Creative Inspiration – 5 Ways to Reignite it

Struggling to finish things you once loved doing? You sit down to draw, but no ideas come. Writing just 2 lines is sheer exhaustion. That advert jingle needs to be thought through with the deadline fast approaching. If you relate to any of this, maybe your inner well of creative inspiration needs reigniting.

A creative block can be experienced by anyone.

Several writers, artists, musicians, and painters faced and overcame the creative block successfully. Leo Tolstoy, the famous writer, experienced writer’s block and couldn’t write at all for several years.

Beethoven, the music maestro, often struggled to compose, but from 1813 to 1820, he just wrote one string quartet – the Opus 95, two cello sonatas, the Hammerklavier, two piano sonatas, and a song cycle.

The painter Monet couldn’t draw anything for two years after his wife passed away in 1911.

This is natural. We think trying harder will move things along. Sometimes, resuming the activity after a couple of hours helps, other times there’s no progress at all – even after several days, months, or years. No amount of daily motivational affirmations helps. When every tried and tested cure to overcome the inspiration block fails, it’s time to think out of the box.

Here are 5 quirky tips to get those creative juices flowing:

Tip 1: Take a walk.

“If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence, we could rise up rooted, like trees.” – Rainer Maria Rilke, Bohemian-Austrian novelist and poet

Walking doesn’t have to be fancy. Just put on your walking shoes and reach your nearest park. Strolling amidst nature is therapeutic.

Tip 2:  Take a Shower.

The shower is another place where your creative block can surprisingly vanish. A cold shower releases the norepinephrine hormone that calms you down and allows you to think more clearly.

Give it a try.

Tip 3: Unwind.

If you’re getting overwhelmed with your creative block, there are various ways to relax your mind. For instance, ring up a friend. In the middle of small talk or a burst of laughter, a new idea just might drop. As simple as that. One moment you’re laughing, the next moment you’re jotting down pointers for the first chapter of your novel.

Tip 4: Leverage the power of observation.

“Always keep your eyes open. Keep watching. Because whatever you see can inspire you.” — Grace Coddington, Model and Creative Director

Well, you never know when creative inspiration strikes. Go to your favourite coffee shop or train station and observe the hustle and bustle for some time. You might meet the hero of your next bestseller.

Tip 5: Let it go.

If nothing works, exercise a little patience. Leave it to time to bring you up to speed. The mind works in mysterious ways. Trust what you do, and let things be for a while.

Which of these are you going to try? Share how you reignited your creative inspiration with us in comments.