Tozak Filming

Do you wait for inspiration to strike before you allow yourself to create?

Are you in a creative slump where you feel there are no ideas for you to act on?

I am a huge believer that the right idea hits us at the right time. Inspiration strikes and something brilliant happens. However, it is important to understand our role in this process.

A quote from William Faulkner, an American writer,

“I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes at nine every morning.”

If you show up, so will your creativity. 

As artists, it’s very important to think about how your mind relates to creativity. What are the power dynamics your mind has assigned to the creative act?

If you believe that creativity is something that is out of your control, then there will be parts of your mind that block off ideas and inspiration from coming. Belief is the most powerful part of the creative process.

I do believe that creativity comes from a source that is eternal and cosmic, but at the same time it comes from within. Our connection to that source is always within us.

The power of it is not something external to our abilities. 

When you sit down to write, or play an instrument, or paint, look at it like you are making a meal. The ingredients won’t magically come together without you doing something. Belief, intention, and action are necessary to exercise your creative abilities.

Here are five ways I have called onto my creativity on demand. See if any of these resonate and try them out. Also, speaking of creativity on demand, go read Michael Gelb’s book, Creativity On Demand

1. MOVE INTO THE PHYSICAL SPACE

Where is your physical space for art? Where does the magic happen? 

Is it your piano? Your desk? In front of your laptop? In front of a canvas? I’m not referring to the place where you only daydream and think about ideas. I am talking about the place where the action happens.

Sometimes we only allow ourselves to go into our creative place once we have an idea. 

“I’m not inspired and I have no ideas, so I won’t write at my desk today.”

Don’t wait until the moment is perfect for you to move into the space where the work is done. Jump when you’re most afraid. I like to think about it like this – the more resistance you feel, the greater the calling to act in the face of it.

Speaking of Resistance, with a capital R, Steven Presseild has something to say about this. In his book, Put your Ass where your Heart wants to be, he states,

“Station your physical body in the spot where your dream-work will and must happen… tremendous power lies in this simple physical action.”

Yes, it’s simple but it’s powerful. If you feel powerless to the creative ideas that come to you, move yourself to your designated physical space. Force yourself to be there. 

Move your body and the mind will follow. 

2. BREATHE WORK AND PRESENCE

Here’s another physical exercise. Take deep breaths and return to the present moment.

We can be overstimulated by our excessive phone use. Our minds can be all over the place and lose sight of presence. Distractions and stress loom around.

Breathework is a profound exercise that has many more health and mental benefits besides just creativity. But for this time, cultivate your breath to cultivate your creativity.

Try this. Take 5-10 deep breaths. 10 second inhale. 3 second hold. 5 second exhale. 

Before engaging with your creativity, take a moment to observe your surroundings. 

What do you see, hear, taste, smell, and feel? Feel your surroundings. Ground yourself in this moment. Create the mental foundation for a successful venture into your creative world. Be totally present and immersed in the creative act.  

Using breathework and presence to anchor yourself and clear your mind will tremendously help with channeling a clear connection to your inner creative source.

3. USE WORK SPRINTS

Break your work up into smaller parts.

When we think about everything that has to get done for a creative project, it can feel very overwhelming. When we think about our work, we don’t think about it as one thing. Instead, it’s a small part of a larger, scarier, venture. 

One thing at a time.

If you notice that fear and stagnation prevent you from getting any progress done at the end of the day, then start small. 

Do a short sprint. This is a time where you put your full focus into something more a concretated time frame. Take 15 minutes every day to just sit down and write your song. Or write your script. Or move your hand while the brush is in it.

If 15 minutes feels too long, do 5 minutes. Get yourself into the habit of working on your project. If you want to eventually write for 2 hours every day, you have to at least be able to write for 2 minutes.

Use these small work sprints to split your work up or get into the habit of engaging with your creativity. Over time, increase the sprints when you feel that you should. Not when you feel like it, because resistance will always be there in some form – Thank you Steven Pressfield. 

4. REMOVE RULES

It’s time to challenge your inner perfectionist. 

Do you find yourself not able to create because some part of you feels that it needs to be a certain way? 

“It needs to be good enough.”

“It needs to be deep.”

“It needs to make sense.”

“It needs to be brilliant.”

Standards in creativity are a balancing act. You want to create the most authentic art you can but you also don’t want to scare your inner artist away from ever making ‘mistakes’. I put quotations around mistakes because a lot of our ideas of what constitutes an idea as being ‘good’ (see, I did it again) can work against us.

Sometimes we don’t realize we love an idea until it marinates for long enough. Or we don’t even let it come out because of our preconceptions of what it has to be.

So, for the sake of this exercise, try making something without rules.

For example, if you’re a screenwriter, do a scratch draft. This is where you embrace creativity to the fullest extent. There are no rules or limitations, just write. Just write. Just write.

If your rules are stopping you from creating, then remove your rules.

Allow whatever wants to come out. Don’t judge it. Don’t think about it.

Do feel it.

Forcing yourself to create something, anything, can help your creative channel to flow in your favor. If it’s clogged, unclog it. Allow the water to come out. Maybe it’ll seem yellow at first, but eventually it’ll clear up. 

Remember that art is limitless. 

5. CHECK IN WITH YOUR ENERGY

Your creative energy and overall energy go hand in hand.

Check in with yourself:

• How are you eating? 
• How are you feeling?
• How is your stress?
• Are you getting enough sunlight?
• Are you drinking enough water?
• Are you getting enough quality sleep?

When you feel great inside and out, chances are your creativity is going to flow a lot better from you and through you.

So check in with your energy and make sure it is consistently flowing in your favor. Be honest with yourself. 

With all of these ways, remember that this is in your power to act on. There are things you can do to consciously cultivate your creative powers.

Don’t wait for your creative spark to come back. If you feel that it is lost, it surely will return. But what are you going to do to make that happen?