It’s one of those moments that I’ve experienced before and I surely will experience again. Life is good, lots of projects are in the air, and all is going well. Yet in this moment, my creative well seems to be tapped out.
I’m quite sure this is not a permanent condition. And actually, it’s not true to say that my “creative” well has run dry. It’s just that so many creative projects are claiming my energy and focus right now that I can’t find a new topic for this week’s post. I’m fresh out of new ideas.
So here I am, settling into an evening that, according to my project schedule, is reserved for writing next week’s post, and nothing is coming. Nothing. Nada. Empty. I’m trying to conjure up a topic and find something inspiring or informative or at least entertaining to say, but I know from experience that approach almost never works. It’s certainly not working this evening.
However, the strange thing is that I’m smiling as I sit here at my desk. To my great surprise, I’m actually finding the whole thing rather humorous. As I’m chuckling to myself, I’m relieved to be feeling playful about my emptiness rather than feeling frustrated and disheartened. Frustration is certainly not going to help my creative process! So I’m just letting words flow through my fingers into the keyboard and onto the screen.
Oddly enough, as I keep typing, this surrender to emptiness actually feels good. I was dreading sitting down to write, because I could sense that nothing was going to come. And I couldn’t find any energy or interest in fighting against the emptiness and trying to force something to come. I’ve been coaching and teaching and writing on other projects all day, and my body and mind tell me it’s time for a break. Not just for this evening, but for a few days.
Part of me resists, because there’s so much I want to be doing right now. Yet another part of me sighs, “Ahhhhh….” The good news is that even though my creative energy feels “spent,” it’s that good kind of “spent” feeling that you have after a really good workout or a vigorous day-long hike. I’ve had a really productive couple of weeks, and my system is telling me that it’s time to pause and replenish.
Does this ever happen to you? You’re thriving in the creative process, yet for the moment, you’ve run out of steam? You’re so passionate about a project that you don’t want to stop, yet your creativity tank is empty?
Maybe this is the article that was waiting to be written – the one about loving your work, yet being tapped out and not able to produce in the moment. Just needing a break. And being OK with that. Honoring the need for rest and recharging.
I think I just found my topic.
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