Episode 79: Creative Blocks
Transcript
00:06
Hi, I'm Thea Charles. And this is the push or pivot podcast. This podcast has interviews, stories and tools to inspire and guide you to put your fear aside and trust yourself through the push and pivots of your life.
00:34
Creative blocks, we all have them. It's when you feel that you have a barrier to inspiration, kind of like not knowing what to say on your next podcast episode. Yes, this episode is brought to you by a creative block. Often we hear about creative blocks when people are discussing artists, writers and musicians. But artistic endeavors are not the only place where people are creative. There's creativity in business in science, and even math. Just think of the ways that a scientist or mathematician has to think outside of the box to solve a problem. I started my professional life in a laboratory. And there were plenty of times we had to get creative to solve new problems that we had not encountered before. Sometimes these blocks come from self doubt in ourselves. Other times, it could be from trying to live up to the expectations of others. Have you ever been congratulated on a job well done, and told how excited someone was to see you do it again, now that the bar has been set, there's a feeling that we have to surpass ourselves, the next time we perform. In past episodes, we talked about blocks coming up due to feeling like we have to be perfect. And for some, the self doubt comes from feeling not worthy of the task, feeling like an imposter. Okay, so now that we've established that these blocks can come up in many different places, and have different triggers, how do we get out of them, some of us will have to simply take a break, go outside, do something fun, and basically forget about the project and come back with a fresh mind. Another person will just start, start writing what comes to mind, or start creating and see if the inspiration comes from doing. Another person may remind themselves of the things they like to do, and what they feel confident in doing. And then simply do that. They recognize that they might keep what they create, or throw it out. And if other ideas come up along the way, that's a bonus. stepping away from the idea of having to come up with something new, can free your mind to unconsciously work out the problem. Now, there's also people that need to speak. And you may need to call on your friends to talk things out, or just talk to yourself in the mirror. Basically, at the end of the day, do what feels right for you. Here are some of my personal strategies. And I'll be honest with you, I never thought of them as strategies before this podcast. My walkaway technique is to do puzzles. I love games like Sudoku, it clears my mind. And then when I go back to my project, I feel fresh. If I have a speaking engagement, I plan it by talking to myself. I talk to myself in the shower on car rides, wherever and then boom idea start to rush. I also remind myself that I am capable. And I know that if I've done something once I can do it again, I just need to give myself time and space. As I mentioned at the beginning of this episode, I was lacking inspiration for this episode. I had no idea what we'll be talking about. And I was pretty close to deciding to skip the week. But then I decided to use the block as my inspiration and just start writing and reminded myself not to get stuck in perfection. So when was the last time you had a creative block? What did you do to clear them? And are there any new strategies that you'll try the next time you feel stuck? Thank you for listening to the push or pivot podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, hit the subscribe button. And please leave us a review. To learn more about the show and to access the show notes. Visit our website, push or pivot.com I'd also love to hear from you. Share your thoughts and takeaways with me on Instagram at pusher pivot. Thank you for listening, and join me next time on the push or pivot podcast.