“Creativity is an attitude, a habit, and a way of life that allows you to adapt to changing circumstances.”
Barry Kaufman, author and psychologist at Columbia University
Most of us have had that awful experience of being ghosted. Dictionary.com defines ghosting as “the practice of ending all contact with a person without an explanation or a good-bye.”
Most ghosting situations occur in romantic relationships, but they can happen in professional ones too. For example, a client might ghost you after they’ve given you an assignment, or an employer may not follow up with you after an interview that you thought went well.
But what should you do when you’ve been ghosted by your creative muse?
Many artists and creatives rely on their muse for inspiration, to guide them through rough spots during a creative project or make them feel pride in their work. But there are times when it seems the muse has abandoned you. It really hasn’t gone anywhere though. It might disappear for a while, but it’s still there, hovering nearby.
How do you know that your creative muse (or spirit, if you prefer) has ghosted you, or worse is crushed by outside forces?
* You’ve done the same project the same way, each time expecting better results than before – the definition of insanity.
* You haven’t had any fresh, new ideas in a long while.
* You’re exhausted by the effort you put in
* You can’t concentrate because someone hovers by your work space to make sure you’re doing things the way they want you to do it.
* You know something is wrong with your work-in-progress, but you don’t know how to fix it.
* You are constrained by tons of rules and restrictions from your client or supervisor.
* You don’t feel excited about anything you write.
* Projects are more complex and seem to take longer than you anticipated.
Even when it feels like the creative spirit has left you, remember that the disappearance isn’t permanent. The spirit may have taken a break or gone on an extended vacation. The ideas listed below can help you reconnect with your creative muse.
1. Take a walk in nature. Walking isn’t just good exercise, but being alone in nature helps clear your head.
2. Read a book or catch up on your favorite blog. Reading a favorite author can remind you why you decided to become a writer.
3. Sleep on it. Sometimes when you feel stuck, shelve the problem for the night. A solution may come by morning.
4. Take a bath or shower. In astrology, water symbolizes creativity. Immersing yourself in water can flush out creative ideas. Some of my best ideas came while I was taking a shower.
5. Do nothing. Let your mind be a blank for a day. Give your creative muse the day off.
6. Attend an online webinar. You might learn something that jogs your thought process. You might generate ideas that you never considered before.
7. Unplug from electronics. Your smart phone and social media may be clouding your creativity and putting too many distractions in your way.
8. Talk things over with a friend or writing buddy. They might provide a perspective you had not considered.
9. Keep writing. Even if you produce less-than-stellar material, you’re still exercising your creative muscle. Good ideas are bound to float to the page.
10. Practice self-care. If you were your creative muse, would you want to work with you? According to Writing and Wellness blog, make yourself more inviting so your creative muse will want to work with you. Treat yourself to a haircut, get a new outfit, or get a massage. When you feel good about yourself, your creative muse will be happy to inspire you.
11. Watch a movie. For fun, pay attention to the story line. Make a note of character arcs, plot points, inciting incident, etc. It’ll get you in the practice of creating your own story line.
12. Listen to music. Music is known to calm the savage beast, so they say. If you feel frustrated by the creative process, music might put you in the mood to write.
13. Seek feedback from a mentor or coach. They might share a perspective you had not considered.
14. Engage in a different hobby. Play sports, draw some sketches or try out a new recipe. You’re still engaging your creative muse, but in different ways.
15. Change your surroundings. Rearrange furniture in your workspace, clear out desk drawers or get a new desk lamp. One small change can alter the creative energy in your workspace.
16. Vent your frustrations in a journal. Writing down your feelings can clear your mind of toxic thoughts that can block your creativity.
17. Browse through old photos. Looking back over photos from the past might trigger memories of good and bad experiences worth writing about.
18. Review your writer’s journal. Hopefully you keep a writer’s journal where you write story ideas, characters, scene ideas, etc. Looking back over these ideas might spark a creative idea for a new project.
19. Visit a museum, city landmark or neighborhood that you’ve never visited before. It might give you a new perspective on the world.
20. Go back to your “why.” We all have a reason for writing. Go back and review why you write. The answer might inspire you to get back to your desk.
Remember, your creative muse has its off days too. Sometimes you have to give it the time, space and attention it needs to flourish.
The Regal Writer 