I thought I’d take the time to speak on creativity and the challenges I face in my own writing practise. Based on where I’m at, it’s not every day that I find myself in a flow state. I work a full time job and cater to responsibilities that ensure my survival. It’s tiring but I believe that many artists find themselves in the same boat.

Over the last three months, I’ve had to reassess how I structure my days but prior to making the adjustments, I found the pressure I placed on myself to produce tunes started to take it’s toil. I wasn’t enjoying making music as much, I considered walking away from it for good. Life-wise I was at a new low and what I was going through forced me into taking a break… which in retrospective I am appreciative of. I’m back making tunes and am approaching it from healthier state of mind. At the moment, I feel working toward a loose deadline is serving me. Picking up the tools to have a PLAY works a lot better. This is a very simple shift in terms of focus but has made a world of a difference.

I’m beginning to see that there are similarities between making music and a big love, the sort of love that connects one to the source. You can’t hold it too tightly as you’ll squeeze the life out of it. Instead, you have to give it space to flow through you — like cupping water. You can not grab it. The flow is not stationary which should be obvious but I’ve still become frustrated at not being able to make demands of the creative process. Some artist may beg to differ but this has been my experience.

If you relate to what I’ve shared, I encourage you to SHOW UP for yourself — set aside the time to invest in your craft. Put pen to paper. Spitball ideas without judgement. If any stick, dig deeper. As the idea begins to take shape, FOCUS and become more deliberate in your decision making. Always go with what best serves the work and try to remove ego from the equation.

Running short of ideas? Give yourself permission to step away and come back to it another day. Change tact by doing something different — do a crossword, watch a film, read a book, cook a meal etc. these are activities that nourish the creative spirit. Pressure may make diamonds but it’s not needed to produce art. We need to discard this belief that only the tortured artist can create great work. The road may be riddled with challenges but having to struggle is not a requirement to move forward.

My relationship with creativity is non-linear and I am committed for life. That’s about all I’ve got figured out and I’m content with my choice for now.