When creativity disappears and leaves you lost for ideas, it sucks!
Waves of frustration wash over you.
‘Why can everyone else put out loads of new content all the time and I’m stuck?’
Every day you try new tactics, but your mind just becomes overfilled and overwhelmed.
There’s that lingering sense of ‘I’m not good enough’.
‘Why can’t it just be easy?’
It’s in these moments you either give up or become fiercely determined to succeed.
Frustration is replaced with a new commitment.
Overwhelm is swapped for a shiny new schedule.
Deflation morphs into creation.
You leap into your new plan filled with all the energy of a space shuttle launch.
But just as rocket fuel quickly burns away, so does your dedication.
You’re back where you started.
So what’s going so wrong?
What needs to change?
Here are my top 3 tips to bring creativity back into your life:
- Creativity flows when you’re in alignment to your inner values and desires. What does that mean in real life? Well, when you’re being true to who you really are, that’s when your authentic voice shines through. Your words are warmer, you attract your ideal clients with ease and you come across as honest and real. Humans are naturally wired to sniff out truth or deception and those who are more intuitive (i.e. regularly have that ‘gut feeling’ or instinct about people or situations) can pick up on this in seconds. So figure out what you really believe in and then stand up for that. Be bold. Be courageous. Be you.
- Creativity is drowned by overwhelm. When you’re trying to do everything by yourself you simply have too many tabs open in your brain. What are the basic tasks needed to run your business successfully? What tasks could you delegate? What tasks can only you do? Do you have a schedule to stick to? How could your family help around the house? Could you get a cleaner? Do you waste time being reactive to social media? There are so many things that we all do every single day and it’s very easy to get overwhelmed. Start by scheduling 1 hour a day just for you. This can be in 2 x 30 minute blocks or 3 x 20 minutes if you prefer. This hour is for anything you desire that isn’t connected to your business or creativity. So, read a book, go for a walk, sort your wardrobe, meet a friend for coffee and cake (cake makes everything better), watch a TEDx talk or take a candlelit bath. Then for all the other ‘tasks’ in your life (business and personal), just write down the 3 most important things and get them done first.
- Creativity is all about connection. In the online space it’s vitally important we connect with people every single day. Whether it’s through your own posts, engaging in groups or paid memberships, simply showing up, being visible, sharing your knowledge, being known as the expert in your field or offering support and inspiration, it’s all connection. It doesn’t matter whether your preferred medium is video, audio, photographic or written – use whichever one most lights you up and the one that is most applicable to the tribe you wish to attract. Then show up every single day.
If a relaxing writing retreat sounds like the perfect antidote to your creative struggles, check out my Corfu Writing Retreat (October 2017).
Lorraine xx