Is there anything more frustrating than sitting down to write and feeling like there’s nothing at all to say? It happens to us all. Even the best writers of all time have struggled to get going sometimes — indeed, it feels like the main thing that determines success is the ability to overcome those little blocks.
It’s important to remember that no one has an endless supply of creativity. We all need to top it up from time to time. In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the most effective ways to stimulate your creativity when you’re feeling a little low on inspiration.
Go For a Walk
There’s a lot of power in going for a walk, especially if you feel like you’re heading on a path towards nowhere. If you’ve been staring at a blank screen for too long, then get up and head for an aimless walk. You’re not trying to get anywhere, and you don’t necessarily need to think about the problem you’re trying to solve. Just let your mind wander, and you’ll likely find that you come up with a couple of days. If nothing else, you’ll return to your computer refreshed and ready to type.
Play Creative Games
You might have an idea for something that you want to write. But if you’re struggling with creativity, then the idea of just sitting down to write it could be difficult. One option is to play some creative games that help to get your juices flowing. Think of it the same way you think about warming up your body before you do exercise. You’ll get your brain fired up and ready to work.
Have an Interesting Conversation
People seem to think that their creative exercises are solely individual endeavors. But they’re not — you’ll be using the influences of other people all the time, even if it’s just modeling characters on people you’ve met and so forth. If you’re looking to get your creative juices flowing, then take a look at having a good conversation with a naturally interesting or sharp person. You’ll likely have a wave of inspiration throughout the course of the conversation. Also, remember this — they say that you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with, so it could be a good idea to increase the amount of time you spend with creative folk.
Head Into Nature
Sometimes, you just need to get away from the noise and put yourself somewhere where your thoughts really have space to breathe. If you live in a city, then there’ll be times when the hustle and bustle naturally inspire you to write. But there’ll be other times when it’s hard to get the perspective you need to write well. In that case, take a look at heading out of the city and into nature. The worst that’ll happen is that you’ll have a pleasant day out somewhere beautiful. In the best-case scenario, you’ll come up with some great ideas that help to further your creative work.
Sleep Well
Your mind needs to be working well if you’re going to write well. It’s a myth that writing when exhausted produces better work. It can happen in short spurts, but it’s not a good long-term strategy — and if you’re going to produce something that’s valuable, then you need to have a consistent routine. You’ll find it much easier to come up with ideas and get them down on paper if you’re well-rested. So make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep! That’s the time for your mind to rest and create the energy you need to come up with your best ideas. If you find it difficult to sleep, then look at taking action, such as by using Delta 9 THC Gummies before you hit the hay or wearing earplugs. You’ll find that being well-rested improves other elements of your life, too!
Write it Out
You don’t always have to sit down with the intention of writing a masterpiece. In fact, you shouldn’t — that’ll only put too much pressure on you. The aim should be to write consistently, and then wait for those nuggets of gold to present themselves. To do this, you’ll need to work in an unconscious, free flowing way. Journaling is excellent in this regard. You’ll likely find that you come up with a new angle just within a page of writing. Plus, it can be fun to look back on your journals down the years.
Slow Down
Sometimes, we just need to let the answer come to us. It could be there all along; it’s just we haven’t stopped to listen to it! Life is pretty chaotic, and filtering through all the noise can be an ongoing challenge. One way to tap into that inner voice is to slow down and meditate. In the course of a twenty-minute meditation session, you’ll find that some useful thoughts and concepts present themselves, especially once you’ve got practice. Meditation has, of course, been shown to bring about many other benefits, too.
Chain Yourself to the Desk
If you’ve been struggling with creativity for a little while, and haven’t put anything down on paper for a few weeks, then it can be a good idea to simply chain yourself to your desk and force yourself to write. This shouldn’t be your first approach, of course, but if it’s been too long since you wrote, then you’ll probably find that it’s worthwhile. Of course, you don’t have to force yourself to write all day. But for one hour? Anyone can do that!
Read Other People’s Work
Writers are often in competition with themselves. But they’re also in competition with each other. There’s no denying it. Your goal should be to be the best that you can be, and you can’t know what that is until you know the standards that other people are reaching. If you’re looking for some inspiration, read other people’s work — they can be living or dead, male or female, one thing or another, it doesn’t matter. You might just find that you spot something that you can do better, and you’ll be away.
Another way to be inspired by others is to take a trip to your local art gallery. Works of art are inspiring by nature, and can certainly help you to push your own creativity forward.
Jolt the System
Sometimes, you just need to snap out of your rut and get into something else. So if you’re looking for a way to quickly snap your creative brain waves together, take a look at jolting your system. There are multiple ways you can do this — it could involve walking a different route to the office or taking a cold shower. The main thing is that you have an experience that’s outside of the norm, which will naturally force you to think differently.
Work Up a Sweat
Working up a sweat isn’t just good for the body. It’s good for the mind, too. Spend an hour on a treadmill, and you’ll likely have plenty of useful thoughts.
Conclusion
As we said at the beginning of the blog, you can’t expect to have an endless supply of creativity to call upon whenever you feel like it. Indeed, it’s probably best to think of creativity not as something that you have but as something that you do. By engaging in activities that naturally help to push your creativity forward, you’ll be putting yourself in a good position to not only write more, but also better.
Mocha Girl Alysia