By Wes Annac, Editor, Openhearted Rebellion
I love writing as much as anyone with a blog. It’s a great outlet for expressing what’s on your mind and connecting with a source of inner wisdom most of us don’t know we have. But when writer’s block gets in the way, it can lead to hair-pulling anxiety.
When I first started writing, I didn’t see it as a discipline or skill I had to develop. I thought that if you wrote well, you’d never get writer’s block. The words would either flow or they wouldn’t. I learned pretty quickly that this is not the case.
Wanting to write but struggling to get the words out can frustrate you or even make you panic. Overall, the less time you spend working on your craft, the more prevalent and panic-inducing writer’s block will be.
Experience has taught me that to write, you must wait.
You obviously need to make an effort, but overall, it’s a waiting game that demands patience. A lot of it. While you’re waiting, you don’t just sit and hope for inspiration; you start writing down your ideas at whatever pace they flow.
If you can manage to stay confident and keep going, then something good will eventually come of it. Until that happens, you keep writing and waiting.
At first, you might not create much of anything – or, you might hate what little bit you do make. As cliché as this will sound, it makes all the difference if you can stick with the process and trust that you will get somewhere, no matter how long it takes.
I’m not the only one to suggest this by far. Like other writers seeking advice, I’ve read it on the internet a thousand times. But there’s a difference between knowing something on a superficial level and learning it through experience.
Through all the difficult writing sessions I hated at the time but now appreciate, I’ve learned that I must be patient and keep going.
This is where discipline comes in. For one, it gets you to show up and do the work. It also helps you to be calm and patient instead of anxious or tense when that valuable inspiration is nowhere in sight. Inspiration may come and go, or it may disappear indefinitely. Discipline teaches you patience as you try to get it back.
As so many others have said, creativity is also an act of discovery.
When you create something, you look within for an artistic, expressive part of you that seems hidden. If you do it a lot, then the artist within you (reclusive as he or she is) will feel more comfortable socializing. Before you know it, that shy little introvert will be out of their shell chatting effortlessly.
You might even pick up on ingenious ideas you’ll wonder how you were able to materialize.
There are a lot of theories about what drives creativity. My theory is that those who do the work are rewarded with inspiration from a higher – perhaps even mystical – part of them. The mind, when sufficiently opened, acts as a channel for its wisdom.
When I sit down to write, I never expect to produce all these words. They find their way to me when I clear all distractions and focus on writing. It is a joy to rediscover them, as it reminds me that there’s more to explore in my own mind than the everyday thoughts that hold my attention.
I could go days or even weeks without reigniting this connection. But every time I come back to it, I realize I was foolish to leave. I’m always drawn back by a longing to share these awesome ideas with anyone who feels alone in what they believe.
Trust me; there are more of us out there.
Whatever your craft is and however you practice it, I hope it brings you all the fulfillment you desire and deserve. To never discover your creative spirit is a tragedy that should be avoided at all costs. You may need some discipline to uncover it, but in return, you’ll reconnect with a wise and ageless part of you.
About Wes Annac:
I’m a twenty-something writer & blogger with an interest in spirituality, love, awareness, activism, and other crazy stuff. I run Openhearted Rebellion – a blog dedicated to sharing wisdom and encouraging a revolution that begins in the heart.
I also run Canna Words – a blog in which I share some of my research and opinions on cannabis. There, I write about everything from legalization to hemp and the various ways people use the cannabis plant.
I’ve contributed to a few awesome websites that include Waking Times, Wake Up World, Golden Age of Gaia, and The Master Shift. I can be found on Facebook (facebook.com/wesannac, facebook.com/cultureofawareness) and Twitter (twitter.com/Wes_Annac, https://twitter.com/love rebellion)
If you enjoyed this post and want to support my work, consider donating via PayPal to wesremal@yahoo.com.
Recent articles:
Openhearted Rebellion:
- Self-Enquiry: Discovering Your Divine Identity
- Demystifying the Silence
- Persevere, Starving Artists
- Keep the Flame Alive
- 10 Insightful Quotes on Kundalini Awakening
- Emptiness and Life on the Other Side
- I Have Hope
- Being Openhearted: Am I the Crazy One?
- Meditation: Wisdom in the Silence
- Art as a Spiritual Practice
- Blending Self-Improvement with Zen
- 5 Profound Quotes on Meditation and Enlightenment
Canna Words:
- 8 Cannabis Facts That Defy Common Stereotypes
- 5 Fast Facts about Pesticides in Cannabis
- Cannabinoids Heal the Body
- 5 Things We Can Appreciate About Rastafari
- Vaporizing: A Healthier Way to Use Cannabis
- Hemp: The World’s Most Versatile and Useful Plant
Share freely with attribution to Wes Annac and Openhearted Rebellion
Thanks for reading!
The Annac Blog 
Reblogged this on unity2013.
LikeLike
This is a very insightful article. I too have struggled with writer’s block on several occasions, but I have come to realize is that for me to write, I have to continue even on the days when it feels like a struggle, which is what you too have emphasized upon in this article.
Thanks for writing this. 🙂
LikeLike