Welcome to a new series I’ve been cooking up to help you blast through creative blocks and get unstuck when you feel like your creative work is turning into quicksand.
Across the next 10 weeks, I want to show you, through my own experience, how I’ve navigated the hardest and most sticky parts of my creative work. Why?
Because if I just told you what to do, you wouldn’t do it. It’s easy to read content that’s didactic and immediately forget about it (GUILTY) – but a personal story? That shit lingers.
I’ll also finish each part of the series with a journal prompt so you can take things one step further (because I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t take every chance to bang on about journaling, lol).
Today’s Creative Urge explores why the block is the thing and how, as the quote goes, ‘the magic you’re looking for is in the work you’re avoiding’.
The block might not be what you think it is
Back in 2014, a year into my PhD project, I had been blocked on the direction of my project. Too many options, too many potential pathways to walk down and too many ideas.
The faculty panel at my Confirmation of Candidature presentation said that in order to move forward I had to choose just one to dig into. Which, as a multi-passionate creative, felt like a punch in the guts (what do you mean I can’t do everything all at once?!).
As I sat with that info, the Universe threw me an absolute curveball: three days later, my mum died. For those of you who don’t know this part of my story, my mum was an alcoholic and part of the spiciness of my childhood trauma.
Now, at the best of times, losing her would’ve been enough. But my research was very personal and at a critical juncture… and, sadly, her departure laser-focused my approach.
What if the creative block can be blasted by taking something away?
Lexi, my PhD supervisor, asked me one of the most powerful questions I’ve ever been asked:
“What are you going to make of this?”
This wasn’t the first time I intimately understood that ‘the block is the thing’ (more on that in the coming weeks). What I was being called to do was tell the story of what I went through with mum in order to process and come to terms with what happened.
That in order for my creative research to make sense to me and advocate for the power of lived experience, I had to go there.
I’m not suggesting that someone needs to die in order for creative work to happen. I don’t wish this experience on anyone, EVER. But what I DO wish is that you recognise the moments in your life where you’re being asked to lean into the uncomfortable territory of a creative block.
For it’s only by facing our blocks head-on can we move back into flow and finish what we start. And friends, anything (read: ANYTHING) that isn’t giving you energy has the potential to freeze and turn into a block.
Journal prompt
What, in your life, are you avoiding because it’s heavy, uncomfortable or painful to feel?
Creatively yours,
Dr Maz xoxo
PS: After you attack that journal prompt, I highly recommend dancing it all out of your body to one of your favourite songs. My pick? This 90s banger.
I love that you reframed block as getting stuck in the title.
I also think that the moment of insight of leaning in into uncomfortable territory is brilliant!
So much food for creativity! Very inspiring..
Excited to follow the series.
This is so powerful, Marion! I knew I avoided emotions with various external things, but I never contemplated how those emotions could show up in my work. Loving this series!