Do you ever feel completely drained or unmotivated to create anything?
I’m pretty sure we all experience this on some level at some point. If this is you, it’s all good. There is nothing wrong with you.
There are toxic creativity-killers that I have learned to identify and either avoid or zap with my magic wand of of fairy dust. They come in the form of thoughts, people, habits, and of course, consumables.
The good news is that there are many ways to protect your creative vibe from these energy-drainers.
REMEMBER: Your energy is your #1 resource, leading to all other areas of your life. It is your most precious resource. The amazing thing about energy: The better you feel, the better everything else has a chance to be, including the people around you. It is up to you to protect your energy. Your energy is made up of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Ask yourself, “What am I believing or doing, that is not serving my highest good and wellbeing?” and, “Where do I want to focus my energy?” And of course: BREATHE.
Ok, so here we go. The basic triggers of creative-spirit-drain, and how to handle them:
- Thoughts. Notice what you think/say in your head. Every time you catch yourself thinking something negative or limiting (I’m not good enough, I screwed that up again, this is too hard, he/she does it better, I’m too late, too old, too young, too poor, too challenged, not creative enough, don’t know enough, nothing goes right, etc.), you have the opportunity to experience the opposite feeling, or at least a better feeling, by offering a different thought. Is your inner dialogue demeaning? I’m not saying to suddenly be chanting “unicorns, rainbows & fluffy things, oh my” (unless that makes you feel better, lol). What I am saying is to at least look for evidence of the good stuff. You can say things like, “I’m having a hard time with this, but I know things will be ok,” or “Even if I don’t know how, I know that I can do this.”Encourage yourself the same way you would someone you love dearly. This is the absolute best thing you can do for your creative vibe. Be nice to yourself and have fun. Look for glimmers of light to focus on and appreciate. BREATHE.
- People. Let’s face it, people can be amazing and also incredibly exhausting, depending not only on the unique cocktail of personality that you encounter, but also your thoughts and feelings about people (see above bullet point on thoughts). Have compassion for yourself and others, and lead your thoughts, words and actions with kindness. When you have compassion for others but none for yourself, or vice versa, resentment builds. There is a balance. Only you know how much you enjoy experiencing people. Are you drained after parties, or energized? Are there people with whom you have unresolved issues? Do you hang out with certain people out of guilt or obligation? Do you make better choices when you are around certain kinds of people? Do you feel joy when you think of certain people, but dread when you think of running into certain people? Make sincere amends where you can, and let go of the rest. Unresolved issues with people are an energy drain. So is being inauthentic (saying yes when you want to say no). When invited to something, ask yourself if it will be energizing or draining? Is it an absolute YES? Is he/she an absolute YES? If not, it’s a no.Most of all, be honest and integral. Don’t take things personally, and don’t be afraid to say “no thanks” to anything or anyone not in alignment with your truth and wellbeing. BREATHE.
- Habits. Yup, those actions you take on a regular basis. All the daily mundane stuff. Everything you choose to do on purpose, and all of the things you do unconsciously (going through the motions), has an effect on your energy. Where are you choosing to focus your attention? Are you easily distracted? How can you design your habits, your rhythms and routines, to serve your creative spirit? What habits bring you joy, uplift your energy, and revive your creative spirit? Focus more on these! They say one way to stop a habit is to replace it with another. Our minds and bodies like patterns. The cool part is that we can create patterns and we can change existing ones simply by shifting our focus to the experiences and feelings we want to have. BREATHE.
- Consumables. Everything that goes into your body, mind and environment. Food, drink, clothing, cosmetics, medicine, media, etc. What are you exposed to all day every day? Every bit of imagery you see on Facebook, the air you breathe, the coffee on your way to work, the breakfast you didn’t eat, the chemicals you use at home or at work, it all adds up. It all either taxes or replenishes your energy. What are you saturating your mind, body, and environment with? What consumables are draining your energy, whether you realize it or not? What consumables feel like good, positive uplifting energy? If you feel irritated every time you scroll through your Facebook feed, it is unlikely that you are in the kind of space to feel creative or inspired. Sure, you might see a couple inspiring memes, but the important part is to be aware of what media you choose to saturate your senses, because that will eventually become your default mindset/feeling. If you are binging on crappy food in the middle of the day and then feel like a slug for the rest of the day, you are draining your precious energy. Fuel your body with the kind of wholesome foods that really energize you. Consume on purpose. Consume joy and wellbeing. Create enjoyable rituals out of what you consume, and focus on what energizes you and your creative spirit. BREATHE.
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a big fan of reminding you to BREATHE.
And drink water. It’s also a pretty basic thing you can do to instantly reenergize.
Also, this isn’t a one-and-done thing. Your energy is a constant. Your awareness will evolve, and you will always be looking at where your energy-leaks are, and what is truly uplifting. We will always be navigating energy in our lives.