Sometimes we hit a wall:

We feel tired,

uninspired.

Sometimes we equate this to not being creative enough.  We tell our tired selves:

“I’m not creative.”

“I can’t do this.”

We think that being creative means 24/7

And when there is a lull we panic

What if I have lost my creative mojo?

What if I never have another creative idea?

What if, what if . . .

I had one of those weeks last week.  And although by nature my creative outlet is not mainly writing, it is how I share here with you my dear readers.  I missed a post because I couldn’t think of anything to write.  Nothing came to me.  As I sat there staring at my computer wondering what to do, wanting to write (something brilliant of course), I finally admitted to myself that it was just not going to happen.  Not this week.

I was tired. I had been winding down from the excitement of the Painting With My Muse E-course.  I was tired because I had been keeping late hours due to stretching my clinical days over 4 days from 3, picking up my son from camp and trying to squeeze in as much online work after he had gone to bed. With my husband away sleep had been less.  I was trying to squeeze more creative time in, mistakenly thinking that this somehow would increase my productivity.  I was trying to force my creativity instead of allowing it to unfold naturally.  But who wants to wait in this let’s make it happen society of ours?

Looking back on other times, I see that in trying to force creativity to happen rather than just allow it to unfold, not only did I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform, but also it was sucking the life out of me and the heart out creating.  If there is no heart in creating and only muscle, it might get done but it will in all likelihood lack an authenticity.  It will be a creative facade, looking nice on the outside perhaps, but lacking the glow that true creative genius holds.

I believe we all have those days.  The biggest mistake we can make is equating these kind of days to not being creative enough or having a creative block.  The reality is creativity takes breaks once in a while.  We all need to take breaks to rejuvenate and replenish our energy.

 

 

Look at the garden.  It can’t be in bloom constantly.  It needs time to regenerate, for new seeds to be germinated (for the seeds are always being planted),  sprouts to sprout,  stems to grow strong with buds to bloom. This is the creative cycle.

Underneath the supposed lulls, when nothing appears to be happening, many things are taking growth. To the naked eye nothing. If we trust the creative process with all its ups and downs we can relax a little more into it and not put so much pressure on ourselves to perform.    When we can surrender to this natural creative process with all its ebbs and flows, the real magic of creativity shines through.   When we can allow ourselves the luxury of so-called “mistakes” and we can let go of those unnerving fears that something has gone amok,  then we can see these as stepping-stones to our creative actualization.

We are creative beings by nature. We are always creating even when we are appearing not to be. Now before you say you are not a creative genius, think again.  We are all uniquely creative.

Go ahead, list all the things that you do so uniquely and creatively you that no one else does.  Is it organizing the best parties, making fabulous meals, writing beautiful poetry, an eye for taking pictures or capturing special moments? Perhaps it is the way you can put an outfit together, play an instrument, sing in the shower, or a lullaby to your baby or grandchild.  Maybe you are a wonderful story-teller,  retelling the day’s events in a colourful and enticing ways that keeps people’s attention.  The list of creative possibilities is never-ending.