Are any of you experiencing a dry spell in your creativity? (it’s a long one today :))

For the last four months I’ve been working hard at creating a whole new side to our business that will impact women nationwide, and on top of that finishing the book a few weeks ago, in my head I expected to feel dry…but I wasn’t completely honest with how I had put a time limit on how long I would allow myself to feel dry.  Sure, a week of feeling uninspired is rational and totally expected after months of focused writing and creating.  But when my creative spirit didn’t feel ready to go a week later, or the week after that, OR THE WEEK AFTER THAT!, I realized I needed to readjust my expectations.

As many of you can see, I haven’t been as frequent on the blog the last couple of weeks.  This is such a great lesson for me.  I knew I needed to take some time away from the blog, but I didn’t think I would need to take enough time off to formally schedule that or even announce that.  I figured I could just make due–do just enough to keep getting by, without any real hiccups.  It causes me to ask the question, ‘how else am I giving “just enough” in my life and telling myself otherwise?’  Anyone relate?

It wasn’t until we took the kids camping, and I found myself having more fun than ever with a Point and Shoot camera that I realized I was a bit dry.

I think it’s easy to get comfortable with our mediums for creativity.  A DSLR, pen and notebook are my main mediums for expressing my creativity, but there is a time when I need to mix it up.

With intention, I’ve been pushing myself to take more photos with my iPhone and the underwater Point and Shoot that SONY sent earlier this summer.  These are two options that I wouldn’t necessarily reach for if I saw a moment that I wanted to capture.  But it’s been good to get out of my comfort zone, leave my DSLR, and remember how to play again with a tool that is different on so many levels.  The act of creating can get so serious–without us even realizing it–and when the creative process starts to feel strained something is off. I’m not saying creative work isn’t work because I’ll be the first to say “It’s a LOT of hard work!  Especially when it’s your profession.”  But we all know that feeling we get when we feel off centered, we feel like we are squeezing creativity out of a well that has been dry for longer than we care to acknowledge.

I want to be like the rocks that are submerged in the river’s bed.  I want to reflect light and shadow, and feel the cold mountain water wash over me.  I want to be a part of the song that the river sings; I want to help others sing.

But instead of being intentional about keeping myself in the river, keeping my creative spirit fed, washed and cared for, I’ve been baking in the sun.  There is no shadow here, no water that reflects the lines of light, no refreshing, cold chill that awakens me.

My quest these next few weeks…how do I get back in the river. That’s what I’m blogging about this week.  And as we go, I would love to hear how you keep your creative spirit in the river.  And then in a couple weeks, I’m going to have the blog go dark until September.  No posting for a few weeks, as I feel an invitation to trust–to let go of all the stats that can sink when you do this and instead trust again that there is truth to be found in the dark.  Before the blog goes dark, I’ll leave you all with a question.  But for now–let’s help each other get back in the river.

xo,

m