Do you feel stuck? Do you have writer's block? Do you dread the blank canvas? Does the dance floor scare you? Are you just in a funk? Well, perhaps in pushing yourself to create and in focusing on only creating you forgot to take care of yourself.
Maybe you've convinced yourself that it's okay to be half asleep, hooked on coffee, living off candy bars, and physically unfit while you create. We've all heard of authors who wrote their best books while they were high. We've seen plenty of "behind the scenes" music specials about druggie rockers, and we've heard about various actors who had alcohol problems or eating problems.
Whether you realize it or not, you are an instrument of creation. So, a sleepy, nutrient deprived, addicted instrument cannot create very well can it? Instead of throwing the "B" word at you, balance, let's focus on the "H" word, health. Being healthy means difference things to different people. Perhaps you can't balance your schedule, but at least while you juggle the kids, the housework, the bills, and the deadline on your book, focus on being healthy while you are doing it.
What fuel are you putting in to your body? If you are totally numb from eating the standard American diet (SAD) of high fat foods, sugary treats, and salty snacks, then it's no wonder you can't create freely. Your poor brain is dying (probably literally) for some good fuel or food for thought (pun intended). Your entire system is lagging and you are probably so used to it being that way you hardly notice. Instead you lament your lack of inspiration or even motivation.
So, what to do? Get educated about health. Try adding more veggies into your diet. You know you should. We all know we should. I find when I'm eating junk food, the healthy food looks so boring. But for the past 5 days I've had nothing but veggies and fruit. What I've noticed? Life seems much cleaner and clearer. Another important fact is that I'm not suffering from an upset stomach that used to come from eating greasy fried foods. Now nothing stands in the way of me creating. Eat properly.
How about movement? Do you spend 8 hours on your butt at work only to drive home and sit some more? If your body is like a river, then it's definitely not flowing. Without movement, it's more like a puddle with all the sediment collecting on the bottom. Have you checked the size of your bottom lately? Get your energy flowing and go for a walk. Let your feet carry you along, let your mind soak up the sunshine, and let yourself take in the sights. Just moving will help you on so many levels. If anything, that stored up frustration from being blocked will be walked off. Get moving!
Are you thinking too much? Do you analyze every paint stroke, every dance move, ever wrong note in a song? Give your brain a rest! Trying to create when your brain is whirling like a record on high is impossible. There's no room for anything new to come in because your thoughts are going in circles. And since our primitive brains can't distinguish imagined emergencies from real emergencies, your adrenaline is pumping and you are stressing yourself out.
Now is the time to stop. Get out your journal and write write write. Julia Cameron is famous for her morning pages that she recommends in The Artist's Way. Start writing every day. Get the junk out of your head. Clearing out all these old thoughts is like emptying a cluttered room. Suddenly there's room to move, new ideas and flow in, you can breathe freely and actually appreciate the moment. Clear your mind.
Are you trying to do everything? Are you working on your business, your website, your clients, and your art? Every muscle in your body is probably scrunched to its limit. When was the last time you asked for help with something? Or do you prefer to do it all yourself? Whether you are a spiritual person or not, there is a lot to be said for surrendering. Taking care of yourself means letting people take care of you as well. Or if you are spiritual, let God, the Goddesses, the Divine, your higher self, your guides, your angels, or the universe give a helping hand. Creativity is a process and part of that process is letting go. Just try it. Ask for help and then surrender to it.
In conclusion, when you wish to create you must tend to all the aspects of your life. Eat properly. Get moving, Clear your mind. Ask for help. Then surrender!
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