I’ve been experiencing a creative drought recently which is frustrating for me. I haven’t been using my camera as much as I’d like, my writing is sparse, etc. I felt myself in a bit of a dip and then I read my good friend’s blog and felt inspired to create things again. Reading about her different projects and expressions of creativity reminded me that I can find outlets in unsuspecting places if I don’t have a lot of energy to give.
I read something the other day that said something to the tune of “Practicing yoga daily doesn’t mean doing a 60 minute asana or even practicing on your mat. It can also be journaling or meditating or operating within the yogic principles.” I thought about this a lot and the rigidity that often exists in my brain. Just because I’m not writing essays or taking photos with my analog camera doesn’t mean I’m not expressing myself in other ways. I find my creative expression in the little playlists I create, the outfits I put together, when I find myself assembling a little theme, and so on. An example that comes to mind was during the pandemic. I felt this immense pressure to be making the most of the downtime (creatively) whether it be baking, yoga, making art, or trying something new I felt stuck. When I look back, I see the ways I was expressing myself despite feeling depressed or hopeless given the state of the world. I made little collage postcards and sent them to my friends. On Sundays, I’d choose a different traditional breakfast to make for Adam and I from different parts of the world. I was still expressing myself, just in less obvious ways.
Yesterday I went for a six mile run around my neighborhood. I just kept running further away from my normal route and ended up in a corner of Schöneberg I hadn’t found myself in before. While I was running, I listened to German audio lessons which in combination felt kind of meditative. I thought about ways I could find my way back to creative outlets. One thought I had was the desire to understand and learn a new language. I can’t think of a more creative venture. I thought about the books I have sitting on my table and the one I just started reading. Learning and reading, moreover being curious, are the most creative ways we can explore new things. Anyway, I’m just saying that I was trying to open up my mind to the possibility that I’m not stuck in one set way of being creative.
I’m going to Vienna tomorrow and I’m looking forward to that. It’s my favorite city in the world. I’ll bring my camera and running shoes along. I hope I can get a decent run in while I’m there so I feel like I”m able to see parts of the city I wouldn’t be able to since I’ll be working most of the weekend. I’m going to start bringing my camera along more often without the pressure to shoot the whole roll but take a photo if I feel inspired. I like sharing the way I see things.
If you find other ways to be creative, please share them with me~