Stuck in a rut?
Feel like you’re creative juices have dried up?
Let’s face it. This happens to ALL of us especially if you have a deadline or are starting a fresh, new project.
But here’s the great news. It’s actually pretty easy to fan that flame.
Check out these 3 ways to get going again:
1. Move
This is actually two ideas in one:
The first is to physically move your body.
Get out of that office chair, quit standing behind that easel and go for a walk.
Moving does a few things.
It oxygenates the body. It also frees your mind to begin free-associating. This can help you solve a problem or resolve an issue. Steve Jobs often walked when he wanted to think out a problem and frequently invited other people to go with him and brainstorm!
The second is to change locations.
Go and work somewhere else.
This is like magic for me.
Normally, I work at home but am just as likely as you to get stuck. When I feel this coming on, I go to a café, park bench or someplace where I can work undisturbed.
Sometimes you just need a change of scenery.
2. Be inspired
Creativity can be jumpstarted by something you see, hear or read.
Exposing yourself to other ideas can act like a springboard and launch you into a new thought or way of seeing something.
Maybe you read a great article and it inspires a blog post or you see a cool sculpture at a gallery and it gets you thinking about how you could draw it. Magazines come in handy, too, for ideas about decorating, new clothing outfits or dinner menu ideas.
Ready to find inspiration?
Check out your local library for magazines, see what visual or performing arts shows are happening in your local area, browse Pinterest or Etsy for ideas. You can even google a topic (like creativity) and see what the search brings.
3. Collaborate
Sometimes if you’re really stuck, it helps to talk it out.
Call up a friend or colleague, explain what’s going on.
It can often be easier for an outside person to provide clarity than it is for you to cut through your own stuck-ness.
We can often be blind to the most obvious thing.
Share where you are and where you want to go.
Sometimes just saying the words out loud brings the solution.
We are all creative. And we all fall into slumps.
So the next time you need a little kick start, try these tips and see what happens!
AND be sure to let me know! Leave me a comment below or shoot me an email!
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