Have you ever experienced a creative block that seemed impossible to overcome? Maybe you lost a project you poured your heart into, or perhaps you hit a wall in your creative process. I got overwhelmed with the process of creating content and took a year long hiatus. Also, I recently lost my blog that I have had for four years and it lowered my morale. My hosting plan expired and since I hadn't blogged in a while, I didn't feel the need to renew it just yet. it ended up getting deleted after two months of being expired (There's definitely a lesson or two in all of this).
First of all, can we talk about how hard it is to create content for ANY platform? Regardless of how passionate you are about it, it is very tedious and gets overwhelming.
The question is: How do you start over when you are not motivated to?
- Seek inspiration: For me it was looking at my instagram page and realizing I still like it and want to keep going. You can also browse Pinterest for things related to your content. Another major source for inspo is your "why". Why do I create content? Why do you do what you do? Remembering the answer to those questions can bring you closer to starting over.
- Be compassionate with yourself: I spent a lot of time beating myself up about letting my blog get deleted. I was mad at my brain for lacking ideas, angry at my body for not getting up and creating content, instead, I chose to rot. None of this got me anywhere; it delayed my return. I had to be gentle with myself and ease into it. I had to find parts of it that excite me and slowly start creating again.
- Talk to someone: My therapist found a way to reignite my love for blogging. She reminded me of the importance of being heard and not letting my voice die. For you, your someone could be a loved one or a therapist as well. Be as transparent as you can and you can get insights that put you back on the path of creating again.
There's no guarantee I (or you) will remain consistent but, that's okay. All that matters is putting one foot in front of the other and not staying down for too long. Remember, a creative loss is not a sign of failure, but starting over is a testament to your resilience as a person and creative.
PS: Have you ever had to start a creative project over again? Share in the comments, I would love to read about your experience. XO, Ash.