I can feel very drained this time of year. We’re through the big push for the holidays, and because I usually get sick after finishing the holiday rush, I am also usually recuperating from something as January begins. (Yes, it was a COVID Christmas at our house.) Plus, our New England weather is cold and dark, which are not conditions I find conducive to inspiration.
I realize that we discuss inspiration a lot in these newsletters, but that’s because I find it a regular struggle. So, what is one to do in the dark, uninspiring depths of winter?
- Accept It – Certainly one completely reasonable approach is just to acknowledge the lack of inspiration and give yourself a pass. Hunker down with a book or good Netflix series and just rest. Inspiration will come back.
- Push Through – Don’t want to completely retreat but still not feeling energized? Keep working on an existing project, clean out your creative space, thumb through some art books. Keep doing something creative each week, taking small steps forward.
- Do Something New – Sometimes the reset you need to get working again is to start something completely different. It could be a new project in your existing medium or hobby. (Yes, I know how many unfinished projects you already have; it’s still okay to start a new one.) Even better is to switch gears completely and do something in a new medium so that there are no expectations of producing anything good, where just creating is the only goal. Here’s what I decided to try:
Think about which approach appeals to you the most and lean into it. Your inspiration is not gone forever, I promise. My own inspiration waxes and wanes (sometimes on a weekly basis!), but it always comes back and yours will too.
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