The banes of my existence.
Here’s the scenario: you sit down to start a project for one of your favorite classes. You’re excited to start working on it so you pull up your lofi playlist, make some warm peppermint tea and sit down with your trusty pencil and paper, ready to take on the world…then there’s nothing.
This is often called writer's block. It is the treacherous enemy of writers, creators, and composers alike. In fact, the scenario described above is what had happened to me when I started this article. So, in spite of this, I'm going to cover how to get over writer's block, where it comes from, and the different ways to prevent it!
I interviewed a few friends, seeking out different methods for overcoming creative pitfalls, and I was pleasantly surprised with their answers:
“Simply getting that much-needed inspiration from the warmth of the sun, the light breeze, and the touch of grass gives me a sense of balance and peace I struggle to find anywhere else.”
This is what Natalie, a clarinetist and colleague of mine said in a conversation about ways to spark creativity and inspiration. Through my surveys, I’ve noticed a recurring idea: connect yourself to nature and activities that bring your mood up and bring fire to your soul.
There are many activities to help this process along! Taking walks, listening to music, meditating, and taking small breaks. All of these support a healthy functioning mind necessary for writing (and a lot of other things!).
Writer's block varies in intensity, from extreme to temporary and frustrating. But we aren't alone according to M. Castillo. In his article “Writer's Block,” he states, “In other languages, as in English, writer’s block appears to be related to premature editing and to a lack of strategies for dealing with complex writing tasks.” So, it seems that developing a structure or a basic blueprint for a project you’re working on might be the next best step. That is, after you take a journey through the great outdoors!
It's a given in this day and age to have a few roadblocks in the way of creative or complex tasks, but there is still hope! Structure and creative freedom in your day to day activities can lead the charge into a more rewarding and naturally productive lifestyle.
So whether it's a paper on the history of crocodile wrestling or a musical composition for a podcast, these are some things to keep in mind the next time you go to write anything down. Good luck and remember these things: take care of the body and the spirit will thrive. Spirit is where the original creativity in you can be found. True bliss is found here.