Creativity Information

7 Things Sapping Your Creativity Right Now


This was a very easy article to write. I was late in getting started this month, and as my publication deadline got closer and I could no longer wait until I "felt" like writing an article, I was forced to sit down and do it. In doing it, I thought about the last month (when I meant to be getting started on this as well as other creative projects), and I identified seven things that have gotten in the way of my creativity. Maybe you'll see yourself in some of these.

1. Not getting enough sleep - I noticed this one the most when I DID finally get a good, long sleep (the night before writing this, actually). All of a sudden my muse was speaking to me again (see below for more on that), the day looked positive and full of promise and I was open to the ideas that are always flowing around me. And I just plain felt good! Sleep is something I write and speak a lot about, and it's still a practice I need to consciously keep up so I don't slip back into bad habits.

2. Trying to do it alone - Bouncing ideas off someone else is invaluable to me. When I stop before I start (see below), and I don't consult or collaborate with others, I miss out on the collective voices that are available to me. Just hearing my own telling of an idea - reading it aloud or describing it - can be enough. Any feedback or new ideas is a bonus. If the idea is really fresh and precious, I may ask the listener not to give feedback, and let them know I just need a sounding board at this point.

3. Stopping before I start - Not carrying out my creative projects because of self-doubt, real or imagined obstacles, perfectionism or generalized fear. When it came to writing today's article, I had to "Just Start".

4. Poverty mentality -It's very constricting to be worried about money all the time. I'm doing a lot of reading and learning about this topic right now - I'm sure I'll be able to share more in future issues.

5. A cluttered work/living space - It's been over two years since I finished my first major de-cluttering and it's time for another one! Exciting! While my living space has stayed tidy, some clutter (things I don't need, use or love) has crept back in and is starting to gnaw at me.

6. Disconnection from my inner wisdom - When I'm rested and feeling well, I can much more easily tap into the ideas that are flowing around me. Whether it's being open to something useful in an article I'm reading, or just listening for the solution of that problem I've been struggling with for a few days (and really, it just "came to me"), the answers are there.

7. Disconnection from my body - If I'd been paying closer attention to my body's needs, I think I would have arranged sooner for some nights of extra sleep. I need to listen to the messages my body is sending me - do I feel nourished by the food I'm eating (or am I getting hungry too often), am I hydrated (or do I feel thirsty or light-headed, or is my skin extra-dry)? Am I showing physical signs of stress - muscle tightness, shallow breathing or headaches? My body will reward me if I listen to it, use common sense and give it what it wants.

If you saw yourself in some of these examples, take heart. Awareness is the most important step for change to take place. To look in more detail at your self-care habits, take the free quiz on the "Resources" page of my website.

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, helps artists enhance their creativity by addressing their unique self-care issues. If you want to read more about what might be getting in the way of your creativity, sign-up for the Roadblocks to Creativity e-course - it's free! And it includes a subscription to Everyday Artist, Linda's monthly email newsletter. Grab it now by visiting http://www.genuinecoaching.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Gamasutra

DICE 2012: Activision's Hirshberg believes creative people should lead companies
Gamasutra
“I have more in common with the studios and creative heads at Activision than with my peers,” Hirshberg posed, noting that he went to art school, not business school. Regarding his role, among the executive community “there's at worst some skepticism, ...
Activision Blizzard's CEO Discusses Q4 2011 Results - Earnings Call TranscriptSeeking Alpha

all 207 news articles »


Young inventors show off their creativity
Northwest Cable News
Forty-two elementary students from Cynthia Mann and White Pine brought inventions that showcased their knowledge and abilities in science, math, art, design and creativity. "Some of them you can actually take their plans from their journals and from ...

and more »


NOLA.com

Mardi Gras parade throws continue to push the envelope of creativity
NOLA.com
By Michelle Krupa, The Times-Picayune If you thought the blare of vuvuzelas — those long plastic horns that last year became the prized throws of several Mardi Gras organizations — gave you a headache along the parade routes, just wait until the ...
Creativity floats Krewe's boatMonroe News Star
Smaller krewes have big impact on Mardi GrasCBS News

all 348 news articles »


MCCC President Dr. Karen A. Stout to Lead 'Creative MontCo' Initiative
Patch.com
Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Community College Montgomery County Community College President Dr. Karen A. Stout has been appointed as Chair of Creative MontCo, a civic initiative that strives to shape the cultural and economic future of ...



Creativity, strong support system make for thriving city
Las Vegas Sun
And although the suffering of the hungry, foreclosed and underwater homeowners goes on, we may be seeing — barely visible, like spring tulips fighting to get out of the ground after a brutal winter — a period of creativity and innovation both in our ...

and more »


Epitome of creativity
Himalayan Times
The works on exhibition are the result of Drdak's creative thesis where she has used traditional Newari repousse techniques to create contemporary expressive forms, mixing them within the paint surface. About the meeting and working with Drdak, ...



Creative Destruction: An Interview with Rising Hip-Hop Artist Dunson
Washington Informer
Dunson's Creative Destruction mixtape series were all exceptional pieces of work that solidified him as a force to be reckoned with in the Hip-Hop ring. However, he's learning that they were only sparring sessions in preparation for the 'beautiful ...



New troupe's debut a Spark of creativity
Victoria Times Colonist
By Amy Smart, Times Colonist February 11, 2012 Dyana Sonik-Henderson, foreground, leads Broken Rhythms, a new dance company that gives its debut performance Saturday as part of the You Show at Intrepid Theatre. Tickets: $17 at the door or by email from ...

and more »


Actress' role of a lifetime: Being a mentor
CNN
Editor's note: This is the fifth in a weekly series on characteristics of creativity. Next week's piece will focus on jazz saxophonist Grace Kelly and prodigies. New York (CNN) -- When Bradley Cooper appeared on Bravo's "Inside the Actors Studio" last ...

and more »


PsychCentral.com

Anyone can learn to be more inventive, says UMass Amherst cognitive researcher
Eureka! Science News
There will always be a wild and unpredictable quality to creativity and invention, says Anthony McCaffrey, a cognitive psychology researcher at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, because an "Aha moment" is rare and reaching it means overcoming ...
Improving Innovation by Reinterpreting the FamiliarPsychCentral.com

all 3 news articles »

Google News

home | site map | Ocean Art
© 2006