CREATIVITY BLOCKS…5 SIMPLE WAYS TO REMOVE THEM

Posted on | April 13, 2010 | 10 Comments

Creativity blocks….those dreaded words. These blocks holds us back, keep us in a box and fill us with fear. We can sense it in our bones when they enter our psyche.

The big question is why do we get creative blocks?

I remember when I received a big award at a major show. I was thrilled and excited as I felt I had finally arrived. I was being recognized as a competent painter. After a full year of rejections the glow of this award had special meaning. My excitement and celebration lasted until I went back to the studio. As I entered I felt my whole body change. My thought process was different. I expected more of myself. I felt anxiety and fear enter the room and absorb all the oxygen and all the energy. Questions started coming like flies to honey….where did the award winning painting come from? Were there more paintings of this caliber in me? How did I paint that painting that the judges thought was so wonderful? What if I would never be able to do it again. The room was overflowing with fear and anxiety ! I froze and then I sat down and cried.

It was an all-consuming creativity block. Fear had stopped me in my tracks. I gave it energy and it crushed me.

When this happens fear will keep you where it wants you…..paralyzed. Fear wants control and our lizard mind is more comfortable when we are not challenged therefore we allow fear to take up residency in our brain.

Here are the five simple ways I use to alleviate creativity blocks:

1. Accept the fact you are standing mud deep in a creativity block. It is not an illusion it is a fact.

2. Leave your studio and go on a long walk. Being alone in nature removes the cobwebs in the brain.

3. On your walk do something different than just walk…… skip, sing, talk out loud to your fear, confront it …..then let it go. Give it to the wind.

4. Back in the studio take out a piece of watercolor paper or canvas and start applying paint with abandon. Put the music on loud….very loud. There is no judgment on how you are applying the paint or what you are painting….You are free.

5. Sit quietly and give thanks for being You. Being grateful for who you are opens the heart and a heart that is open grants access to creativity.

Try this the next time a creativity block enters your studio and claims you as its own…… see if it helps. Let me know.

How do you handle creativity blocks?

Comments

10 Responses to “CREATIVITY BLOCKS…5 SIMPLE WAYS TO REMOVE THEM”

Deb Stewart
April 14th, 2010 @ 4:44 am

I no longer get too upset about blocks. I tell myself that it will not last and that I have to continue to create even though I may not like anything I do at the time. It is the process that helps me move through it. And often times it is the blocks and frustration that come with it that help bring out something better. Art is hard to control. I believe those good pieces are more like gifts and you have to be open to them. If I am trying to force something to happen it usually never happens.

[Reply]
gwen Reply:
April 21st, 2010 at 8:52 am
@Deb Stewart, Deb….you are so right. Blocks are a gift although it is hard to realize it at the time. I think the answer is keep on keeping on.

[Reply]
Kim
April 14th, 2010 @ 5:26 am

Hello Gwen,

It is truly amazing how success can sometimes close us down. You are right, though, often creative blocks are based on fear and that will stop anyone any time! I like what Elizabeth Gilbert has to say on her TED talk http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html about creativity, fear and what the public expects from us. Often, if I feel blocked, I will revisit what she has to share.

I like your idea of taking a walk, getting away and talking to the muse to “set things straight”, then going into the studio with wild freedom to do what one does best! What great advice. When we allow our spirit to just flow through us amazing things always seem to happen, but in our world it is often a challenge to allow that to happen.

Oh, and something which will often work for me is to journal my irritations…for me, it seems to clear the path, so creativity can happen again. I will also add, reading this blog can help unblock the creative person!

You have some wonderful insights here and I always find your words touch a part of me I needed to re-explore. Thank You.

[Reply]
gwen Reply:
April 14th, 2010 at 6:05 am
@Kim, thanks for the reminder about the Elizabeth Gilbert talk on Ted…..I love what she has to say.

And yes, to journal is a great way to release frustrations as long as I then throw away the paper with the words….they seem to have more power if I can then release them. That’s just me.

Thanks for your comments. They are thoughtful and helpful to all.

[Reply]
Mickey
April 14th, 2010 @ 7:46 am

Yet another great blog post, Gwen. Your posts are always food for thought and timely. I agree with everything you said as well as the other comments.

Nature has always been my muse and a journal a necessity for me. The only thing I would add is laughter. Laughter totally takes me out of a ‘funk’, ‘writers block’, ‘artist block’ whatever you choose to name it. For me nothing beats a god belly laugh.

One more comment. . . I think Elizabeth Gilbert’s little twenty minute talk should be listened to at least annually by everyone, especially teens. Thank you Deb for the reminder I hadn’t listened to yet this year.

[Reply]
gwen Reply:
April 21st, 2010 at 8:54 am
@Mickey, Laughter is the medicine I know. I had forgotten to list laughter so thanks for the reminder.

[Reply]
Kymberly
April 14th, 2010 @ 8:51 am

Good tips for overcoming creativity blocks. I have had this as a writer and find it helpful to either: 1) stop, remove myself from the writing environment and do something completely different (as you suggest) or 2) push self to write stream of consciousness, anything, everything that comes to mind with no filter or mental editor and see where the words take me. All the best with your art!

[Reply]
gwen Reply:
April 21st, 2010 at 8:57 am
@Kymberly, Getting our thoughts on paper is a healing for the majority of people. Just letting those thoughts come without judgment is a freeing experience. Once done we feel lighter.
Thanks for the comment.

[Reply]
Gaye Lindfors
April 16th, 2010 @ 9:37 am

Hi, Gwen – Oh those frustrating creativity blocks! When I hit a block in writing, I just keep writing. Sometimes it’s just words or phrases – random thoughts. But the movement of my hands over the keyboard and the relief of seeing ink on paper seems to help me move through it. Thanks for sharing your post!

[Reply]
gwen Reply:
April 21st, 2010 at 9:02 am
@Gaye Lindfors, Yes, it is the movement of our hands that seems to free our creativity block. Seeing those words on paper clears the cobwebs in our brain thus allowing space for the wind to breathe new life in our heart.

[Reply]

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CREATIVITY BLOCKS…5 SIMPLE WAYS TO REMOVE THEM

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