One Simple Strategy To Break Out of a Creative Writing Funk
When was the last time you were in a creative funk?
If you’re in one now, good news! If you’ve ever been there, you know it sucks. Bookmark this post for when the muse takes a hike.
You know the feeling of a creative funk…
You stare at a blank page for hours. You hammer out 100 words painstakingly, and then you sit back to look at it, scratch your head, and delete it all, thinking, “This is stupid.”
Start over, grab a snack.
This is too hard.
You consider turning on Netflix and zoning out for the day.
To get out of this funk, you know you need some fresh inspiration.
And that inspiration is not going to come from your Instagram feed, Pinterest, your overflowing email inbox, the pile of dishes in the sink, or staring at your belly button.
👉 That fresh perspective is going to come from looking at new things.
New experiences, free ones, that can also be super easy. You don't need to drive an hour to your city's museum, visit an art gallery, trek to a craft show, or even spend a weekend at an antique fair.
Here's what I’d love for you to do. I got this idea from one of my mastermind sisters. I love her big brains and this practical tip, so I'm sharing it with you.
What to do: All you need to do is, for the next 24 hours, go about your day with one simple intention.
The intention that you’ll look for and notice new things along your usual route and routine. Of course, you can change up the route you take on the way home tonight, start at a different end of the grocery store, or walk in the opposite direction around the block than you normally do.
And all you need to do is be aware of and notice new things.
When you do this, I promise you will notice at least a handful of things--probably much more, that are new to you that you've never noticed before.
This is where the magic is. When you notice things that you've never noticed before, you're creating new pathways in your brain.
I'm not a brain scientist, but my brainy friends tell me this stuff. I’ve tried it, and it works.
The simple idea of noticing new things during your every day will redirect your focus and eventually lead to new ideas.
When getting out of town or exploring a new city isn’t feasible for your schedule and you need to get out of a creative funk, I encourage you to simply go about your day with the clear and simple intention of noticing things you haven't noticed before.
That’s it. No forcing your findings into something new. Simply noticing is enough. Noticing is the work.
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