One of the biggest challenges in being creative is keeping the inspiration flowing when it’s not coming easy. After you’ve been working with your craft for some time, the next stage is more about seeking inspiration rather than it simply falling in your lap.
This process is actually a lot MORE fulfilling but it also takes a more conscious, dedicated effort in order to stay centered in your creativity. It’s about growing and strengthening your self and this will directly contribute to your work. There are a number of areas that you can turn to when you feel like the inspirational well is drying up. If you can tackle at least one or two of these listed at a time, you can get things flowing again in no time.
Immerse yourself in the Arts
Step outside your area of interest. Read a book that intrigues you within or outside of your creative field. Go see a movie (one with some artistic integrity). Take a visit to the local art gallery. Listen to a genre of music that you haven’t explored before. Try your hand at photography. All of these activities outside of your immediate interests can inform your creative work in new ways.
Collaborate
Two minds (or three or four) are always better than one. Don’t underestimate the power of sharing ideas and collaborating with other creative minds in your field. Surround yourself with people who challenge you to get better.
Disconnect
Step away from the computer screen. Turn off social networking. Put your phone on “Do Not Disturb”. Try it.
Challenge yourself
Approach your creative work in new and challenging ways. Limit yourself in terms of what tools you can use or what palette you can create from. Sometimes limitations can spark entirely new creative processes.
Don’t overthink it
The most detrimental thing for a creative person is getting in your own head too much about your work. Have fun, do your best, release it to the world and move on. Making decisions and committing to your work is the only way to move forward and get better. Failure is okay and unavoidable. Good news – You’ll learn a lot from it and it will inform your future work.