The Top 3 Reasons Why You Aren't "Feeling" Connected to Your Creativity

All of us go through this sometimes - we just don't feel like we're creative.

And sometimes, those feelings go on for a long time and then we start to believe we aren't creative.

But there's a few things that are most commonly at the root of this.

Here are the top 3 reasons why I see this happen over and over again - and how becoming aware of these reasons can truly support you in your relationship with creativity.

Ok, so life gets very life-y out there. Adulting is challenging. And if you've read Art Nurture, you know that this is a space where we talk about creativity for real people living in the real world. 

That's why I wanted to speak to these 3 reasons why you may not be feeling connected to your creativity. 
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#1 ​You've forgotten to honor your creativity in how it supports you every single day.

Our creativity is a part of our humanity. We can't run out of it or even escape it. But the fact is, most of the time, we're not even noticing creativity at work in our lives.

So if we're not noticing our creativity at work in our lives, it can be hard to feel connected to our creativity. 

The remedy? Bring attention to how you navigate your day.

You make hundreds or even thousands of tiny decisions throughout your day and that "choice making" capability is a function of your creativity.

Think about everything you do to navigate the daily care tasks in your life or the many functions in your workplace. It's probably a lot more than any of us is truly giving ourselves credit for - am I right? I mean, anyone who has ever shared household care tasks knows there's a variety of ways we as individuals creatively approach loading the dishwasher!

​^ I'll never say I'm the best at this, but I will say I gave it my best!

You're a creative powerhouse who is synthesizing tons of information with tons of nuance on a daily basis. Acknowledging this will help you reconnect to that feeling of connection to your creativity. 

# 2 You're spending the majority of creative energy on things you have to do rather than things you want to do. 

Whether it's a busy season at work or a challenging situation your family is navigating... there are things that have to get taken care of. It's ok! It happens to all of us.

The amount of time we can spend on our creative heart's desires fluctuates - that is natural.

But going through those times and assuming you're "not creative" couldn't be further from the truth.

Truly, just acknowledging that right now, the majority of your creative energy is being spent on things that truly need it. And just because this is the case for this season or just this day or week, doesn't mean it will be the case forever.

Want to anchor  back into your connection to your creativity?

Simply acknowledge that different months or seasons of life are just more challenging to do what you want creatively.

When you can become an active participant in acknowledging this, it becomes easier to shift back into those creative heart's desire projects when you do have the space for them.

Till then, how can you nurture those heart's desires?

Maybe listen to a podcast or audiobook on that topic to stay fresh and dialed into it. That's something that can be done while commuting or preparing dinner at home. That way your mind is getting the creative nurture that you're craving, even if you can't yet prioritize the time for the doing.   

# 3 You're focusing on product and outcomes more than process.

This one is the most common. And it's tough! When we're actively engaging in our creativity, we want to bring something to life - and that desire is STRONG!

I'm the first one to cheer anyone on who has the desire to harness their creative energy towards a personal dream - trust me - it's what I have devoted my life's work to! But, the tough part about this is, the inspiration often comes fast, but the process can be more of a journey.

And when we're only focused on the very end of the journey, we're actually missing out on the sweet stuff. Creative energy is best experienced in process. 

That's why I repeat this over and over again, "Trust the process."

Easier said than done. Because we want to get to that ideal place of accomplishment and completion we have held as the end in mind. But, that can really take us out of the present moment.

And then, when time and reality of process parameters sets in (like how long some materials take to dry, or realizing we need to learn something new to complete this idea) we get into a place of frustration that the thing we had in mind just isn't going well. Or, even worse, we believe because we haven't gotten there yet, that we are actually as much a failure as we now believe this idea to be! 

Truth? We can never fully envision an end result of anything in crystal clarity. We can map things out, we can plan, we can work our tools and techniques. But please notice, all of those things are part of process.

In fact, the only way we can complete anything is by being radically committed to process.

We're in process way more than we're in the end phase. And, by the time your "product" has been completed or your "outcome" achieved, the creative process for that specific thing has actually ended. And you're probably onto something else by then!  

So become radically committed to process and develop your trust and vision there. ​

Is it possible to nurture creativity, even if it's been a long season of not feeling connected to your creative self?  

To put it simply: yes, it is.

If you're willing, then it's absolutely possible to re-kindle that connection sustainably.

This is what I support my art nurture clients in regularly- through one-on-one sessions, groups, and classes. I see what happens when folks are ready to take the necessary steps and get the support that is needed to dive deep into their creativity.

I believe so strongly in the mentorship model because I see how it works to counteract the isolation and uncertainty that can arise in the creative practice and bring fresh perspective in a nurturing environment.

So, would you like to build a more supportive relationship with your creativity? ​

Would you like to truly know you are connected to your creativity and practice nurturing that connection in a supportive environment?

I offer a limited number of free 30-min Creativity Calls each month to support folks who have these questions and are ready to take the next step in nurturing their creativity. If that's you, let's set one up and talk!

Till then, remember, you are the creative person. 

Cultivate & Nurture,
Court


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Know someone that needs this too? Please share! 
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Follow along with my creative adventures on Instagram @courtmccracken & @soyouwishyouwenttoartschool

Use #artnurture to join in and share your creative journey!