Let’s be honest, even the most creative among us runs into days - or even whole seasons - when we just run dry. You know, those times when you can’t come up with new ideas, when you open up a new blank page in a sketchbook and just stare at it unsure where to start, or when you find excuses to do anything but go to the studio and get to work.
As the owner of a business that is currently a team of one, I can’t really afford too many of these uninspired and unproductive periods. So, to get ahead of future inspiration droughts, I created what I’m calling the “Creative’s First Aid Kit.” My “kit” includes a list of ideas and go to activities to have on hand for whenever I hit an inspiration dryspell and need some help getting over the hump. In my experience, Advil's never worked to cure a bout of writer's block!
Today, instead of a sharing a Makers Monday Motivation challenge for the week, I’m simply passing along to you some of the ideas I’ve put in my Creative’s First Aid Kit, to hopefully serve as a resource for you the next time you encounter the creative blahs. This list is just the beginning, and I’d encourage you to make this list your own, by adding any activities you enjoy and know fill you with inspiration.
THE CREATIVE’S FIRST AID KIT
Possibly treatments for the creative blahs:
- try to connect with people, see if there are any interesting events or meetups happening locally you could attend
- go to a museum or see a new exhibition
- get physically active
- read a book
- go to a bookstore or library and just poke around to see what seems interesting
- find a neighborhood, or part of town you’ve never been to before (or spent much time in) and go just explore.
- go to a new coffee shop and people watch for a while
- call a friend to catch up
- take a walk and let your mind wander
- mentally and physically step away from your work
- do something completely different than your normal routine
- cook a meal you’ve never made before
- clean the house
- watch a travel or nature documentary
Things to avoid at all cost:
- scrolling mindlessly through social media
- staying near your sketchbook, screen, studio whatever the source of your creative block is.
- accepting defeat
- beating yourself up
- think you might as well just quit
- get on a shame spiral
- doing mindless and unproductive, time wasting activities
Hopefully you have a week full of inspiration, but if not, don’t worry….it truly happens to all of us! In my perspective, the problem isn’t having the dry spell, it’s what you do once it hits you. Having a coach on your team is a great way to stay motivated and work through challenging seasons. If you’re feeling stuck, I’d love to support you. Schedule a free 30 min intro coaching phone-session today.
We’re in this together!
Ashley