When I feel stuck I can usually find one of two things is happening:   I’m either feeling so overwhelmed that I can’t sense what I am supposed to do next or my negative self-talk is keeping me from doing what I know I should be doing next.   Either way, I’m stuck.

I was introduced to a book in 2008 that I found to be one of the best resources to help unlock our innate creativity and get “unstuck.”  Julia Cameron has been helping free people’s creativity for 2 decades now.  Her book, The Artist Way, is a spiritual perspective on how to create pathways for our creativity through tools and practices. She divides her book into 12 weekly lessons and tasks. It has been used by artists, businessmen, entrepreneurs, housewives, musicians, and stockbrokers from all over the world to help them open their creative channels.  Free-flowing creativity isn’t just for painters and writers – it is beneficial for all professions.  It can help people in the most “logical” occupations find greater success, unseen solutions, and deeper happiness and satisfaction.

1. Write Everyday.    Cameron specifically encourages us to write 3 handwritten, stream of conscious pages in the morning.  Since they are not meant to be read or be a work of art, it keeps our negative “censor” out of it.  Sometimes it may merely be a list of things to do and other times a litany of frustrations and complaints.  Don’t censor it, don’t think too hard…just let it flow.  Try to do it consistently, but if you miss a day, or you have to do it at night instead – don’t criticize yourself!   Eventually, after writing your complaints, problems and fears down morning after morning, your subconscious will start coming up with creative solutions.  I used this process and personally realized that I like to teach people. This blog is one of my solutions.

2. Schedule Private Time with Yourself.   Cameron says to have a “date” with yourself once a week to open up to insight and inspiration.  She recommends walks, a movie, or a visit to a gallery or a junk store.  I personally think we can do this everyday by just changing our attitude about our daily tasks.   Even a grocery store run can be inspirational if we give ourselves enough time to do it with attention and appreciation.  One of the biggest shifts in my life came when I gave myself enough margin in my errands to be present and enjoy them!

3. Visualize Your Daily Intentions/Affirmations. For me, this is my most powerful weapon to un-stick myself.   When I sense the fear or doubt creeping in or I want to make a move in a certain direction, I write what I want to feel or do.   For example, when I was feeling stuck over starting a blog, I repeated to myself every morning, “I write everyday.   The words flow out of me with ease,” and “I inspire people to lead healthy lives.”   When I had economic doubt I said to myself, “I will always be well taken care of.”   The key is to visualize what that feels like and looks like as you are saying it in your head.  The first few times feels phony and awkward, but as it starts clicking with you, it is easy and uplifting.  Eventually, some of your intentions may feel irrelevant as you become “unstuck” and you can write some new ones to work on!