Combating A Creative Block

Hitting a brick wall creatively can be one of the worst feelings as a musician. It’s something that we will all go through at one time or another, but it doesn’t have to be something insurmountable. There are several proven ways that you can confront a creative block to get you back on the right track for progress.

If you are working on songwriting, try actually writing out your lyrics and ideas on paper. There is just something about physically writing out your ideas that has a tendency to spark creativity more than just typing things out on a computer. It may be the feel of the pen in your hand or the smell of ink on fresh paper, but it’s been proven to get the creative juices going when you're in a slump.

Make sure that you are also practicing with the same drive and intensity that you would have during a show. Setting the stage in this way can really being all the passion and excitement of performing live into your rehearsal space to inpire some creative energy. You should never give your practice time a halfhearted effort.

Another easy thing you can do to promote creativity is to surround yourself with things that are inspiring to you. Try hanging up posters of bands, songwriters, and musicians that you look up to to keep your eye on the prize. It has also been shown that when people look at the colors blue and green they feel more creative than with any other colors; so maybe think about painting!

Speaking of blue, eating blue fruits like blueberries and acai does wonders for your brain activity. These and other dark fruits and vegetables are extremely rich in antioxidants that promote brain health and productivity. Try a handful of these for a snack with you are stuck in a creative rut.  

While you are eating healthy, you should also get in some exercise. Going for a run, or riding your bike when you are having a hard time getting to the next step in your creative process will pump your body full of endorphins, the feel-good hormone, and promote plenty of great ideas along the way.  

You also need to take care of your mental self when experiencing a creative block. It can be easy to get frustrated and put yourself down, or be overly critical of yourself during these times. You just need to stay positive because, as I mentioned earlier, we all go through it. Try to keep looking ahead and do more constructive things with your time than tearing yourself esteem down. Try doing some meditation when you are feeling like you are at the end of your rope. Studies have shown that participating in open meditation where you allow your find to explore anything that comes to mind generates more new ideas than other forms of meditation. It is also a definite way to relax and take things down a notch when the pressure is on.

Now that you have these tools in your belt, go into your next practice or brainstorming session with confedence that you will know what to do when that creative block comes on.