Blog Post

When in Doubt, Create

Kayla Cote van Rensburg • March 13, 2019

How to get your creative groove back

The last few months many challenges have crossed my path, and at the forefront of those challanges has been my ongoing lackluster in creativity. Like many of us, I've been at my wits end trying to not only make sense of it, but to also get myself out of it.

What happened was I lost all confidence in myself as a creative, and at one point actually wished I wasn't a creative. That thought in itself scared me, because I felt compelled to push myself away from my own true identity (which is a huge no-no!) I was dissatisfied with myself as a creative because I wasn't what I considered to be perfect . Sadly, I had been in this mindset for the better of four months. Finally, two weeks ago I got to a point where I was fed up with focusing on my inadequacies. I stopped caring what people thought about me, especially my negative inner voice who seemed as though she had been screaming through a microphone.

Enough was enough

I finally found a glimpse of hope. I finally found a glimpse of hope. Although I was creativity debilitated and unsure of anything anymore, I managed to take the first step in the right direction.I stopped beating myself up for imperfections and created anyway and with every negative thought I had in my head, I reacted in opposition. I ignored the inner voice that told me I wasn't the best photographer, designer and communicator. I lined up photoshoots, redesigned my website and put myself out there again. I stopped reacting to my crippling fear of not making money and instead decided to give freely.

Positivity started to snowball

It didn't take long before I was creating again. I disciplined myself to create daily, even if I didn't feel like it, or that it wasn't worth it, or the weather was bad or any other lame excuse that popped up in my head.I stepped up to the table against my inner voice, reached out, scheduled shoots and with the help of other talented individuals, made creative goodness happen.

The lessons learned

Creative ruts happen to all of us at some time in our life. This one taught me a lot. It taught me to persevere even when I didn't want to. It taught me the value of community, because it's important to hear other voices than our own sometimes. It also taught me to try something new even though it can be scary.

My advice, keep going, keep doing and put that inner voice in perspective. Keep venturing onward in your creative pursuits.

Tips to help you get started

If your inner voice is negative, it can hold you back from accomplish your dreams and goals. I like to journal it out and re-read what I write. If what I write is negative, I need to nix it quick, and move on to step 2.

When I find myself stumped in my creativity, I reach out to a network of people who I trust and who lift me up when I need a creative boost. They're idea-generating, go-getting individuals who fill the gaps of where I lack. Having this network of people helps rid loneliness, aids in productivity and gives perspective. Stick with people who build you up, and move to step 3.

Now that you've been given a lift, it's your turn to return the favor. When I live with giving in the forefront, I live more joyful and fulfilled. Sometimes I get lost in the motions, and forget about the heart. Giving restores meaning back into my work and, in turn, gives me momentum to move forward, and onto my final step.

When momentum has you full-steam ahead, look for projects you enjoy doing. Make them fun, laugh and enjoy the experience you have. Collaborate with people you love, brainstorm and turn ideas into action. Lift each other up with a fun, collaborative experience.

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