It happens to the best of us; hitting a wall when it comes to your creative flow. For a while you feel like your juices are flowing and your creativity is at its peak. But for one reason or another your inspiration falters. You begin to scramble as you search for a fresh idea! This is the time of year where things tend to slow down. People take the time to reflect over the events of the past year in preparation for the new year that's around the corner.
Another obstacle to overcome is that people tend to develop/produce the same ideas; causing a subject matter or concept to become played-out. Bloggers talk about the same hot topics and comedians make the same jokes about a political figure. It can be overwhelming (and daunting) as you attempt to make your brand stand apart from the rest yet you and everyone else is doing the same thing.
But don't be too discouraged! Feeling "burnt out" is apart of the journey and process of every creative person. I think these unique moments are challenges that help us to flex our muscles during difficult times. Having a creative block enables us to think outside of the box; exploring new ideas and concepts that will take our productivity to the next level. I'm all about authenticity and being true to who you are. When it comes to my brand, I'm not constantly checking-in to see what others are doing or what people are looking for per se. On occasion, I like to see what's trending when it comes to blogging, being an Influencer, and overall entrepreneurship. Yet, I don't let these trends determine my overall content. Trends are here today and gone tomorrow. When it comes to blog posts and videos for my YouTube channel, I like to curate conversations that are relevant to my fellow #millennials; discussing topics that are prevalent to our lifestyles. I do this because I enjoy it (regardless of whether or not it's popular). I know that's not the advice to give when looking to build your brand overnight (acquiring a mass following), but at least people will be able to see that I stay true! I'm not doing whatever to get people to like me (or follow me). I have to have peace with what I'm doing and not just be a tool that feeds people's interests (while depriving myself from my own). I take the highs with the lows. I appreciate the love and support that my brand has gotten and continues to get whenever I post.
There are many tips, tricks, hacks, posts, and videos all on how to break your creative-funk, but I think the best advice is to share it! The thing about being vulnerable is that you can determine how transparent you want to be. Like I mentioned before, it happens to the best of us. Sharing your obstacle(s) creates a conversation and even a community where fellow creatives may reach out to you to share what worked for them; giving you the inspiration that you need. If you're a blogger or YouTuber then you can be real with your community; sharing with them that you've hit a wall in your #creativity. Yet you're continuing to show up with your posts and content because of their support for you. This shows how real you are and that they can relate to you on a more personal level.
I mean, let's be real: no one ever has it together all of the time!
This in part is why the Influencer Industry is rapidly taking over. The general public would rather watch someone that they can relate to and not someone who is living an alternate lifestyle than them (i.e. some Hollywood big shot).
So with all of that being said, I hope that you won't beat yourself up whenever you have the "burnt out blues". If need be, take some time to yourself to recharge and live life. I find that my best content happens to arise in moments that are unexpected. It could be the day before I need to post! All of a sudden, I discover an inspiring topic that I want to research and/or share. You could also reshare some of your past work or create a compilation project of your favorite work (videos, posts, etc.). I have done this several times and it helps when you don't have time to create something new. It's also a great way for new people to become familiar with your content.
Sante
