Stuck and Uninspired: Gentle Ways to Get Your Creative Spark Back

Lately, I’ve had a lot of days where I sit down to create and nothing happens.  I might even draw something and immediately feel unsure about what to do with it.  Other times, I pull out my sketchbook or open my iPad and my mind is absolutely blank.  You can probably tell just by the lack of social media posts lately that I haven’t been feeling the rat race that artistic creation has turned into.  And honestly, it’s frustrating, especially when you run a creative business or have a long list of ideas you want to lock in on.

But here’s something I’ve noticed.
Creativity isn’t a switch you flip on. It’s a rhythm.
It flows in and out like everything else in life.  And yes, you can burn out even doing something you love.  I actually started drawing during a season of burnout.  So it feels ironic that the very thing that once brought me peace is now the thing I sometimes feel too exhausted to return to when burnout shows up again.

What’s interesting is that I’m not alone.  A lot of my online creative friends have been talking about the same thing. So instead of fighting the feeling, I decided to explore some gentle ideas that might help us find our spark again.

Let’s get started.

Start with the Simplest Thing: Draw Lines

When I’m mentally overwhelmed or creatively empty, I draw lines. Literally. Wavy lines, zigzags, loops, little clusters of dots, whatever feels...well brainless.  There’s something soothing about repeating the same mark over and over.  It’s like giving your brain a warm-up stretch.  Also, you're practicing some tried and true writing/lettering drills in the process.  So, it's a win-win!

Sometimes this turns into a pattern or a doodle. Sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, your hand starts remembering what it likes to do.

Color for Gratitude

Coloring is one of the most underrated creativity boosters. It’s playful and pressure-free. You don’t have to plan a palette or make anything “worthy of posting.” You just… color.

You can actually grab the coloring sheet posted in the photo for free if you're an email subscriber by logging in with your email or Shop account and accessing the Freebies Vault from your profile here on the site.

You can watch how I created this sheet, draw along with me, and then color your own by clicking HERE to go to the YouTube video.  What makes this idea special is that after you get in the groove by coloring the sheet, then you can write in the things that you are grateful for, giving you an extra boost of gratitude.

Copy Something You Like (Just for Yourself)

This one might sound strange, but it really works: copy something you love.  Not to sell, not to share, just to study.  Redraw a sticker sheet you like.  Try out someone else’s lettering style.  Copy a layout you saw on Pinterest.

Artists have done this for centuries.  It helps you get out of your head and into motion.  For the sketch above I wen to Pinterest to find some people I wanted to draw, and I sketched one of them.

Make a Tiny Collage

Even a three-piece collage can jump-start inspiration.  Tear a few papers, add a few stickers, layer a piece of washi, letter a word or phrase, and you're all done.  Collaging engages your brain differently because it’s physical and visual, and usually more playful. 

It’s especially great for days when drawing feels like too much.Just stick and glue down pieces that move you.  For the page above, I literally made a tiny collage in the corner of a page using my Bee Sweet stickers and a collage page I created to match the color palette.

Make a List of Things You Like to Draw

Sometimes you aren't actually out of ideas.  So, instead of drawing, make a list of things you want to draw in the future.  For the spread above, all I knew is that I wanted to draw on this craft color paper, and I wanted to use my new acrylic markers.  So, I wrote a list of little doodles that I wanted to draw and left space to draw them.  Then a few days later I sketched them.  A few days after that I actually colored them in.

Here are a few more ideas for your lists to get your wheels turning on what you might want to draw.

• Foods you love
• Cozy things
• Seasonal icons
• Favorite Hobbies
• Nature items
• Cute characters

You might actually start feeling a spark just from reading your own list.

Enjoy the Beauty Around You

This is the part we avoid saying out loud, but it’s true.  Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is rest.  Your creativity might not be gone.  It might just be tired and overwhelmed.  Giving yourself permission to step away can be the very thing that brings it back.

We are inundated with so much these days.  We scroll through the same accounts posting the same styles and motifs over and over.  Everyone starts doing the same thing because everyone else is doing the same thing.  It becomes too much for our minds to absorb, and it can drown out our own ideas before they even start.

Sometimes the best way to get your creativity back is to walk away from it.  Take a walk, wash your hair, clean your desk, sit by water, watch a comfort show, or step away from your usual creative outlets.  Anything that gives your brain a little space helps.

The photo above was taken on a recent kayaking trip. I find so much beauty in nature, and so much peach when I'm near water.  Ideas often show up when you stop chasing them.  Creativity has its own rhythm, and that rhythm gets disrupted when we are taking in more media than our minds were ever meant to handle.  Giving yourself quiet moments and room to breathe creates the space your creativity needs to return.

A Final Thought

Remember when we talked about burnout, and how the very thing that once brought you peace can feel exhausting at times? That’s okay. You don’t have to perform your creativity.

You don’t have to post it.
You don’t have to sell it.
You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

In a world full of views and likes, sometimes the quiet, private moments are the ones that refill you the most.  Creativity was always meant to belong to you.  Let your own joy and experiences be the fuel for your work, so it flows back into your own peace and fulfillment.

When you treat your creativity as a rhythm, not a race, it will meet you where you are, even on the tired, uninspired days.  That spark isn’t gone.  It’s just waiting for a little space and gentleness to return.