything, and I mean every thing—from your mind. Don't worry about deadlines (yet). Don't worry about your struggling artist state (yet). What you want to do is to immerse yourself in this moment. Look at the world around you anew. Observe the way people move. Listen to the sounds around you. Smell the gum trees, and maybe the stench of week-old garbage. Just be, and I promise you, something will inspire you—and your observations, your being in the moment, will inform your art and/or writing.
2. Read.
I cannot stress the importance of reading enough. Whether you're an editor, a writer, a painter, a filmmaker, an actor—you need to read. Expand your knowledge. Explore different perspectives. Stimulate your intellect. You can achieve all these by reading. And by reading, we'll bring greater depth and understanding to our work. And who knows, something we read may strike a deep chord within us, inspiring us even more!
3. Be mindful.
Understand that there's truth to the adage 'No pain, no gain'. You need to put in the work weekly, daily, whichever frequency you've set on. You need to understand that you need to get up and do what needs to be done—if you want to reach your goals—even if you don't feel like working. (This is still a lesson I'm learning.)
But at the same time, know yourself well enough to know when you really need a break. You're no use to yourself if you're burned out. Take a walk. Go on a holiday. Have set rest days.
Establish a routine that works for you—but still put the work in towards your goal (one art piece a month; one short story a fortnight; two solo rehearsals a week—that kinda thing, you get what I mean).
You can do it! Keep creating.
Sending you love and light, till the next time—
This post was originally published on www.geraldineandwords.wordpress.com.
