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Strategies to break out of a creative rut

If something keeps getting in your way when you sit down to write, you’re not alone. These moments happen (often), and it’s part of the work to know what you can do to show up anyway. It doesn’t matter how you crawl out of a non-writing writing hole, but the important thing is that you do. You can. And you will.

Here’s a list of 10 ways you can help yourself out of any writing rut:

  1. Write for one. Stop thinking about an entire audience. Write for one person. Think about what they want to hear, what they are excited to read about, what they need to succeed.
  2. Test something. Observe your blogs, social media content, and emails. Which stories fail? Which aspects get results? Use a variety of writing tactics and watch what lands.
  3. Show up. Instead of striving for “A” work, let yourself pass with a “C.” It doesn’t need to be pretty or good; sometimes the best work evolves from something subpar.
  4. Get personal. Let your feelings and emotions guide you. Follow whatever threads of excitement and curiosity you can muster.
  5. Choose a lane. And stick to it. Seth’s Lifeguard Hack is helpful.
  6. Just go. Push forward, regardless. Set a timer for ten minutes and write. You can leave when the alarm goes off.
  7. Distract yourself. Write something else. Not the thing you’re wanting to write, something else entirely. Play with lists and incoherent phrases. Write a story. Get creative then come back to the task at hand.
  8. You good? You good. Remind yourself how fabulous you are. Write down all of the things you know you do well, projects you’re proud of, accomplishments, battles you’ve fought through, and goals you’ve reached.
  9. Say no. Saying no to things that zap your energy and impact your boundaries will create more energetic space. Say no to tasks that take you away from writing.
  10. Create structure. Using your calendar in a purposeful way can help you feel more empowered and focused so you can get work done. Structure your day into manageable chunks, or dedicate a specific day of the week for particular tasks.

Creating movement in one area can unlock momentum in another. What tricks do you use to get unstuck? Tweet me @redheadlefthand.

Take twenty

Twenty minutes to pause.

Twenty minutes to breathe.

To be grateful.

To write.

To read.

To consume.

To move.

To reflect.

To listen.

To work.

To grieve.

To focus.

To savor.

To feel.

To love.

To connect.

To watch.

To rest.

Twenty minutes can make the unmanageable manageable, the forgotten remembered, and the overwhelming more digestible.

You can do anything for twenty minutes. Use it as your weapon.

Takeaways from two weeks of “Positive Talk”

14 people from around the world signed up to join me in a small experiment: For two weeks, I would commit to daily discussions focused on Good Things.

I spoke with Italians, Brits, folks in the United States, Sweden, and Nepal. On some days I had to talk myself up for the session; other days I looked forward to thirty minutes of positivity.

At the beginning of each call, I asked participants to rank themselves on a scale of 0 to 10 (0 for on-the-floor depression and 10 for something close to contagious joy). At the end of our call, I asked for another self-ranking. 12 out of the 14 participants reported an increase in positive feelings. The other two reported no change, having already reported high levels of feeling. I, too, found myself feeling better at the end of the calls.

But beyond feeling better, I felt seen. Those thirty minutes became a plug-in of support, encouragement, and connection. Many participants echoed battles with imposter syndrome“Am I good enough, capable enough, strong enough, ready enough, productive enough, gentle enough, prepared enough?” Time management was another expressed hurdle, but it was rephrased as a goal that could be conquered.

And in all of these calls, it became clear that even when the world seems upside down, we have the ability to write our own narratives. We have the choice to fall into old, self-sabotaging coping strategies or tap into traits that can set us up for something greater. We can choose to see ourselves through a compassionate lens, or we can cling to memories that no longer apply. Our stories can become ones of curiosity and growth.

There’s no telling when or if things will return to “normal.” This experiment, however, reminded me there are many things still in our control. We can make time to connect, and we can train our minds to focus on creation, empathy, and compassion — for ourselves and for others. I’m thankful to all those who participated in this experiment with me.

Try for yourself: Set a calendar of participants (ask friends, family, and colleagues), keep a journal of notes, and record pre- and post- rankings for each call. Let me know how it goes.

Behind the scenes

Most people don’t see the hours of practice, the nights of silence, the thinking, the planning, the frustrations, the worrying, the sacrifice.

They see only a snapshot: A product, a final cut, a performance, the last edit.

True artists know that the work is rarely finished. It’s back to the drawing board. More nights at the desk, more late hours in the office, more emails and meetings and calls.

True artists won’t let someone else’s snapshot alter their own value or vision. These artists will continue to quietly strive, working to perfect their art and their craft. They know there may never be an end, but they are grateful to have summoned enough courage to pursue their own unique path.