The Ebb and Flow of Creativity: In and Out of the Rut
I find myself in this space quite frequently, but the longer I stay here, the harder it gets to get out of it. The haunting thoughts of perfection, or sometimes, just paralysis.
I seem to manage pretty well at the end of the year, maybe because the perfection bug has worn off. And then, bam! January arrives, armed with shiny resolutions and whispered anxieties about measuring up… only just to be stuck because you can't find the perfect way to start. It's enough to make you want to hibernate until March, make the desire to be perfect will be gone by then.
It's almost February. I spent weeks dreading that January transformation, the pressure to hit the ground running with a masterpiece would choke the life out of my creativity. Every blank page felt like a judgy emoji staring me down, and the only thing I'd produce was paralysis.
My process, I am currently writing myself out of this rut through this article. Perfection is a mythical beast, just as real as creatively-fulfilling unicorns (though wouldn't they be awesome muses?). Instead of chasing perfection, I'm trying to befriend imperfection, treating it like a wacky travel buddy who might lead me down unexpected, but ultimately awesome, paths. Start with a messy doodle, a wonky sentence, a half-baked idea. Letting the pressure go, and just get something, anything, out there. Trying all this hoping that these "imperfect" beginnings blossom into something beautiful.
Starting is the hardest part, but surely once I've taken that first step, the momentum builds. Maybe like rolling a snowball downhill. That tiny, imperfect clump gathers more and more snow as it rolls, becoming a magnificent, unstoppable creative snowball. Just need to give it that initial push.
Here's how I am working my way out of this rut:
Set small, achievable goals: Forget the "write a masterpiece" pressure. Break your big dreams into bite-sized chunks. "Write one sentence today" sounds doable, right? And before you know it, you've got a paragraph, then a page, then BAM! An article!
Playtime is prime time: I channel my inner five-year-old. Silly doodles, off-key shower singing, and impromptu dance parties become creativity catalysts. Sometimes, silliness is the secret ingredient that unlocks the door to my imagination.
Don't compare your starting point to someone else's finish line: We all have our own creative journeys. Comparing yourself to others is like trying to race a snail while riding a unicorn. You're both awesome, but moving at different speeds. Focus on your own path and celebrate your own progress.
We don’t always have it together as creatives, but sometimes we find our own processes out of this creativity paralysis.
