Artist, mentor and business coach Nicola Newman notes:
Whether you’re an artist, writer, or entrepreneur, it’s natural to encounter obstacles in your creative journey.
In this podcast episode, we’ll explore gentle techniques for moving through these barriers and reigniting your creative spark.
Drawing from my personal experiences and using a nurturing, mindful approach, we’ll help you reconnect with your creativity.
Creative blocks can take many forms, including a lack of inspiration, self-doubt, perfectionism, or burnout.
It’s helpful to recognize that creative blocks are a normal part of the creative process, and facing them doesn’t make you any less of a Creative. The key is to approach these obstacles with gentleness, self-care, and mindfulness.
I’ve put together a list of ways to overcome creative blocks and I’m delighted to share them in this episode.
Nicola Newman is a “Creative Business Coach, Award-Winning Artist & Mentor for Creative Hearts who want to Flourish, Flow & Prosper.”
Learn more about her free resources, the Creative Hearts Community, and courses such as “Flourish: The Art of Creative Living” – a “year-long global creativity school for aspiring creatives, creative professionals and creative entrepreneurs” at her site:
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Creative Mind Audio excerpt of full podcast below
Full podcast episode on Overcoming Creative Blocks
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Nicola notes one of the forms of creative block is perfectionism – here is a video on that topic:
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Transcript for the Creative Mind Audio excerpt from the full podcast above:
Welcome back to The Art of Creative Living, a podcast for heart-centred creatives and entrepreneurs. I’m your host, Nicola Newman.
Today, we’ll be discussing a common challenge that many creatives face: creative blocks. Whether you’re an artist, writer, or entrepreneur, it’s natural to encounter obstacles in your creative journey. In this episode, we’ll explore gentle techniques for moving through these barriers and reigniting your creative spark.
Drawing from my personal experiences and using a nurturing, mindful approach, we’ll help you reconnect with your creativity.
Creative blocks can take many forms, including lack of inspiration, self-doubt, perfectionism, or burnout. It’s helpful to recognize that creative blocks are a normal part of the creative process, and facing them doesn’t make you any less of a Creative. The key is to approach these obstacles with gentleness, self-care, and mindfulness.
I’ve put together a list of ways to overcome Creative Blocks, so let’s explore those together now.
Practice mindfulness
When faced with a creative block, take a moment to pause and observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment. This can help you identify the root cause of your block and create space for clarity and inspiration. One of my favourite tools for navigating creative blocks using mindfulness is the Inquisitive Pause.
The Inquisitive Pause is a simple yet powerful practice that encourages self-awareness and reflection. To implement this technique, follow these steps:
- Recognize the block: When you feel stuck or overwhelmed, acknowledge the creative block without judgment or self-criticism.
- Pause: Take a deep breath and give yourself permission to pause your creative work momentarily. This intentional break helps create space between you and the creative block.
- Inquire: Gently ask yourself questions about the block. For example, what thoughts or emotions are contributing to this block? Are there any external factors influencing your creativity? Are you putting too much pressure on yourself to create something perfect?
- Pay attention to the sensations in your body as you reflect and check in with yourself. What sensations can you feel in your legs, arms, chest, or belly?
- Reflect: As you ask these questions, listen to your inner voice without judgment. Be open to any insights or emotions that may arise. In my personal experience, this process has led to a deeper understanding of the underlying issues behind my creative blocks, revealing solutions and new creative pathways.
- Respond: Based on your reflection, decide on a course of action to address the block. This might involve taking a break, engaging in self-care, adjusting your expectations, or changing your environment. Remember, the goal is to approach your block with compassion, curiosity, and openness.
By incorporating the Inquisitive Pause into your mindfulness practice, you can develop greater self-awareness and resilience in the face of creative blocks.
This approach has helped me to navigate obstacles in my creative journey by fostering a deeper understanding of my thoughts and emotions, allowing me to shift my focus and move past creative barriers with greater ease and grace.
Engage in self-care
Taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental well-being is crucial when facing a creative block. Ensure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, and staying hydrated. Engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, tailored to your personal preferences and lifestyle.
In my own life, I’ve found that certain self-care strategies have been especially effective in nurturing my well-being and helping me move through creative blocks. Some of my personal favorites include:
- Having a warm bath: Immersing myself in a soothing bath allows me to relax both physically and mentally. The warmth and comfort of the water help to ease tension and provide a calming environment in which to reflect on my creative challenges.
- Hugging my husband: Connecting with loved ones can be a powerful source of comfort and support during difficult times. A simple hug from my husband reminds me that I’m not alone in my creative journey and provides the emotional support I need to overcome creative obstacles.
- Going for a walk around my local area: Stepping away from my creative workspace and immersing myself in nature allows me to clear my mind and find fresh inspiration. During these walks, I often gain new perspectives on my creative challenges and find unexpected solutions.
- Patting my dog, Lacey Jane: Spending time with my beloved dog offers a unique form of therapy and companionship. Lacey Jane’s unconditional love and presence help me feel grounded, and the simple act of patting her can be incredibly soothing and stress-relieving.
- Journaling my ideas: I’ve long been a huge fan of journaling and lately, I’ve been using a new technique I learned called “inner dialoguing”, developed by Luisa Capacchione Ph.D who is a creative coach, where I use my non-dominant hand and dominant hand to write and answer questions between my inner adult and my inner child. I’ve found it to be a truly life-changing tool and super helpful for navigating creative blocks or facing any challenges in life, really.
By incorporating these personalized self-care strategies into my routine, I’ve been able to navigate creative blocks more effectively. Of course, remember that self-care is a deeply personal practice, and it’s essential to discover the activities and rituals that resonate with you and support your unique creative journey.
Break the task into smaller steps
Sometimes, a creative block can be the result of feeling overwhelmed by the size or complexity of a project. Break the task into smaller, manageable steps, and tackle them one at a time. I’ve found this technique particularly helpful when facing large projects or doing something I’ve never done before.
One effective way to manage your creative projects is by using digital tools to organise your ideas, tasks, and schedules. Two of my favourite tools for this purpose are Trello and Google Calendar.
- Trello: This project management tool allows you to create boards for different projects and add lists and cards to organize your tasks. By breaking your creative project down into smaller steps and organizing them visually in Trello, you can gain a clearer perspective on your project’s scope and progress. Trello is an invaluable resource for me, as it helps me capture ideas, set priorities, and track my progress, making my creative projects feel more manageable and achievable.
- Google Calendar: Time management is crucial when working on creative projects, especially if you’re juggling multiple tasks or deadlines. Google Calendar is an excellent tool for scheduling your time, setting reminders, and allocating specific time slots for your creative work. By integrating your Trello tasks with Google Calendar, you can ensure that you stay on track and make steady progress on your project, even when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Finding the right tools to support your creative dreams is paramount to making them come true. By using Trello and Google Calendar in tandem, you can create a structured and organized approach to your creative projects, reducing overwhelm and breaking through creative blocks more effectively.
These tools can also help you maintain a healthy balance between your work and personal life, ensuring that you have the time and energy to dedicate to your creative pursuits.
Finding the right tools to support you in your creative journey is a personal endeavour.
Everyone has a unique personality, we may be neurodiverse or neurotypical, and we have preferences that shape the way we approach our creative work. As a creative mentor and business coach, I cherish the opportunity to work with my clients to help them discover the tools and strategies that best suit their individual needs and strengths.
By acknowledging and embracing our unique qualities, we can develop a tailored approach to our creative projects that not only nurtures our well-being but also fosters a more authentic and fulfilling creative experience.
Change your environment
A change of scenery can help shift your perspective and provide fresh inspiration. Take your creative work to a new location, such as a park, coffee shop, or a different room in your home. In my own experience, sailing the east coast of Australia provided me with countless opportunities to change my environment and find inspiration in new places.
Even when I’m not sailing, I love to indulge my wanderlust and seek out new environments to spark creativity. Sometimes, that means hopping in my van and heading out for an overnight camping trip, where I can immerse myself in nature and let the beauty of my surroundings fuel my imagination.
On other occasions, I don’t need to venture far at all to find a fresh perspective. I’ve been known to drive just three blocks away from my home, park under some tall pine trees, and set up my computer on my lap, overlooking the picturesque farmlands behind my house.
These simple yet powerful changes in scenery have a profound impact on my creative process, enabling me to break free from routine and access new ideas and insights. By seeking out diverse and inspiring environments, both near and far, I’ve been able to maintain a sense of wonder and curiosity that has been instrumental in my creative journey.
So, whether you’re travelling the world or exploring your own backyard, remember that changing your environment can play a crucial role in overcoming creative blocks and reigniting your creative spark.
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Douglas Eby (M.A./Psychology) is author of the The Creative Mind series of sites which provide “Information and inspiration to help creative people thrive.”
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