When Creativity Goes Away: How to Unblock Your Inner Artist, Part 2

NOTE: This is the second part of a two-part article on unblocking your creativity.

Photo courtesy of Werner Kunz

In my previous article, I discussed common blocks to creative expression and offered a meditation exercise that might begin to help you figure out what’s blocking your writing and your creativity. In this second part of the article, I offer some concrete solutions to writer’s block.

Writer’s block invokes a wide-range of emotional reactions, such as fear, anxiety, sadness, frustration, self-effacement, self-pity, and despair. However, while blocks to our creativity are painful, they don’t have to be permanent. Rather, there are several concrete solutions for breaking through our creative obstacles, which allow us to transform those blocks into creative lessons.

Opening Yourself to Creative Possibility

In the first article, I suggested that the first step to getting unblocked is to begin the emotional process of figuring out what’s blocking you. The next step is to engage in activities that coax, nurture, care for, and affirm your creativity. If you’re not certain what’s blocking you, that’s okay. As you consider some of these tips and suggestions, then you’re likely to figure out what your blocks are. Or at the very least, you’ll have some possible solutions to try.

I can’t guarantee that my suggestions for unblocking your inner artist will work for you. Each of us possesses an innate and individual creativity. So, what works for me may not work for you. Also, you might balk at some of these suggestions. But we often resist what we need the most. Absolutely necessary to unblocking your inner artist is opening yourself to creative possibility. While you consider these various activities, try to keep an open mind and an open heart. You may just find that what you resist the most is exactly what you most need to do for your inner artist.

Concrete Solutions to Writer’s Block

So, here are some suggestions for unblocking your inner artist, which have worked for me in the past:

• Take care of your basic needs. This suggestion may seem obvious, but I’ve been surprised by how often I get caught up in a busy schedule and fail to take adequate care of my basic, physical and emotional needs. As humans, we need to eat balanced and nutritious meals, get a good 7-9 hours of restful sleep at night, exercise our bodies, and relax. If we run ourselves down physically and psychically, then we’re highly unlikely to write and to create. So, do a quick inventory and make sure that you’re meeting all your basic needs: Are you eating good, wholesome meals, getting adequate rest at night, exercising, and taking the time to engage in relaxing activities? By taking care of your physical health and emotional well-being, you create a healthy context in which to write and to create.

• Connect with others and your world. Our emotions and thoughts, other people, and the world around us comprise our creative sources and resources. If you feel disconnected from the natural world, then take a walk in a park or a hike in the woods, sit in the sun, look at the stars, or put your hands in some dirt. These activities can put us back in touch with ourselves and other living things. If you’re spending too much time alone, then consider making time for friends and family. Meet a friend for lunch, write a letter or send an email, or mail some postcards to the special people in your life. When we connect with others and our world, then we can begin to connect with ourselves, and by connecting with our creative sources and resources, we’re likely to connect again with our writing.

• Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. If you’re like me, then you probably hear this advice a lot because it’s actually a great suggestion for feeling happy and positive about yourself and your life. However, in the past, when someone would suggest that I try positive thinking, I was completely averse to it. I figured out later that the problem with me and positive thinking was that I really didn’t know how to do it. You’d think it’d be easy, but some of us have to learn to think in positive ways, especially around our creativity. As artists, we each possess an inner critic, and when that voice becomes overly critical and negative, then it’s time to talk back. If you’re struggling with negative thoughts, start noticing how many times your inner critic sends you a negative message. Then, talk back with positive and self-affirming statements that transform those negative thoughts into positive ones. For example, if your inner critic tells you that you suck as a writer, take a moment to remind yourself that you’re growing and learning as an artist and that your creativity and artistic talent are innate and perfect parts of who you are. Or tell that voice to fuck off and list all the ways that you’re absolutely brilliant as a writer. With a little effort, you can learn to transform negative thoughts into positive ones, and by doing so, you’ll find that creativity blooms in a positive atmosphere.

• Write a bad poem. Tapping into one’s creativity is a messy, trial-by-error process. Our first creative efforts are always less than what we may actually be capable of. Being a perfectionist is antithetical to the creative process. We must be willing to create stupid, uninspired, clichéd, and downright terrible writing. In order to write great poetry, we must first be willing to write bad poetry. In other words, we must be willing to fail in order to succeed. If that sounds like a cliché, it’s because it’s a universal truth. So, if you’re struggling with perfectionism, then try this exercise: purposefully write a bad poem. Think of every cliché or every terrible rhyme or the worst premise ever, and let yourself have some fun by writing bad poetry. If you need some help with this exercise, then check out this article on the necessity of bad poetry. If you’re brave enough, then feel free to share your terrible poem here in the comment section. Or if you’re very brave, then enter it into the Wergle Flomp Humor Contest. I’ve done this exercise many times, and it really works for me to simply let myself write a truly terrible poem. It loosens up those creative muscles and clears the way for better work.

• Make a list of the rewards that come with writing. We live in a culture that makes us believe that money, fame, and artistic success are scarce and that there are only so many rewards to go around. However, in order to create, we must disbelieve these myths. Creativity is an abundant and never-ending source. Money and fame are only two relatively narrow measures of success. In order to connect with the abundance of writing and creativity, make a list of all the rewards that come with writing. For instance, a significant reward for me is being able to pursue my passions and dreams by doing what I love on a daily basis. Another reward is being able to share my creative work with others, which is why I perform my poetry and sometimes share it with friends on my personal blogs. For me, sharing my poetry gives me a sense of purpose and connection with my world. Also, by regularly sharing my creative efforts with others, I often receive praise and affirmation around my talents, which feels good and makes me happy. What rewards does your writing offer you? What gifts have you received for your writing and what successes have your earned? By focusing on the abundance that comes with creativity, you may find that you’re better able to open yourself to creative possibilities.

• Make a gratitude list. When trapped in the desperate and painful throes of writer’s block, it’s hard to be grateful. I should know. There have been times when I lapsed into self-pity about my writing blocks, and it truly felt like the universe was against me. But whenever I take the time to really examine my life, then I’m overwhelmed by the gifts and blessings I receive on a daily basis. Take a moment to step back and really think about what you have and what you’ve been given, and make a gratitude list. For instance, we can be grateful for things like having a warm bed at night, food on our tables, shoes on our feet, the expansiveness of the sky, the warm sun on our necks, or even the time and space to write poetry. And I’ve found that these aren’t “small” things. They’re actually huge gifts. So, if you’re experiencing self-pity, then try being grateful. You may find that a little gratitude helps you to feel better about yourself, your life, and your creative gifts. And once you feel like the universe loves you again, then you’re more likely to appreciate and engage in the creative practice that you love.

• Make a list of your best attributes and reward your creative power. I believe that it takes strength and courage to trust our creativity and to express ourselves through our art. Because art is often seen as superfluous, artists are seldom given the encouragement we need to make art. Or worse, we may even be put down for our creative efforts. Artists are sensitive people, and that sensitivity is a part of what makes us able to tap into creativity. The downside to being sensitive is that we can be easily hurt and discouraged in our artistic pursuits. If this is the case for you, then it’s time to focus on your creative power, fearlessness, and strength. Make a list of all your best attributes as a person and as an artist. Tell yourself how brilliant you are, how strong, how resilient. And then do something to celebrate who you are as an artist by rewarding yourself for being so amazing. It doesn’t have to be a big, expensive reward, though if you have the budget, then I say go for it. But, things as simple as a new journal, a fancy pen, that book you’ve had your eye on, a dinner out with friends or family, or a professional massage can all be great ways to pamper yourself for being a fabulous artist. Celebrating our own personal and creative power and rewarding ourselves for having the courage and the strength to create art can provide the self-love and self-affirmation that is needed to write again.

• Play. All work and no play definitely make for dull art. If you find yourself procrastinating as a way of avoiding the pain of writer’s block, then fun, playful, creative activities may be exactly what your inner artist needs. When I feel burnt on my writing, I often engage in other activities that stimulate my creative brain and my need to play. I garden, cook fancy meals, knit, practice guitar, sketch, or make crafts. Make a list of fun activities you enjoy, and let yourself play some. If you’re having trouble thinking up ideas, then check out this article on fun ways to enhance your creativity. By engaging in creative and inspiring activities other than writing, you may find that your desire to write comes back to you. What activities give you pleasure and stimulate your creative need to play, laugh, and feel joy?

• Renew your faith. All art begins and ends with a little faith, whether that’s faith in the creative process, faith in a god, or simply faith in ourselves. The creative process requires that we believe what we do as artists is meaningful, important, necessary, and potentially life-changing work. Take a moment and do something that renews your faith in yourself, in your god, or in the creative process. Make a list of why creativity and art are important and necessary to your life and to the world at large. Light a candle or incense, say a prayer, or meditate. By renewing our faith in ourselves, our higher power, or the creative process, we give ourselves a purpose and direction for writing again.

• Write daily. I know, when you’re blocked, it’s painful to try to write. But it’s important that you try anyway. However, don’t try to write poetry. No, that will just keep you spinning around your creative blocks. Rather, get a journal and an old fashioned pen, and write long-hand for 5, 10, or 15 minutes a day—whatever is realistic for you. Don’t focus on the quality of your writing. Again, that will simply keep you pushing against your blocks. Instead, let yourself write whatever thoughts or feelings you’re experiencing. Go ahead and write about your frustrations, your pain, and your suffering around being blocked. Cry, whine, rage. Let it all out, and put it on the page. But whatever you write, try not to put yourself down. We know as writer’s how powerful language is, and it doesn’t help your creative wounds to put down in writing your own self-effacement. Instead, write about the tree in your yard, the gossip that your friend told you, or how the laundry is piling up. In other words, write about anything except negative criticism of yourself. Even if your writing during this time period is uninspired, trite, clichéd, sappy, inane, or worse, try your best not to judge it. Right now, the point is NOT good writing. The goal here is to simply write, flex that creative muscle even though its sore, and let yourself open up to the creative process again. By writing daily, even if it’s bad writing, we begin again to get back into a creative groove. And I’ve found that writing daily in my journal is absolutely crucial to my creative process.  If you need some tips on writing daily, then check out this article. So, go ahead, let yourself write again and open yourself to a daily, creative practice.

If these exercises don’t help to alleviate your creative blocks, then I suggest following the 12-week course, outlined in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. I’ve mentioned this book several times in my articles because it helped me through a painful period of writer’s block and transformed the way I view my own creativity.

The Lessons of Creative Blocks

Writer’s block is painful, but impermanent. By engaging in the process of unblocking, we can come to experience our creativity in whole, new ways. We can learn to think, feel, and live deeper in our writing and our poetry. We can learn to appreciate the wonders, mysteries, and magic of our own creative process. Most of all, we can come to accept and affirm ourselves as living and growing artists.

Try to welcome writer’s block as a necessary, albeit painful, opportunity to grow and stretch as an artist, and I think you’ll find that by engaging in the process of unblocking, you’ll experience even greater personal and artistic rewards for your writing and your creativity.

Do you have other suggestions for breaking through creative blocks? What lessons have you learned from writer’s block?