A Dual Approach To Countering the Loss of Creative Inspiration
Choose what works best for you
Creatives, especially writers, face days when inspiration dries up and they struggle to get into the creative mode. The loss of enthusiasm is palpable.
People adopt two strategies to beat the creative block.
One is to create something, despite the absence of inspiration. For instance, a writer can write a page or a few paragraphs, instead of a number of pages.
Write freely, without worrying about the structure or the content.
Write without pausing to worry about sentence structure, grammar, spelling, or whether what you’re saying makes sense or not. Just write without second guessing anything. While most of it will be unusable, it’s a good way to push through the block.(masterclass.com)
This strategy works for many creative people. The creative act, though modest, helps to trigger inspiration and build the momentum to create art. The trick is not to take the foot off the creative pedal.
This method of “creating no matter how or what one felt,” has helped me overcome the moods of mental lethargy and creative block.
Action as an antidote to creative paralysis
“The writer needs a physical practice, something that reliably goes well and gives one a sense of accomplishment, to counterbalance the mercurial muses of the creative professional.”(Ryan Holiday)
Bodily movement can help shake off both mental sluggishness and physical laziness. The body and the mind are closely connected.
There’re many physical activities that can re-energise the mind and kindle the creative imagination.
For example, cleaning the dishes, or tidying up the room helps the doers with a sense of deep satisfaction about having accomplished something tangible.
Gardening is another activity that improves the mood and stokes creative inspiration.
A walk in nature, though passive, can re-activate the blocked creative impulse.
Choose any activity that you like to fight the loss of creative enthusiasm.
Some people take time off when their creative urge loses its spark. Nourished by the break, they come back with a renewed sense of enthusiasm.
Others either reduce their creative output or engage in physical tasks to stimulate creativity.
Choose whatever method suits your mental disposition to thaw your frozen creativity.
Thanks for reading!
