How to Create Art when Life doesn’t Slow Down

Do you have kids or maybe just a full house of family members? Maybe a demanding full-time job? Whatever obligation you’re committed to, I know it can slow your creative process down—or stop it altogether. For me, my obligations pull me away so much so that I start wondering if I’ll ever write again. It’s just a part of life.

You may hear one side saying, “It’s okay to take a pause.” The other side pushes back with, “Keep going, no matter what.” Both voices get loud in creative spaces. I see it all the time in writing circles because that’s where I spend most of my time.

But what if I told you two things can be true at the same time?

TUG OF WAR

There’s always someone debating whether the sky is blue or something entirely different. But what if one of them is color blind? We’re not here to invalidate anyone’s experience, because both people are correct in their own right.

It’s the same ordeal in the creative world. You have debates on who wore it better or who has the better book cover. And then it spirals into a comparison game, but we’ll dive into that topic later.

So I’m going to debunk this tug of war: there is nothing wrong with anyone’s opinion because it doesn’t match your norm.

DON’T LET YOUR SPARK DIM

All these arguments are making us all lose sight of the bigger picture. We’re all creatives. We may be on different paths, but our ultimate goal is the same: to entertain. To bring joy. To make thought-provoking pieces that reflect life.

And to have fun doing it.

This shouldn’t have to be a screaming match to be heard. But at times, it is, because we’re misunderstood. I get it. There’s pressure when you live in chaos, but add the voices of the whole world on top of that.

Yeah …that can be so discouraging that it causes a breakdown.

JUST DO IT

I understand that life gets hectic. And when that happens, it feels like the world stops. Like I said in my blog post: You’re not Lazy— just Wounded: The Link Between Trauma and Creative Blocks, creativity is our second language. To keep that flow you have with creativity, I’m going to give you the best tips I know. I may not have all the answers, but I’ve learned a thing or two about keeping your creative spark amid the madness.

I’ll give you the good news first. Well, it’s all good advice, but it depends on the person.

If you’re tired of the noise in your house, you can seclude yourself. I’m talking coffee shops, the park, or maybe a peaceful place no one knows of but you. But this is obvious advice, right? Let’s get into the nitty gritty of it all.

Like I said, you may like this advice or not, it completely depends on the person. The truth on how to sustain a successful career when life is hectic is to make time. This may sound very simple, but it’s just like the saying goes: you make time for the people you care for; your career deserves the same attention.

Successful people don’t have more time than you; they just use theirs wisely.

LET IT FLOW

Now you know how to keep your cool when you’re struck with the unexpected. Life can hit you like a pile of bricks, you just need the tools to build with those bricks. What will you do with the toolkit I gave you? Will you at least use it wisely?

You know the best part about this is if you forget? You can come back to it anytime you want! You can let me know in the comment section below.