GETTING OUT OF A CREATIVE RUT

The creative rut is real. Sometimes there isn't any motivation to create or to feel like you are good enough to put something out there into the world. I've seen myself get caught into this type of rut all too often, but a little while back all that started to change.

Photos by Katheryn Moran Photography

Sometimes I find it really easy to create a lot of new art pieces or come up with new design ideas, but over time I've learned that these moments of inspiration fade. As a creative entrepreneur I can't let myself sit in these ruts for very long. I have had to teach myself to stay disciplined and inspired. 

So how do you find inspiration when you are feeling anything but inspired? Well to me the answer became pretty simple. 

Create

When you begin to create, even when the natural inspiration isn't there, you begin to push yourself to create new things. For me it challenged my mindset that everything I create needs to be for something or have a purpose. This began to instill an unhealthy view on the creative process. It began to stunt my creativity and originality, rather than free me up to create, So out of frustration and possibly a glass of wine, I began to purge myself from these frustrating ruts.

Here are 3 simple tips I found helpful to step out of my bad habits. 

1. Create for the sake of creating. Free yourself up to create anything, fall in love with the process, the good and bad. Embrace the creative process and don't shy away from teachable moments when things don't go perfectly. 

2. Give yourself challenges. Last year I bought myself a small art notebook. I felt like I was in an artistic rut, everything I was creating felt the same. So I challenged myself to start an art journal, but in this art journal I could only use my ink pens and I had to find a way to "complete" whatever I started sketching. At first this was really difficult because I had gotten so used to finding creative expression in the form of acrylic painting. I got really frustrated that I couldn't translate my thoughts on to paper the way I usually could. However, in the end I look forward to grabbing my pen and anticipated what would develop on those blank pages. 

3. Look for inspiration in everyday moments. When I'm in a creative rut I loose sight of what inspires me. I forget that there is inspiration in everything around me. From the scenery on your drive to work to the laughter on the faces of your friends and family. I started becoming that annoying person snapping pictures on my phone at anything that caught my attention. I began to see all the areas that brought me joy and inspiration. I saw colors differently when I looked at the meals we were creating, I saw sunsets differently and I realized how precious little everyday moments are with family. 

So what I have I learned to get out of a creative rut? Don't focus on the rut, but rather look above and beyond the rut to something beautifully freeing. To begin to create pretty things as well as sometimes very ugly things that won't see the light of day, but never the less create. Whether you are a writer, artist, chef, don't forget to create & embrace the process.