Breaking Through Creative Road Blocks

Breaking through creative road blocks doesn't have to involve a sledge hammer

Creative beings all have one thing in common - the need to create.   Some of us create on a regular basis as a part of our daily routine, while others create in bursts of inspiration.  I have done both at various times, and go through various modes of creativity at different times in my life.  I mostly just do what my life at the time naturally enables me to do.  Having three young kids, of which one lives with autism, provides a certain type of structure that may cause some limitations for me.  If utilized correctly however, this enables me to channel my creative energy at designated times of the day.  I have learned quickly to utilize my quiet hours as my precious creative time.

The one thing that we all share in the creative process, is that we all run into some creative road blocks from time to time.  We all have our personal ways of getting around and pushing through these types of barriers.  Over the years, my creative process has gone through various shifts.  I've been able to get out of creative road blocks more swiftly than in my younger years.  I've done this mostly, by recognizing what I'm going through during my creative cycle, and by being able to fluctuate along with my mood and state of energy at any given point.  I try to recognize when I need to push myself, and when to take it easy, and give myself a mental break.  I find that I'm most fulfilled in my life when I am able to achieve a balance within my creative process.  This rings true as an overall balance in my life as a mom, wife, homemaker, teacher and overall creative being.

The two new-ish things that I've started over the past year, have been my return to art, and over the past few of months, I also began blogging.  Through the process of writing about our family experience, I have found a new creative outlet in writing and advocating for autism acceptance:  Lily and the Roses ~ Creativity with Autism Twins and Military Adventures  (lilybrose1948.blogspot.com)  I also started my second blog here, Creationlily, where I focus on my personal creativity through displaying my art, writing, music compositions, and travel photography.

As always, when starting something new, we can face the element of fear.  Especially as adults, by the time we're in our 30s or 40s and older, we get set in our ways.   We come to a point where we know what we are naturally good at, and what doesn't come so easily to us.  We all have our comfort zones and limitations.  The idea of trying something new can often seem either exciting or scary and intimidating, and maybe it's some of both.

My journey through our family life with twins and autism has broken down many personal barriers for me.  It has enabled me to view creativity in a new light.  Some of the things that this journey has taught me, is to grow thicker skin, and not worry about what others think.  I have also taken on this mindset in my creative process.  Doing so, has taken the pressure of being a perfectionist off the table for me.  This has been extremely liberating, I must say.  It has also taught me that we all learn in different ways and see things differently.  What works for someone who is neuro-typically developed will probably not work with someone living with special needs.  This holds true to breaking through creative road blocks.  A strategy that works for one, may not work for the other.  Therefor, we need to have more then one way to get through this barrier, especially if we are teachers.

In my post from my blog Lily and the Roses: Inside - Outside - On Top of the Box (http://lilybrose1948.blogspot.com/2012/11/inside-outside-on-top-of-box.html) I discuss how parents of kids living with autism have to think outside of the box, while problem solving for strategies.  I believe that this practice of problem solving parenting and having to think outside the box has enabled me to transfer this type of thinking into my creative process.  This has taken off the pressure of achieving perfection, following the rules, and stepping out of the box to see things more clearly. I have therefor, become more self reliant in coming up with solutions for creative burnout and road blocks.  In the past, as a student, I would have perhaps relied on a teacher or mentor to guide me through this process.  At this point in my life, I have now become my own guide.  I am now able to have an internal dialogue in my head about problem solving creative strategies.  This is the time when student becomes teacher.  This is not to say that as teachers, we don't need from time to time, a second pair of ears to listen to us during our creative journey; someone else to offer support and encouragement.

 On our wintry drive to Pittsburgh, 

somewhere in Virginia

 

My 10 favorite creativity road block breaking tips:

1) Mind your mindset
I love Einstein's quote: "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."  This quote often comes to my mind when I get into the mode of thinking outside the box, and breaking through creative road blocks.   To me, this means looking at something in a different angle; something that we haven't yet tried.  Because we are creatures of habit, we may get comfortable with a certain creative style and use it, but then, are we maximizing our ability to really create?  Be open minded to trying new creative things and don't be afraid to try a different approach.  You never know where this could lead you.....

2) Leave perfectionism outside your door
Getting a project to the state of what you deem as perfection can take a very long time, causing you meanwhile to miss out on other creative opportunities.  You can always come back to revisit your work at another time, because it is not set in stone.  If you think of the creation process as a birthing process, then you can be in for a long haul.  Getting ideas from other smaller projects or another simultaneous project, can sometimes re-ignite that old creative flame, and give you a spark of more ideas.

3) Don't be afraid to make mistakes
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."  This Einstein quote really resonates the idea of not being afraid to make mistakes.  It is in those moments when we make mistakes, that we can choose to pivot onto new paths.  At this pivotal juncture, we may take the next turn to our project that we have otherwise had not found, had we followed the rules.

4) Technical strategies
Use little basic technical strategies previously learned to temporarily get out of a rut.  Ironically, the more advanced I get as a composer, I feel more comfortable relying on these kind of strategies.  This is probably because when I was younger I relied more on my creative intuition.  I enjoy being open to switching things up and having a hat full of ideas, to help me break through any road blocks, not having to rely too heavily on any given one at any given point.  Over the years, as you develop your technique and acquire your skill set in your creative field, you add more creative vocabulary cards to that hat.  Be able to reach in there, and pull out those tools when the situation calls for it.

5) Sleep on it
Revisit your "canvas" with a fresh pair of eyes.  No matter what your media may be, our brain keeps ticking while we rest.  I can recall a multitude of times where I woke up in the middle of the night, hearing vibrant music in my head.  The creative process can also need some "hands off" time to rest - as long as you don't let that be an indefinite period.

6) Sketch/Improvise
Sketch several scenarios and come back to them after a break with a clearer mindset.  Then choose which one speaks to you the most.  Make a decision, and compete the task.  For me, improvisation is the utmost elevated process of letting go, and being creative.  It is the process of making stuff up on the spot with the current skills and tools that we have, and going with our gut and intuition.  Don't be afraid to do it - it's a very liberating experience.  Forget about rules.  Just go with it, and see where it leads you.  You never know what kind of wonderful creation awaits you just around the corner, perhaps just shortly after you've decided to give up.  I often compose my music by starting off with improvisation.  I then repeat my material several times, developing it throughout the repetitions.  When I arrive at something that really speaks to me, I then write it down and commit to it on paper.

7) Create, create, create
Don't wait to get inspired to complete the task.  Instead, find an easy short term solution and come back after a break.  You also don't have to come back and continue what you were working on from the same spot from which you left off.  You can choose to start at a new section with fresh ideas, while you process your previous incomplete section at a different pace.  Make a point to come back to it at a scheduled time.  I work really well with deadlines.  Knowing I have a deadline coming up enables me to pace myself accordingly and write out a doable schedule.  This enables me to reach my target.  Not having a deadline can leave things too open ended.  If you tend to procrastinate at all, this could be of great help to you.

8) Let's Talk
Develop an internal dialogue.  Let that little voice in your head bounce off ideas with you.  Talk things out - out loud.  Sometimes, hearing our own voice discussing an idea, helps bring it to life.   Do the same by putting it on paper, and discuss your ideas with a mentor or a friend.  If you are a list person, make a pros and cons list of what taking a certain rout in your work would entail.  You then have a concrete list right in front of you.  No need to remember all of the things you wanted to do.  It's all right there on paper, and enables you to visually weigh your possible options.

9) Shift gears
If you find that you're needing a long break, then find another creative outlet meanwhile.  This way, your mind is still in a creative process, while giving you a break from your main project.  Not doing anything creative, can lead to a very long pause.  This pause can result in months of lack of creativity, making it a big step to start creating again.  This can often cause us to feel down with a low sense of energy.  If one of the strategies you've tried doesn't work, then try some of the other ones, until you find one that works for you.  While one strategy may work at one time in your life, it may not at another, so keep cycling through them and trying new ones out. 

10) Don't apologise for your creation
If you are not hurting or offending anyone, don't apologise for what you are creating.  This means creating with genuine heart and integrity, creating with a clear and decisive point of view.  It means sticking to your vision no matter what, and following through to the end.  Don't allow yourself to get distracted with what others will think about your creation.  Those who criticize can wait until the creating is done to get in their two cents worth, and then you can choose to listen or not (if you are currently a student, you will have to modify this tip because you are working with a mentor).


Closing Thoughts
The times that I have created, either having just completed a piece, or during the creative birthing process itself, have been some of the best spiritual times in my life.  I hope that the tips that I've shared here are helpful to you in any way.  They are tips that I've either learned as a composition student or acquired along the years through creating in various genres.   While getting mentally stuck, sometimes we get all wrapped up in how to get out of a bind, often forgetting that it is an important learning aspect of the creative process.  If we can utilize some tools to get out of those binds, we can truly let ourselves fully enjoy that beautiful uplifting creative process, knowing that we are bringing something new to the world, as our personal gift of creation.  We are sharing with the world our unique personal voice.



3 recent travel photos at the Incline to Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN

City streets in Pittsburgh, PA January 2013

What are some of your personal strategies for breaking through creative road blocks? Feel free to share your ideas in my comments section bellow - I'd love to hear about your creative process.

Sending good vibes out your way

for your creative journey,

Creationlily