As our days role on many may find inspiration in grand outings of joyous adventures. Many may find inspiration in more simple pleasures of life, both are necessary for prospective of happiness. Of course happiness or pleasure can only be experienced when the journeys along the way include those not so happy times. They to play an important part of the prospective that make up the circle of life.
When it comes to the creative process what we expect or desire many times seems far off in the distant. We work, struggle and many times beat our heads against the proverbial wall thinking we just can’t accomplish our goals. Goals are just that, goals. Would you rather have them handed to you without the trials and tribulations associated with the journey? I don’t believe many of us would. It is only through the constant diligent work that the end result seems worthy of the exuberant result.
This banging of the head against the wall seems to come into play at times with my own work. Always striving for new creative ideas and images can and does at times create a sort of mental block. I can recognize it quite quickly anymore. I find myself thinking the same thoughts as past successes and failures go streaming through my mind only to bounce around never seeming to find their way out. When this happens something must give, as if I must relinquish the old to make room for the new. Of course that isn’t actually true or do I want it to be. Our minds are not a finite resource at least I find that to be the case. You simply can not empty the bucket to make room for new ideas. What one can do is be willing and open to new ideas and let them become part of the creative process. It may be a willingness to read a new book, visit a new place or simply change up your routine that you have become comfortable with. Any of these things could spark a new idea and help to change if every so slightly the course of action that has put you at the proverbial roadblock. Change for most is hard but many times it does not have to be permanent, it might only have to be enough for the new spark to ignite that one thought that allows you make a much needed detour before joining back up on your path to success.
A clear mind and open heat doesn’t have to just be a cleaver saying, like anything that is worthy of accomplishing, it may be work but the results may be well worth it. I think that is the reason for this post, to not only think about it but to take some action to do it. It all has to start somewhere.
© Brad Mangas
