The I Don't Feel Creative Today Funk

Nothing can get a creative person in a funk faster than waking up without inspiration. So you putter around, waiting for some flash of creative motivation to strike. If you're lucky, you see, read, or hear something that captures interest and away you go.

But more often than not, you're just stuck. Nothing provides that spark. No juices are flowing. Nothing gets done.

And that's when the self criticism and judgment take over.  I've been there, and I bet you have too -- that beatin' up on yourself mood funk can be so self sabotaging.

Getting out of the funk takes

• a shift in perspective 
• a change in energy
• reviewing what you've already done or left undone

Changing perspective works because you see things in a different way. I know people who literally will stand on their head, or lie down on their side to see something from a different angle.    Other ways to change perspective can include asking friends for their opinions, or seeing how a topic or event is being covered in the media or on Facebook. Or try journaling, and ask yourself, how can I see this differently.


Changing energy works because it opens you to engaging differently with your in-the-moment experience. Exercising is a common way to change energy, but a 10 minute walk or even a shower can open the energetic pathways for new ideas, motivation and inspiration to come to you.

Reviewing old projects works because you'll see things that you'd do differently now, or that need freshening up.  You might even find things you left undone and forgot about.  And in plunging in to update or fix or finish, your creative mind will start feeling empowered and renewed, too.  You'll be moving forward out of that mental rut in no time.

Any of these approaches to getting out of the I don't feel creative today funk can serve to lift your mood and give you a new attitude about your creative abilities.

And once that happens, you'll be back on track.

Self-Esteem: Saboteur or Source of Strength?

Drawing from Oasis Singles Blog 

Did you know that what we tell ourselves ABOUT ourselves really matters?  

And that what we choose to BELIEVE of what others say about us, also adds to or damages our self-esteem?

In my 20 years as a psychotherapist, I found that most people who seek a counselor or a coach are telling themselves really self-sabotaging things. But it's not just folks seeking professional help who practice negative self-talk.  

This habit is widespread and can start as early as the preschool years. Parents unintentionally create poor self-esteem in their children when they show too much concern about what others think about superficial things like appearance, or when they constantly compare their kids' behavior to that of others.  It teaches children that other people's opinions and preferences are more important than their own judgment, and that's a fast prescription for a lifetime of low self regard, crippled confidence, and motivational struggles.

Now I don't want to make this a post about parenting. So let's consider how to turn self talk into a source of strength without becoming an egomaniac. Here are my 2 essential first steps:

1.  Get good at quickly challenging your self talk.       When you hear yourself say  I can't... or when you catch yourself making the kind of uncompassionate judgment that you wouldn't dream of issuing on a friend, halt that line of thought immediately. Ask yourself Is that really true?  Most of the time it isn't.  When it is, tell yourself that's just how it is in this moment AND you can change it when you want to.

2.  Admit your talents daily.      It's not self-centered, bad, or bragging to state the truth.  If you make a fantastic cheesecake, own it.  If you have a great eye for putting a wardrobe together, claim it.  If everyone you know comes to you for comfort and encouragement, give your sweet, understanding, open minded spirit the acknowledgment that deserves (that especially may be a rare talent!).  Get in the habit of  reminding yourself once a day  -- out loud, looking in the mirror -- what you are good at, and admit it to others as well.

If you practice these two steps every day, you will start to feel better about yourself.  When you need a little more help, I'd be happy to provide some coaching for a brief period.