“You can’t wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club.” — Jack London
Having creative block can be very frustrating and no matter who you are you’ve no doubt been through it. For those of us who enjoy creating things from the almost mindless and simple creations to more complicated things, it can be infinitely annoying! As you can see, the photo below shows a crumpled sketch after I got “annoyed!” (okay that was a gross understatement – glad no one saw me)
So what do you do about it? [sigh] Not everything works for everyone and something that worked once may not work the next time so you have to step outside your regular routine sometimes. Easier said than done – we know too well. You may have noticed we haven’t had anything new on our site in a couple weeks so you would be right to assume we are having some creative block.
Below is a short list of simple tips that have helped us out of our creative block at one time or another.
Tip 1) Aromatherapy
The sense of smell is powerful and can bring you back to a moment in time in an instant. A memory all but forgotten will flash in your mind with the clarity of a memory from 5 minutes ago.
It can also stimulate creativity! Sometimes we burn our favorite incense, Indian Temple Incense – Song of India. You could try scented candles, incense, fresh flowers – whatever makes you feel good!
Tip 2) Music
Sound is another great sense that can send you back in time and help your creative block. Sometimes we play soothing meditation music to keep us (mostly me) from getting upset and trashing whatever I’m working on! Sometimes something more upbeat keeps us working faster – it depends on your mood at the moment. Experiment!
Tip 3) Retail Store Spying
Sometimes a stroll down the street to some local shops or the mall can help. Go into your favorite stores to see what they are selling and you will be surprised how it can inspire you and say goodbye to your creative block! We’re talkin the cool stores , not Sears or Pennys! Ha!
Tip 4) Get Out of the Car!
Take a walk or a bike ride – go a different route than usual. Go to the beach, the park, stroll through the city – you would be amazed at the things you never noticed while you’re in a car.
Tip 5) Television
Honestly, we loathe reality TV (okay mostly ME again) but there are some decent shows with clothing designers, chefs, artists, interior designers and now even crafters that can lend a bit of inspiration. We recommend using your DVR so you can fast-forward through all the petty arguing and commercials. I know, some of you watch for the drama but it really annoys us (okay, it annoys ME!).
Those are a few simple tips we usually use, some more than others. It may also be good to just take a break and decompress for a few days or a couple weeks. There’s nothing wrong with that and it may be all you need to relieve your creative block. If none of these simple tips work (and sometimes they don’t) you just have to be patient or try things that you have never done before – step way out of your comfort zone. I know, easier said than done [wink].
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