Get back into your Core Creativity
If you have found yourself STUCK, unable to write, paint, record or just get going the trick is to recognise how to get yourself out of the block.
There you are staring blankly at a large white empty page, pristine canvas or just looking into empty space unable to think clearly. This is what we call a creative block or vwriters block etc. Starting that page, project or finding a way out of being emotionally blocked is tough. If like me its easier to find 101 different things to do instead of going to your creative space then you are on the path of resistance.
These 5 tips can help you break through.
1. TRUST
We can be frozen and scared to get it wrong. Fear of showing yourself up to your inner critic as being a fraud can hold us back? You are not alone it has happened to all of us!
TRUST THE PROCESS, don’t over think this, get yourself to your space and don’t worry what you are going to do. No one is judging (except you!) Over rule your negative head chatter and just be there! Be firm or be gentle and give yourself permission to play.
2. PLAY
Stop being so serious! Give yourself the green light to doodle, scrawl or muck about. Put your fingers in the paint and just make pretty backgrounds and enjoy what you are doing, no else is looking! Don’t worry about the outcome play is a perfect release. Often my best work comes from left over paint and mucking about.
3. KEEP A LITTLE NOTEBOOK
I buy these cheap tiny notebooks £1 for a pack of 3. Im not particular about them until they get filled and then they become precious. I keep loads of them ,all over the house or in my bag. When I have a few minutes and something crops into my head I scribble and doodle. Iv written some rotten poems but… there are some beautiful words in that poem that will find a home.
4. DARE TO DREAM
Before I turned an emotional corner I never dreamed or thought of where I wanted to be in life. It just didn’t occur to me to have aspirations. Today I want to do things and go places and through my art journaling I have opened up a dialogue with my dreams and dared to think further and higher.
“I don't believe , I know.”
Carl Jung
5. CROSS TRAIN
If you are a writer do some art journaling, if you are a photographer learn to draw or a singer learn a musical instrument. Creative cross training can be truly effective and it’s important that we have some sort of creative habit. If you are an artist you could write free flow thoughts every day without having to involve paint. I started singing a year ago as a means of connecting and communicating and its only been positive. I have even braved a few open mic nights!
Dare to dream.
Even though I went to Art college there have been periods in my life where I haven’t picked up a paint brush for over a year! The fact that I have TWO copies of ‘The Artist Way’ by Julia Cameron on my book shelf is an indication of how STUCK I was!
It didn’t happen over night but through Art Journaling I have worked my way out of those stale periods. I have no presumptions of what will come out on the page I allow my connection to take over and if I don’t like it I paint over it! What I really wanted to share with you these 5 tips and hope that you too can get to push through those self doubts and get busy.
We were intended to create and creativity flourishes in a places of safety and acceptance.
I have had a number of creatives on my workshops who loved Art Journaling they have reported back that they have picked up and restarted textiles, painting or writing with a totally fresh new outlook and had pushed through their block.
If you want to enjoy a creative day Art Journaling there are still a few places left in the 23 February. Everyone welcome.