Got writer’s block? Artist block? If you’re in a creative slump, the good news is that there is a way out and it’s not that hard. We hope you’ll find inspiration for artist block here. We’re rooting for you❣️🔥⚡️
Recently, an iCreateDaily community member mentioned struggling with a creative block. Whether that’s you now, or at any time, there are tried and true ways to help us get unstuck from any stuck place.
Like the characters of the books you write and the strokes of the art you create, you can craft the change you want in your own life for real. Change in state is only a decision away and it begins with a willingness to break through the inertia that’s blocking your progress.
Progress is just one move away.
Table of Contents
- The Blank Page Syndrome
- A Way Around the Artist’s Block
- Artist Block ~
- The Happiest People
- Heed The Signs
- Keep Routines from Becoming Rote
“You are a creator. You can create your way out of any artist block. Seriously.”
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
The Blank Page Syndrome
“The blank page staring at me.”
If you’ve ever experienced artist block, then you’ll know why some people are intimidated by a blank page. For most creatives a blank page beckons the fingers to construct worlds through words, images, art and imagination.
However, even the most prolific artist can get stuck in a creative slump. If you’re in a creative block that blank page can taunt.
But what causes artist block?
10 Common Causes of Creative Blocks
- Stress/worry/anxiety
- Consumption over creation
- Not keeping promises to oneself
- Negativity – immersion in the wrong kind of thoughts, feelings, things and people
- Poor health
- Poor sleep
- Unhealthy diet
- Drugs, alcohol, sugar, etc.
- Disconnected from sense of purpose
- Depression (which is exacerbated by the first 9 things!)
What if there were just three simple things you could do to get out of any creative slump or artist block? If you knew these simple things would boost your energy, your spirits, your mood, your optimism AND overcome any creative block would you do it?
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
~Buckminster Fuller, architect, theorist, author, inventor, futurist, 1895-1983
A Way Around the Artist’s Block
You’d be surprised at how many people won’t take the initiative to help themselves. Having coached many people over the years, and as a member of coaching organizations with fellow coaches and therapists, it’s a common theme.
The percentages of people who will take action are a small fraction of those who will not.
Most people would rather complain and repeat their same old story than write a new one they create by the actions they take. It’s not that they’re consciously choosing to be stuck, rather, it’s that the old habits have them trapped.
If you find yourself staring at the blank page uninspired, a shift is actually super simple. Not always easy, granted, but surprisingly, almost always simple. Whether it’s about a blank page or feeling stuck in any way, this strategy works!
Be the one percent of action takers.
For more explanation on the 1% concept, check out ‘your time to shine‘.
Walk the Block for Artist Block
Whatever you do, please do not underestimate the power of these simple steps to turn things around for you. These are proven to work if applied with the intent to improve.
If you knew there were just 3 simple things you could do to get out of a slump, would you do it?
To change your state, you just need to change your…
- Physiology: engage in movement – body
- Thoughts: create a new story – mind
- Focus: on what you want – emotions
When you change these you elevate and change your state of mind. An energized body, elevates your emotions, and your mind. We elaborate on these below.
Change begins in the body because that is our first point of contact with life on planet earth. To move is to send intention and energy in motion.
Image by Pezibear from Pixabay
~LeAura Alderson, writer, editor, creator iCreateDaily.com®
“Exercise is as effective as certain medications for treating anxiety and depression.”
~John J. Ratey, neuropsychiatry, author-Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
Artist Block
7 Tips for Sacking the Slumps
Psychologically, these first three — as listed above — are the most potently simple and simply potent things you can do to change your state of being. So let’s expand on the three basics of movement, feeling and mentality listed above.
1. CHANGE PHYSIOLOGY:
Exercise. Getting the body moving vigorously, preferably in fresh air exercise, walking, biking, hiking, etc, makes a world of difference. This is how our bodies are wired and they do respond, so long as we also change our story.
2. CHANGE YOUR STORY:
What is the voice in your head telling you? If it’s negative, doubtful, fearful… change that story to an alternate positive. The most powerful way to climb out of any negative or stuck place is to focus on what’s right, what’s good, and on gratitude. Especially gratitude.
3. CHANGE FOCUS:
A quick and easy shift for us that incorporates all three of these is to take a brisk walk while listening to inspiring podcasts and audiobooks by energetic and awesome creators. Change your focus from what’s wrong to what’s right. Imbue your attitude with gratitude and that little shift will make a world of difference.
4. CONSISTENCY:
Keep practicing these things daily. Even one of these per day will make a positive difference over time. The day is the way to achieve your dreams, one step at a time… one day at a time.
5. PERSEVERANCE:
Persistence wears down resistance. Those who don’t make it didn’t keep going. What if it takes twice as long as you’re hoping…? You’re still going to arrive in that future anyway, and if you keep on going, testing and tweaking in the journey, you will arrive further along than if you gave up.
6. GET INSPIRED:
Watch or read something inspiring or funny. We’re inspired regularly by amazing creators and entrepreneurs. It’s also very beneficial to engage in something completely different than you normally do… even a different topical genre.
(Think Steve Jobs and his taking a course in calligraphy, which inspired the creation and design of Apple technology). Tune into the work of creators you admire; listen to their story of struggles and failures leading to success.
7. CONNECT:
Reach out to fellow creators and ask them for a chat for inspiration. Or, reach out to someone who is struggling and see what you can do to help them and lift their spirits. Contribution… contributing to others has a mysterious and magical way of dissolving our own.[1]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_URP3-V1sY4
For more on getting unstuck, you may enjoy this article.
“In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these two means, man can attain perfection.”
~Plato, Ancient Greek philosopher, founder-Platonist school of thought, (429?-347 B.C.E.)
The Happiest People
Research shows that the happiest people:
- Are more grateful
- Have good relationships
- Practice optimism
- More likely to live in the present
- Savor pleasures in life
- Make physical activity a habit
- Are often spiritual or religious
- They’re deeply committed to goals
“Choosing ambitious but realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we achieve them.”
~ActionForHappiness.org
And… as Seth Godin says:
“There’s no such thing as writer’s block… what’s necessary is to develop a habit.”
SOURCE: What to do When it’s Your Turn, by Seth Godin
~Seth Godin, teacher, entrepreneur, author, b.7/10/1960
Heed the Signs
You may also enjoy this TEDx talk on how to change your state and get unstuck by tuning into ‘Signs from the Universe’. It starts off a little slow, so if you don’t have much time, you can always speed it up.
Do You See the Signs of the Universe?
You may enjoy this TEDx talk by Ulla Suokko, good for 18 minutes of reflection and introspection.
Keep Routines from Becoming Rote
Positive habits are good routines that serve your creative efficiency and cultivate a reliability that breaks the spell of creative blocks. However, even the best routines need an infusion of newness to keep the energy circling in an upwardly evolving spiral.
Routines can be lightened, brightened and elevated by an infusion of different. Even a trip to a nearby landmark, hiking trail or unique eatery can shake up the doldrums.
The best approach is to prevent artist block by noting the signals and clues your body and psyche, feelings and intuition are sending you. Prevention is always best. But if you find yourself stuck, any or all of these things will help you push through to the other side, stronger and more capable.
Soon, through practice, and discipline, you won’t get stuck. Creative flow will be at the command of your positive habits, that summon your muse at will.
“Consciousness is only possible through change; change is only possible through movement.”
~Aldous Huxley, English writer, philosopher, author – The Art of Seeing
The Electric Field Around You
Scientist have discovered that there’s an intricate relationship between pollinators like bumble bees and flowers. More than beautiful and distinct colors, flowers also emit distinct electrical fields that broadcast information to pollinators.
A butterfly and other pollinators see a flower differently. They see colors and energy signatures invisible to our eyes, yet which are very real and present. These signatures provide them with information as to which flowers to land on and which to pass by.
“This is a magnificent interaction where you have an animal and a plant, and they both want this to go as well as possible,” says Gregory Sutton of the University of Bristol in the U.K. “The flowers are trying to make themselves look as different as possible. This is to establish the flower’s brand.”
“When bees are flying through the air, just the friction of the air and the friction of the body parts on one another causes the bee to become positively charged,” Sutton says.
“It’s like shuffling across a carpet in wool socks. When a positively charged bee lands on a flower, the negatively charged pollen grains naturally stick to it.”
~NPR
Your movement and action in the direction of your dreams produces a positively charged field of life in which to thrive, and only your actions can set this in motion.
Movement and momentum create a positively charged life to which the golden grains of good cosmic karma cling.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
~Max Planck, theoretical physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics for quantum theory, 1858-1947
“All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.”
~Martha Graham, international multidisciplinary dancer, choreographer, 1894-1991
For More Inspiration for Artist Block
The greatest impetus to blast through artist block is to just do it.
Take one step, and then another. But for when your lull needs a lift, here’s more inspiration for artist block to help you get into the flow.
Creative Prompts to Inspire You Out of Any Artist Block!
- Art Therapy Prompts
- Drawing Prompts
- Conceptual Prompts
- Journaling Prompts
- Daily Art Prompts
- Short Story Prompts
- Writing Prompts
We’d love to hear from you on what you’re working on or struggling with… may the flow be with you… but when it isn’t, may you relax into the ebb, then create the flow when you’re ready❣️🙏🏼😇
Get Gratitude.
The Day is the Way.
iCreateDaily™ on Amazon
Related posts:
Hello! I’m LeAura, owner and co-creator of iCreateDaily.com®. As an autodidactic philosopher, generalist, personal development advocate, entrepreneur, writer, editor, author, ideator, media publisher, and podcaster, I’m passionate about helping others achieve their best possible life! Our small family of entrepreneurs, writers, investors, educators and creators own and run websites around topics we enjoy, such as gardening, health and fitness, creativity and pets, with more to come.
While my greatest teacher is Life… my formal training includes certifications in mediation, fitness, and strategic intervention coaching, including marriage and family. Today, the synergy of creating websites, articles and podcasts, brings together all my favorite things: family, learning, growth, creating, connecting and contributing. To share these with you is a privilege, that serves my lifelong aspiration to help others.
My personal areas of creativity are in writing, masterminding, ideation, synthesis and bringing ideas to life through business and entrepreneurship, all with a pervasive spiritual foundation with a focus on elevating the lives of others.
References
↑1 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_URP3-V1sY4 |
---|
Want to submit your photos, videos and/or article content for publication? We love to consider your contribution for publication! creators@icreatedaily.com