Unlearning the concept of a “creative block”

“Creativity requires faith. Faith requires that we relinquish control.”

― Julia Cameron

A question people often come to me with is “how do you deal with creative blocks?”

Actually I have to take a moment to think about it, because honestly I don’t often face these moments and wouldn’t call these a “block”.

I think we firstly need to unlearn this concept of a “creative block”, because in our minds, we “think” that there is some hindrance that is not enabling us to do or achieve a certain goal. It is our minds that create this concept.

The creative force is never blocked, our attention is only redirected elsewhere for sometime. It is a process of surrender to what is. It is about having the ability to let go of control and trust in the process. It is about connecting to this divine creative force that is guiding and inspiring you. It is about releasing this idea that you are the author and source of all of those ideas.

During moments of imbalance, anxiety or depletion, ideas won’t be flowing so effortlessly. When we experience high pressure, stress or overwhelm caused by rigid moments of attachment, more often than not we won’t be performing our best. Although they say “I work better under pressure”, I would say how sustainable is that for your health and wellbeing. Do you feel happy or fulfilled acting from that state? how long can you keep functioning this way before burning out.

Naturally our body is telling us in those moments that it needs rest and recharge. If those repeated patterns continuously keep occurring, maybe life is asking you to take a moment to reflect on how you have approached a certain situation and maybe there is a different way of doing it. Maybe it’s time for you to sleep and come back to it in the morning, maybe you need to meditate, maybe you need to change your environment or setting, maybe you need to be a little more organised and create some structure first or maybe the solution is not clear yet because life needs you to have a few more encounters and experiences first.  

Whether you are a musician or an artist, an accountant or a project manager.. the same principles apply. For the creative process isn’t only drawing or singing. The creative force is the divine force that is guiding evolutionary change. It is when you are intuitively feeling into a moment and taking action. It is following your inner feeling rather than your intellectual monkey mind that analyses and missing an opportunity.

As creative entrepreneurs, we can be faced with a lot juggling it all. Relax into the flow of it a little more and watch and see things change. Let go of your need to control. Honour your cycles of the day, the month and the year and what you intuitively need. Introduce healthy rituals into your life which create space for expansion and balance for the body, mind and soul. 

There is no block, but there is a greater evolutionary call for you to connect to that inner space of being that is the creative source.

@niela.lis