Creative mood killers are a real thing. Just like in the movies when you watch the lovable dork seemingly ruin a chance with the girl of his dreams, creative mood killers descend on and trample the vibe and confidence you have in your capabilities. This sly little minx sneaks up and wiggles into your thoughts, kicking off bouts of doubt by whispering about the future, worst case scenarios and failure.
Mood killers also throw you off balance, leaving you like a turtle turned over on it’s back, legs wiggling to find new grounding. However, without a clear idea of how to spot when your creative mood killers crash the party, you experience the same thing over and over. This builds a pattern of frustration and a defeatist attitude that can stick around for a while.
To help even out the cycle of ups and downs, start by doing a little investigative work.
These Are Not the Creative Blocks you’re Looking For…
There are ways to spot when a creative mood killer is more than a simple distraction. In general, distractions can be helpful in shifting your mood and offering a way for you to take a break and refocus with a fresh perspective. For the purposes of this blog post, I’m talking specifically about the creative mood killers that show up again and again, taking you off course or making the finish line for your goals seem miles away.
Obi-Wan Kenobie from Star Wars was really onto something with his distraction technique when he waved his hand ever so slightly and recited, “These are not the droids you’re looking for…”, mis-directing the enemy and helping his buddies out of a jam. You need to learn when the mind is trying to pull a fast one on you in the same way, forcing attention away from your goal, project or inspiration.
If you often have no idea how you get off track and need help roping yourself back in, here are simple guideposts you can use to shed light on the root of a distraction.
- Do you feel like you need a break? If so, why are you fighting it?
- Does the idea of continuing with a creative project scare you, make you feel really anxious or seem like it’s just too hard?
- When you are getting close to a eureka moment or are gaining momentum in your efforts, do you get fidgety and pick up your phone, surf the net or check your social media accounts?
- Have you given up trying because you are tired of being disappointed in the outcome?
- Are other people’s crisis always more important than making progress on your own work?
If you pay close attention, you’ll notice when these challenges arise most often and how they make you feel physically; anxious, frustrated or unable to focus on the task at hand.
The Answer Key to Shifting the Dreaded Creative Mood Killer
In school, the teacher always had an answer key for your workbook. As an adult, you’re the only one with the answers – if you are willing to dive in and do a little digging.
I’ve provided a “peek” into what your feelings might really be trying to tell you in each of the question/scenarios presented earlier in the post. This can help you get to the root of a creative mood killer and shift your perspective in a way that empowers you take better care of yourself.
Now, onto your answer key…
- Do you feel like you need a break? If so, why are you fighting it? : A need to add more self-care over the next few days to rejuvenate and refocus.
- Does the idea of continuing with a creative project scare you, make you feel really anxious or seem like it’s just too hard? : Fear of success or high expectations are keeping you stagnant.
- When you are getting close to a eureka moment or are gaining momentum in your efforts, do you get fidgety and pick up your phone, surf the net or check your social media accounts? : A pattern of using self-distraction to disconnect from moving through challenging feelings about success.
- Have you given up trying because you are tired of being disappointed in the outcome? : A tendency towards perfection which holds you back from trying – just in case you fail.
- Are other people’s crisis always more important than making progress on your own work? : Hiding feelings of low self-worth through involvement in the crisis of others.
You can change long-term creative mood killers with a little patience, awareness and self-care. Just try and pose some of the challenges as questions to dig in a little deeper. Keep in mind that even though the friction you feel isn’t pleasant, it helps you see where to direct your creative energy in a more loving way instead of scattering it to the point that it becomes ineffective and draining.
Need to refresh your creative perspective? Check out the Mini Guide for Connecting with your Inner Guidance and Creative Fire . Want to do a little more inspiration on how to shift creative mood killers? Check out some of my other posts including Build a Creative Inspiration List and Share It and Brainstorming, the Ultimate Creative Muscle Workout.
Photo Credit: David Weekly, Artful Magpie, Zarko Drinic