At the beginning of June, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do with my blog this summer.

Then, I went through a creative rut.

I did not write a post (or even attempt to write a post) for a month. That’s the longest I have ever gone since I started blogging three years ago. While it was totally weird to not blog, the experience taught me a great deal about how to react when things don’t go the way you expect them. Today I thought I would share some of the key things I learned + how they can help you when creativity seems to falter.

D O N ‘ T  B E  S O  H A R D  O N  Y O U R S E L F 

When you fall in a creative slump, it is natural to want to blame yourself. You start wondering why it has become so difficult for you to create. What you must have done wrong and how no matter what you do, you cannot seem to fix it. The tendency gets worse the more the slump progresses. As you miss goals and fall behind on your work, your frustration increases. The problem with that is that the more you criticize yourself, the harder it is get back in the swing of things. You will struggle to view your work with anything other than a jaded attitude. Nothing you do will seem good enough.

Instead of making yourself feel worse about being in a creative rut, try thinking about it from a different perspective. Could this be your brain’s way of telling you you need to slow down? Maybe you have been working really hard, and you need time to unwind. Or perhaps you are growing bored with your current creative pursuit, and you need to find a way to make it exciting again. Either way, one thing remains true: Shaming yourself for not doing enough isn’t going to inspire you, motivate you or increase your desire to be creative again. Don’t be so hard on yourself when things go wrong.

G E T  O F F  S O C I A L  M E D I A 

When things feel out of control, the last place you should be is social media. Well, that’s not entirely true. Laughing at memes on Twitter doesn’t hurt anything when you’re not feeling your best. Instagram, on the other hand, is a vastly different story. I did a whole post earlier this year about why I (sort of) think Instagram is the worst. And I think that since going through a creative drought, my feelings on the subject have only increased. Social media can amplify your doubt and uncertainty. It is best to steer clear of it until it won’t have an effect on you.

O U T F I T  D E T A I L S: 

Top: Dillard’s* | Shorts (similar): Levi’s* | Sandals (similar): Kohl’s*

T R Y  S O M E T H I N G  N E W

If you are feeling uninspired, what could be better than trying something new? Something I have discovered about creativity is that it tends to dry out at times that you aren’t pushing yourself to explore new things. The easiest way to spark inspiration can sometimes be to break out of your usual routine and experiment with something different. If you are a blogger, this could mean working on your posts in a new setting or tackling a subject you have always wanted to write about. It is completely up to your interpretation. But whatever you decide to do should be exciting + out of your comfort zone.

C R E A T E  A  M O O D  B O A R D 

Not only can mood boards inspire you, but they also provide you with a visual representation of what you’re hoping to accomplish. Sometimes I have found that the reason I am unable to work on something is because I have a vague idea of what I want to do instead of a thought-out plan. I like creating mood boards for projects on Pinterest, compiling images and quotes that reflect the vibe I am attempting to create.

R E M E M B E R  W H Y  Y O U  S T A R T E D

This is a trick I have been using to keep my inspiration up for as long as I can remember. When you feel like giving up on something, it is important to remind yourself why you are doing it in the first place. Whether that reason is a passion for creating or a desire to inspire others, you can use it to propel you forward during this creative block. I would suggest writing the words “remember why you started” down on a sticky note and keeping it in your planner. It can be a very powerful tool.

What do you like to do when you’re in need of inspiration? 

Instagram  | Twitter | Bloglovin | Pinterest

FYI: This post contains affiliate links. Any link marked with a (*) is an affiliate link.