Are You Stuck Creatively? Try This Simple Method

In this post, I'm going to share with you an example of how you can untangle yourself when you are stuck creatively.

The technique that is used here is a form of clean language, that is, you use a form of neutral questions with yourself to dissolve creative obstacles. The most important thing here is to avoid judgment or shaming and have a calm conversation with yourself.

The only way to do this exercise is to play both parts of the conversation and you have to write it down in some shape or form. If you do not write it down, then this method won’t work. Writing it down creates a frame for your thoughts to sit and dissolve in the sunshine of your benign self-attention. It’s also important that you keep this informal, don’t correct spelling errors or chase high or low caps, etc.

I recommend using this method when you feel stuck and say 'hi' to yourself. I also recommend only doing this for about 3-5 minutes. The example here below was done in 3 minutes:

EXAMPLE: GOOD REPETITION, BAD REPETITION

Alright, let’s see.
- We have all this material in several places. We’d like to ‘collect it and structure it’
How does that feel at the moment?
- Confusing
And what about ‘confusing’ to want to ‘collect and structure’ your material, how does that feel?
- tense
And where is the tension?
- in my shoulders
And what more do you know about tension in shoulders?
- I want to take more breaks and do things differently
When you take more breaks, how does ‘do things differently’ look like or feel?
- Not sure, maybe just, I don’t know, identify a limitation that is stopping me from moving forward
And when you find the limitation that is stopping you from moving forward, how will that feel?
- Good, light, non tension, because I know where to place things
After you feel good and know where to place things, how will that look like?
- Good, light and no tension - but only challenging because then it becomes a little boring
What about that challenge ‘becomes a little boring’?
- repetition
And what about ‘repitition’ is boring?
- I’ll be doing the same thing over and over again
And if you do the same thing over and over again, what will that look like?
- I’ll feel better, because that is what is required for what I want to achieve
And if you feel better after doing the same thing over and over again, how will that feel?
- doing things over and over again in repetition will feel good because it will get me there