Overcoming Undesirable Emotions

I get grumpy. It happens. And grumpy isn’t exactly the most useful emotion for the creative process. Plus, grumpiness doesn’t bode well for maintaining healthy relationships. So sometimes we need to get those pesky emotions in check and get back to creating (and treating our loved ones sweetly). I’m not an expert on emotional stability.…

Curiosity is Worth the Risk

Curiosity killed the cat? I say it’s worth the risk. Preschool children ask their parents (on average) 100 questions per day. “Why is the sky blue? Where do babies come from? Why was mommy kissing Santa Claus?” Their curiosity is insatiable. But by middle school they’ve pretty much stopped asking. It’s not that middle school…

Modify Your Scene

I found myself blocked yesterday. I sat down to write. I had nothing. I always get inspired at my writing desk (dining room table). But today there was nothing. And deadlines prevented me from sitting down for another game of Mario Brothers on the Wii. Creative blocks are sneaky. They come on slowly. You only notice…

Shake Yourself

Sometimes I just can’t come up with good ideas. But sometimes I’m just lazy. I could come up with something…I just don’t want to put in the effort. I think this is the source of most of our creative blocks. The key to overcoming these blocks is just powering through them.

Channel Others

Creative blocks come from routine. They come from all-too-familiar thoughts. We can’t get out of our heads and think of something new. But think about your creative heroes. That artist you admire…they seem to be different. Somehow they create things that baffle the mind and inspire the heck out of you. Note: No artist is…