May you flow freely
What do you do when you are feeling creatively blocked? Oftentimes we panic and think that we will never have another creative thought, that the well has run dry.
Sometimes we think that when we have enough time or get through this stage of life that your creativity will return and stay with us forever more.
Other times, we push through and do something, anything, in order to break through the blockage.
This does not always mean that you have to MAKE something. You don’t always have to pull out the paints or craft supplies and force creativity. Your sketchbook can continue collecting dust for a moment.
All you need to get to do is get the creative channels flowing again.
What does that even mean? Think about a river making its way down a mountain. It gathers debris from the river bank, twigs and leaves flowing with the water until they get tangled in a root that took hold at the edge of the river. Over time other sticks and leaves get caught up and begin naturally damming up part of the river. The water flowing still wants to flow, it NEEDS to keep flowing and will eventually carve a new pathway or spill over the dam.
The river keeps flowing. Sometimes slow, other times ragging.
And that is just what you need to do. Keep moving.
Go for a walk or run. Dance. Do yoga. Go for a bike ride. Swim. Move your body and clear your mind.
Movement gets your heart pumping and your blood flowing. It releases stagnant, pent up energy and makes space for new energy to flow in and through you.
Pay attention to how you feel before, during and after. Where was the tension? Did you feel the moment of release? How is your mental clarity afterwards? Do you feel inspired to keep moving? Perhaps moving towards your sketchbook or towards that blank canvas?
One of my favorite artist dates is a hike near my home - nothing too crazy. I pack a light snack and water, leave my earbuds at home, spread on the sunscreen, and head out into the great outdoors. The movement, the sunshine, the fresh air are magic ingredients that somehow bring me more into myself and distribute my energy out into the universe in equal measure. As I observe the world around me, the universe starts sending me little messages and by the time I make it back home, I am ready to pour out the energy gathered onto the page. My creativity flows freely.
What about you? Do you find that movement helps clear your creative blockage? If you haven’t tried it, I encourage you to get moving! You’ll be delighted by the outcome.