Getting unstuck
Cindy on January 6th, 2009
The key question isn’t “What fosters creativity?” But it is, why in God’s name isn’t everyone creative? Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? I think therefore a good question might be not why do people create — but why do people not create or innovate? — Abraham Maslow
Lately I’ve been feeling stuck, burned out, immobilized. And it’s not just because I’m worried about the so-called print media crisis. I’ve been working long enough to know that periods of fallow time are part and parcel of the writing life. I know that all writers go through days or weeks when the work feels off, or never good enough — when self-doubt is a faithful office companion. And I know that it passes soon enough.
In her new book, Stuck: Why We Can’t (or Won’t) Move On, Anneli Rufus talks about why so many of us struggle to make necessary career changes when we know it’s time to move on. Or why we can’t seem to mend relationships that aren’t working. She details some of the things that keep us stalled — living in the past; holding grudges; the need for instant gratification; bad habits; perfectionism; consumerism. I recognize my “stuckness” in many of Rufus’s pages.
Thankfully, I’ve learned over the years that my best antidote to writer’s block is focusing on different creative projects that have little or nothing to do with writing or publishing. Cooking a beautiful meal, for one example, satisfies my need to work with my hands and to offer something that will nourish others.
But I’ve found my greatest satisfaction working on mixed-media collage or constructions in the art studio upstairs. This art form requires that you use “found objects” or whatever else you have at hand — sort of like rustling up dinner from the pantry when you haven’t had time to grocery shop. It’s imaginative and messy and challenging. (The piece of art shown in the photo above is an example of mixed-media construction, recently created by my husband Douglas.)
When my life feels like a series of disparate parts that don’t make sense, mixed-media collage is also wonderfully therapeutic. Crafting a collage, like writing an essay, requires that I look at my world in new ways. I hunt for beauty in places I’ve overlooked before: tool boxes; hardware stores; the recycle bins in my garage. I’m compelled to hunt for possibilities in thrift shops and my own junk drawers. Every object is sacred in the mystical-ordinary sense, and even junk mail is worth a second look. Everything has a story waiting to be told — not necessarily in words, but in shape, form, texture and color.
I’ve been writing steadily and professionally for nearly 30 years, and I don’t imagine that I’d ever stop altogether. Keeping a journal and posting these essays is my way of making sense of the world. But this year it’s likely that I’ll devote more time to artwork and look for new ways to explore my creativity. Shifting the balance feels a little risky now (change always does) but that’s what makes midlife fresh and exciting. This could be the year I take the leap — and get unstuck. — Cindy La Ferle
– Original artwork, “Dad’s Younger Brother,” by Douglas La Ferle –
January 6th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Wonderful, thoughtful post, Cindy. I think you are right on target here. I appreciate the collaging you do for stuckness. Such a wonderful idea.
Like you, I felt stuck last week. All the holiday hoopla and “work” around that sent me into a slump. Plus, I think I was just plain tired. Somehow, I found myself garnering energy to pitch, sort, and set up a brand new work space for myself. I know that when I am stuck the best thing for me to do is move, do something completely different, something physical with my body. Doing so shifts the energy in an amazing way. Now I feel more creative than I have in a very long time. Thanks to the body Muse, that is!
Happy creating!
January 6th, 2009 at 10:41 am
I think we expect that the creative force is a endless fount but unfortunately that is not the case.
Like you, I’ve found that I need to step away, either from the writing, the photography or the sewing.
I love the mixed media creations that both you and your husband have created.
As you get older you get very tired of having to reinvent yourself professionally. Finally you just say enough already. You see I’m past midlife unless you know someone who’s lived to be 122. HA.
A great post as always Cindy.
- Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife
January 6th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I hear you, Cindy. And empathize greatly. What would it feel like not to write actively? Not be in a state of avoidance of the blank page or “stuck.” But to decide, “No, this is no longer working for me, no longer feeding my creative soul but draining it.” What might come into that space?
Perhaps the ‘found object” will be an entirely new
phase of your creative life.
January 6th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Love the mixed media ideas! My job can be a burn out job but I’ve learned, after 20 something years, to pull back and refresh myself with other focus’. My husband might not appreciate me collecting objects with no clear purpose though:0
January 6th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Your husband’s collage is just wonderful! What a great pastime for you two to share.
Like you all, I find my energy and motivation wax and wane over time. After years of trying to force myself out the inevitable dry spells, I’ve learned I just have to ride them out. If I honor the lull (which means cutting my commitments and goals back to the bare minimum), I recharge my batteries that much quicker.
Although, after reading your post, I may also add trying another creative outlet to my repertoire.
Thanks for some good food for thought, Cindy!
January 6th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Cindy, what a wonderful creative life you and your husband share. In our house, my husband’s stained glass hangs in the windows and my photos decorate the walls. When I get busy or stressed, my creativity takes a back seat, but that’s when I need it the most.
January 7th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Satisfaction is key for me when I read your so-familiar description of writer burn-out, block, or whatever else you call it. I am facing something similar–I just don’t want to work on the novel I started late last year. So I’m trying to find satisfaction in other pursuits. Still, leaving that kind of writing alone somehow feels a little like walking a tightrope without a net.
January 9th, 2009 at 1:25 am
I really admire that you are doing artwork these days as well as writing. But I know how hard it is to be stuck. You write about it so beautifully, Cindy.
January 10th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Hello, I clicked over here from Jan at awakeisgood, great post. I was just saying to a friend the other day that as a writer, it could be more beneficial to take a painting class than a “writing” class, in order to learn to see the world through a different lens.
January 10th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Oh, Cindy, I feel like we have so much in common! I hope you will keep us posted on how the new creative explorations are going!