Navigating Cycles of Creativity

All artists experience cycles of creativity, stillness, death, and rebirth. In a creative burst, we are working on our craft, developing new ideas, and consistently having insights and revelations connected to what we truly care about. In a phase of stillness, we are recovering from giving all our energy into a new project. Death is a period of feeling uninspired, and rebirth is igniting the creative flame once more. 

These cycles, though nuanced for each individual, have happened to me since I started writing at sixteen. There are weeks when I bleed metaphor and breathe inspiration – where my entire being is poured into a new play, pushing my limits and shifting my style completely. 

It is often in this stage where I feel the most myself; my sense of purpose is directly related to having creative energy and being able to use it. 

This can be dangerous and detrimental to my feelings of self worth and fulfilment. Rather than equating my self worth to things I can actively control and manipulate, I equate it to a cycle that demands a break in output. Not actively working on something beautiful or meaningful pushes me into a state of loneliness and isolation: what I create is tied to my conception of identity and purpose. 

I’ve had conversations with friends who also rely on creativity to determine their identity. A common factor of individuals affected by this cycle is self-awareness. We all know exactly what is happening to us and why, but there is nothing we can do to speed up the process of inspiration. If it goes on for longer than expected, the waiting game can be heartbreaking. 

Lonely cycles of creativity are difficult to navigate, but not impossible. 

Although I am still deeply affected by periods of not writing, acting, or directing, I’ve learned how to unravel parts of my identity from what I work on. An artist’s entire identity is not rooted in their art. I am not solely what I create. Separating myself into realms of identity has really transformed the way I perceive my self worth, and my ability to feel validated and seen even in periods of creative stillness or death. The version of me that creates is not the same as the everyday version of myself, and though they are interconnected, focusing on my identity separate from my writing has allowed me to understand who I am and what I value. 

When I have a lack of creative energy or inspiration, I remind myself that every artist feels this, or will feel it at some point in their life. We are not wired to be consumed by our art constantly. Love, friendship, heartbreak, and reflection are imperative in shaping us and giving us something to write about. 

Periods of stillness and death don’t last forever – inspiration is inevitable for those who truly love to create.

 

 

• creativity
• cycle
• identity
• inspiration