The end is in sight friends as we embark on part 9/10 in this series about dissolving creative blocks. Keep your eyes on the prize and absorb the topic to get rewarded with a delicious journal prompt at the end.
It doesn’t matter how good someone’s intentions are, if they frequently interrupt your creative flow, I’d consider them a creative block.
There’s so many different ways people can distract you from what you want to be working on – and it’s not usually their fault.
Today’s Creative Urge dares to ask the question: how can you maintain and nurture relationships when they’re the reason you’re not creating?
The ones we love are our mediators
Without meaning to, the people in our lives can becomes our biggest creative blocks. This is especially true for women (hello kids and domestic labour).
So what can you do when the person you adore pulls you away from your goals, showers you in affection or whisks you away on an adventure?
You let them.
If you start blaming your nearest and dearest for your lack of creative expression, you’re going to get resentful. And that, my friend, is a path well left alone.
Setting gentle boundaries and reciting them often is how you find a balance, like:
“On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 5-7pm I’m working on my manuscript – do not disturb”
“When you see THAT door closed, it means I’m in creation mode”, or even
“If you give me the next 2 hours, I’ll give you the next 3.”
It’s not easy juggling everything, but it won’t help if you overestimate the time you have and underestimate the support you’ve got.
The ones we admire are mirrors
When I look to creative people I admire, like Elizabeth Gilbert, what I’m really seeing is the type of creative human I want to be. She mirrors back to me the parts of myself I love the most – but often the parts that don’t get enough airtime.
The same is true for people in our daily lives, too. You know, the ones you meet that you instantly gravitate to who seem to just ‘get it’ when you start rambling on about what you’re working on?
We often get blocked without even realising it by not letting the best parts of ourselves out to play. You ARE as creative as your heroes, but you might be clinging to an older version of you who’s still afraid to be seen because it’s safer.
It’s not your fault, but spend more time with and around the people you admire to start unfurling your next ‘you’.
The ones we dislike are symbols
By far one of my favourite creative blocks is jealous – when we covet or even get mad about someone else’s success or work.
When this happens, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily a bad person: it means you’re human and there’s an invitation laid out before you.
The people we despise or become jealous of can show us, very accutely, what it is we desire. It’s not always the case, but when it comes to creative work, it almost always is!
So next time you see a painting, music video or business that brings the Green Monster out to play, take note: it may just be the key to your unblocking!
Journal prompt
How can you embody the best traits of the 5 people you love the most this week every time you sit down to create?
Creatively yours,
Dr Maz xoxo
PS: There’s still time to upgrade your free subscription to The Creative Urge and lap up the 20% discount. Not only will you be supporting my dreams, you’ll also get access to other creative brains like yours who are keen to get unstuck and turn their lives into Art.