You know the feeling. You pick up the blank paper or canvas, fully expecting to create something amazing, but then nothing happens. You’re completely paralyzed.
Your mind starts racing and you think, “I used to be so creative. What happened?” Are you losing your creativity? Is creativity something you can even run out of?
Let me reassure you, your creativity has not been lost! Even when you feel you can’t create or come up with ideas, your creativity is still churning away inside you.
So, why won’t it come out?
What happened?
What is the REAL reason you can’t create?
It might sound silly to some, but the truth is:
Your creativity is hiding from you because it doesn’t feel SAFE.
Think of your creativity like a shy animal in the woods. It will not emerge from behind the trees until it feels safe enough to do so.
The question is, how are you creating that unsafe environment?
There are a lot of reasons why you can’t create, but two of the most common attitudes that create an unsafe environment for your creativity and the likely reason you can’t create anymore is because you are:
Placing too much pressure on a specific outcome.
When we demand our creativity produce a specific outcome, we don’t allow ourselves to feel comfortable with making mistakes. Creativity does not work like logic and intellect. It doesn’t unfold in a linear fashion. If you do not provide a safe space for yourself to explore, expand, and refine, then your creativity will refuse to play with you. Trying to get from A to Z without making a single mistake or deviating from the expected timeline is a lot of pressure on your creativity. Rather than motivate, this kind of pressure ends up squashing your courage to create at all.
Another way you’ve made it feel unsafe to create is because you are:
Comparing yourself to others.
Comparison is the kiss of death to any creative process because it requires that you buy into a lie. A lie that says your creativity it is not good enough. So rather than leave the door open for growth, you immediately cut off the creative flow. When you compare yourself to others, not only will your creativity refuse to perform for you in any capacity, but you will feel terrible about yourself in the process. It is a recipe for disaster and the only person you should ever compare yourself to is your past self, to cheer how far you’ve come.
So, now that you know the REAL reason your creativity is hiding from you (because it doesn’t feel safe), let’s talk about 5 ways you can give yourself a safe space to create!
Here are 5 ways you can fix it:
Promise yourself it is okay to mess up
This is not negotiable. Creation is not a clean process and your creativity needs to know it is okay to make mistakes and get messy. This is a simple but powerful truth, especially if you say it outloud to yourself before you begin any creative project. I think Ms. Frizzle captures it best.
Reduce the pressure on yourself by allowing more time to complete your project
Rather than tackling an entire project in one day, set yourself a manageable goal you know with 100% certainty you can meet. Chances are, you will exceed your goal and feel even more proud of yourself when you’re done. Note: this can only happen if the bar is low to begin with. If your self-imposed deadlines feel suffocating, throw yourself a life line and extend them.
Put your mind at ease
Creativity is supposed to be fun! Sometimes our mind can trick us into forgetting this. So distract your monkey mind by making your creative space fun to be in. Play music you enjoy, create outside in the sunshine, have a comforting object nearby. Whatever makes you feel more playful and open to creating, do it.
Invoke Sacred Creative Space
If you really want to raise the vibe of your creative process, make it a sacred time for yourself. Lock the door. Light a candle. Say a prayer or mantra (See Tip 5). Want a crash course in how to invoke sacred creative space? Watch my quick YouTube tutorial.
Read a Mantra
Mantras are phrases or statements that we say ceremoniously to invoke a certain frame of mind or feeling. It could be any phrase (or series of phrases) you resonate with, but I have designed the Official Awakened Creators Invocation to help you release fear and resistance so you can relax and open to unlimited creative possibilities. I use this invocation before starting ANY creative process, including working on Awakened Creators content. It works beautifully.
The original invocation has been enhanced to include a full 8-page guide explaining how to use it, and other steps you can take to release blocks that keep you from creating. Grab the Elevate & Create guide here.
Your creativity is a gift and, rest assured, not something you can lose. Save this blog article for the next time you feel you can’t create, to remind yourself the real reason why and how to fix it.
If you enjoyed this article, consider joining the Awakened Creators family so you can receive regular creative support and inspiration in your inbox! Also, check out the Awakened Creators YouTube channel and Instagram to continue elevating your creative process. Namaste!
