“Creativity ebbs and flows. Nothing natural or organic has a constant.” -jewel

Art by the supremely amazing Aya Kato.

There are times when I think a long time (good, long chunks of time) about why I like writing for this website, and if I’m writing well enough that people will want to read it. And of course, there are times when it feels like it won’t make a difference if I stop or not. But then I snap out of this self-defeative mode (I never stay in it too long anyway) and get inspired again to write and share my unique experiences and skew of the world.

But these cycles are natural. So I know, like my motivation, that it will swing back and my creative juices will overflow so that I can barely blog about it all! And that very point my dears, is the reason I still do this. I look forward to those times! 

So, I have pieced together a list of good ideas and things to try when you get in a creative slump and not even a fairy godmother could make you smile.

• Ask questions. Questions and curiousity are fuel for your creative fire. I have a book called How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci and I learned that he never stopped asking questions. I ask questions to everyone, and instead of being embarassed for not knowing something, I become enraptured in the answer, and pleased to know more about the world. It inspires me to do more researching on some subjects I know nothing about.

• Become (or stay) a voracious reader. Reading ( I’m not talking People here, ladies!) is always an eye-opening experience. It helps you stay a great speller, you learn new vocabulary, and you always have something to talk about in conversation! Par example: “Hey, have you read that new David Sedaris book? It described my mixed-up family perfectly! I think you’d have a laugh at it too!”

• Delve into new experiences.  This is an obvious choice for inspiration. New experiences for you bring forth tons of emotions about how you can’t wait to do it again (tattoo number 3!) or how you will never do something again (*cough* Dodge Theater!) If you don’t plant the seeds of knowledge, you will never grow into your full potential.

• Don’t just use one side of your brain! This is something I admit I need work on. I am a complete right-brain thinker. In my life, sometimes I forget there are such things as negativity, logic, sensible-ness and analyzing. I have to learn to not just jump on something. Planning goes a long way and helps everyone involved in the end. 

• Try your own version of an inkblot test. get a piece of paper and either grab a bit of paint and fingerpaint or write some of your favorite words. then, write a story incorporating these things! A little lost? Try this.

• Use the next full moon to stir up some emotions. I am completely fascinated with the moon. I even asked for a Moon in my Room for Christmas! But throughout the ages, the moon has been linked with lunacy which is probably why I feel more in tune with it than the sun. And you know, some of the craziest people were the most imaginative!

• Inspiration!  To be inspired, you can do plenty of things. I like to Google Image Search things I like (cruiser bikes, Mardi Gras, Roger Ebert’s reviews) read other blogs, and even head to my local bookstore at the beginning of the month when new magazines are released. Anything to grab a spark of Inspirado, that sometimes elusive muse!

Thanks to LifeHack for the creative jumping off point!