Creative blocks aren’t really blocks!
Creative blocks are often discussed in a close-ended way. I find that cements the block even more.
Here’s what pop culture tells us about creative blocks:
They are a mystical impasse and our only option is to metaphorically dance around the fire, throwing our animals and possessions into the flames until the gods are placated and they grant us access to the Fountain of Creativity again
They can only be reliably overcome with alcohol, substances, or adrenaline
They are the result of burnout or trauma and a sign that something is “wrong” and we aren’t meant for this path
What I find effective is the belief that creative blocks are part and parcel with the process of creativity. A creative block is best understood as a block added to the house you are building. It is a block of raw material to incorporate into your authentic creative expression’s development. It illustrates the gritty parts of reality that so often there’s silence around and causes people to feel isolated or guilty when we find ourselves experiencing it.
I remember years ago when I did work exchanges on small farms, having ideas for the farm’s development as a business. My creative block was that I didn’t believe I was a responsible, capable person because of my social anxiety and drinking. I didn’t realize my personal doubts and human struggles were a gift over which I could have bonded with like-minded people. People who had doubts but also excitement over pursuing a better future together. As I’ve since read in Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection, being open about our imperfections gives us the privilege of finding solidarity with fellow people who get it.
Looking back, I wish I had been open with people about my struggles while simultaneously working together on farm projects. That way I would have been creating stability and friendships in my life to make drinking redundant and social anxiety normalized and unthreatening. Inauthenticity with ourselves about our true hopes and desires leads to giving up on ourselves and letting those building blocks in our creativity become dams, strangling our circulation and leaving us in self-reinforcing loops of scarcity.
Ebbs, flows, and multiple perspectives on creative plans are as common to human beings as hair, and when these inevitable processes are demonized it causes unnecessary distraction from your flow. A creative block is a gift - a redirection for where to focus on to incorporate honesty and longevity into your path.
We are taught to label creative “blocks” as such only when our current reality and inspiration seem to depart from how we first conceptualized the plan. When our reality seems to contradict what we deemed to be a safe and prudent personal brand.
Just like with death - if we demonize this natural inevitable thing, we lose sight of the beauty and function it serves, despite the messiness.
Just like sex ed, if we can understand and investigate creativity without fear, stigma and secrecy, then more people are empowered to embrace what works for them, understanding the wide spectrum of normalcy and wellness.
There are many paths up the mountain, why not let your stepping stones be guided by whatever is real for you in the moment, including your values and dreams?
Use creative blocks as blocks in your creation, and you will feel more emotionally connected to your process; more settled and secure in your ability to gradually progress your creative identity and brand; more connected to people who are on the same page.
Past generations were taught to be successful by pushing and forcing to survive under unsustainable societal expectations. We are unlearning this.
Past generations were be taught competition and hiding authentic experiences. We are relearning to collaborate and work together through authenticity. Together we can go much further than when alone.
What is a creative block you’ve experienced? How will you use this as a block in your creative process?
Check out my post on Substack here!
