I think everyone from time to time has felt some sort of bock in their life that impedes them from getting something done, but when you are an artist, musician, writer or any type of creator and you thrive on creating, its especially tough.   

Suffering from creative block can be a major issue for a lot of people and really affect your self esteem.   

I have gone through times where I just don’t feel creative, I don’t get inspired, and all I want to do is lay on my couch, watching TV, doing absolutely NOTHING… and that is the worst thing you can do when suffering from creative block. 

You let yourself drift away from what it is that you love and sometimes feel resentful towards the one thing that normally feels so rewarding and right.   

So I decided to share some tips and tricks that have helped me get through these tough times and hopefully may be able to help some of you too.   

Take it all in

 Take some time to gaze out your window or take a stroll to a park and find a comfy spot, and just OBSERVE your surroundings, take in the colours, the smells, the people, and really take a second to look at all the beauty that surrounds you and that exists outside of the world you normally live in. 

Free your mind

 Light some candles, incense, maybe grab a great glass of wine, play some music or pick up a good book, and let yourself relax and your mind be freed for a while. Sometimes something as simple as the lyric to a song, or a character from a book, can inspire incredible ideas. 

Switch it up

If you’re a painter, switch up your medium. If you paint portraits, try to do something abstract and carefree. If you’re a musician, try playing a style of music you normally wouldn’t. A writer? Look out a window, and write a quick short story about the people you see walking by. 

Create for fun

 NEVER stop creating, even if its not great, even if its terrible! Just keep in mind, that it DOESN’T have to be good, its practice, its an exercise. The point is to keep on that horse, because the moment you come off of it, it gets a lot harder to be inspired to get back on again. 

We all have wings - Watercolor on HP paper - 20x14

Mix it up

Doing a “carousel” of ideas is sometimes fun and can lead to some great Ideas (I know it has for me) Take a bunch of different actions, scenarios, places, figures, animals, etc. And write them down on paper grouped into categories. Then randomly pick out 1 or 2 pieces from each category, and see what you get and try creating something around that. 

You might get something like, orange, beach, woman, walking: Then think to yourself, what is the woman doing? Why is she on the beach? Where is she walking to or coming from? How does orange come into play? Is her hair orange, is the sky orange? If it’s orange, is she walking on the beach during setset or sunrise? 

Step away

If you’re working on something and its just not developing in the way you want it to, WALK AWAY, leave it for a bit and work on something else. Sometimes you just need a fresh set of eyes and a fresh mind to be able to create that masterpiece you feel is dying to come out 

Use it

creative block can be a major problem, but it can also be an inspiration! For example, I painted the below piece “What lies within” while suffering from artistic block, as opposed to letting it get the best of me and stop painting, I used it to paint my creative block itself. So if you’re a musician/writer, why not write about being blocked? And how it's making you feel?   

What lies within - Watercolor on HP paper - 20x14

Hopefully these tips can help anyone out that may be feeling a bit down or uninspired.  

And remember, inspiration can strike at any moment, you just need to be open to it, you never know when and where, you will find your muse of inspiration.  

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