Creative Breakthrough
Ever feel like your creative energy has weaned away to nothing and the flow is rising in splutters like a leaky old engine? Maybe you’ve been sitting at your computer, fingers poised, ready to type whatever comes into your head. Finding after 10 minutes, you are still, fingers poised, waiting. Waiting. Nothing is coming to you. And it seems the more you try, the less splutters arise yet more frustration accumulates inside and around you.
Have you been there? This is me right now!
Although a block is a temporary ailment, a barrier to your internal creativity, it can sometimes stall the flow for weeks, months and in extreme cases years. Writers, musicians and artists admit to this ‘illness’ happening throughout their careers.
“Discipline allows magic. To be a writer is to be the very best of assassins. You do not sit down and write every day to force the Muse to show up. You get into the habit of writing every day so that when she shows up, you have the maximum chance of catching her, bashing her on the head, and squeezing every last drop out of that bitch.” ― Lili St. Crow
So, what causes these blockages? According to science, they occur randomly for a number of reasons.
Self-doubt relating to ability and talent
Anxiety about a deadline
The onset of an illness
A sudden loss of meaning or purpose to your work
This list is far from complete and I’m certain each of you could add at least three more of your own, however, my point is, by becoming aware of the how, when and why your creative blocks happen, you can help to address the ‘block’ and prevent it from returning.
As a collective of creatives, we need to unleash our imaginations in order to be successful in our endeavours. After a wee bit of research, I found the great news is there are plenty of ideas/tips and tricks you can employ to help overcome your blockage.
After understanding why you are suffering, it’s time to get down to overcoming it. The usual get some rest, take a walk or have a break come to mind. But is this enough to get you back on track? Well, for some this might be the case, yet for others more is needed.
Mundane Chores – Yep! You heard me. Cleaning is one of the most prosaic tasks you could possibly engage in. The bonus here is cleaning requires physical activity with very little concentration. Let your mind wonder or wander – whichever it is up to you.
Relax and Look For inspiration – Grab a coffee or wine and a magazine or a novel. Finding inspiration and ideas from similar works can turn a light bulb on in your own head. And really, it doesn’t have to be similar works. A close friend of mine has been inspired to write, after reading a genre she doesn’t normally read. She said, “I write non-fiction novels, but this is so different. I am inspired.”
Find Your Happy Place – Being stuck in a place where your imagination is wallowing in a sea of quicksand requires drastic intervention. Don’t wait to be told. Literally, GO TO YOUR HAPPY PLACE.We all have one. Mine is in amongst the trees. the quiet solitude and peaceful breeze release my blocked mind by calming it. The solitude, the loneliness and isolation are all aspects of my personality and I thrive in them.
My idea of loneliness is not the same as societies. I’m happy to be alone. People are only lonely if they feel they are lacking something or experience an emptiness inside themselves. Loneliness is largely dictated by our culture, which shapes our behaviours, conditioning us to look outside ourselves to fill that void.
What I experience when I ‘go to my happy place’, is not that type of loneliness. Rather it is a complete state of well-being within myself. Alone. And you know what? At this point – right now – I think I have just cracked my blockage!
I guess another way to break through a blockage is writing about it! I have to go, I have some writing to do.
Happy Reading
Mel x