FFA
Waiting for inspiration is like waiting for a monkey to poop on you while you're in your house
How do writers do this all the time?
How do artists create as their main career?
Being creative every day is impossible. Certain seasons of life prohibit you from tapping into the feisty creative side of the right brain. As this season has introduced for me.
I am in a good place mentally right now, thank goodness I came around. However, I find that being mentally well is not contingent on finding inspiration for my writing. I have no desire to listen to podcasts, often that inspires me. I have no desire to dissect song lyrics, musicians often inspire me. I have no desire to go on a run either which, at times, tends to pump up my dopamine levels and motivate me to bust out a radical substack post. Nope. No desire for any of it. Motivation is lacking, inspiration is hiding. Where art thou?
What I will say, though, is that the desire to write and speak to you and open your mind and paradigm shift your thinking is still there so thank goodness I still got somethin’ with me at least. So why don’t we take some time today to explore two words: motivation and inspiration. Why is it that I need to still press on without either word being present in my daily life?
Feelings of inspiration and motivation come and go. If I were to wait for a light bulb to go off in my head as the required means to write, I’ll never get anything done. I might as well throw my pencil away, shut my laptop, and find a profession that requires more structure, more posture, and a stronger list of bullet points where little artistic creativity is required. Woof.
You see, the concept is similar to a marriage. I am 100% confident that Ross and I will hit a year or two where we are just not feelin’ each other, the spark is barely hanging on, our sex life sucks, maybe we’re fighting and can’t seem to land on the same page. I anticipate that to happen on some level. I mean, heck, I hope to be married to the guy for forty years. In forty years, it is likely we’ll have some seasons of rough times with little to no feelings of connection. That’s a reality in this life, unfortunately. Accept it. But does that mean I listen to those feelings and divorce him? Absolutely not. I know plenty of my fellow millennials see divorce as an option going into marriage and usually, spouses will pull the plug when these “lack of feelings of love” tempt them with a knock at their front door. But leaving because of this is weak. Getting out of a marriage you took seriously however many years ago won’t fix your problem. No. You have to remain in that marriage and know and trust that it is temporary and soon all will be well and you’ll probably come out stronger through it. So with that hope and acceptance in mind, you can get your butt into gear and work hard to get that flame for yo man back on a wild and wonderful candlestick. (Side note: I think divorce is necessary in other cases of course, but I do not see eye to eye with people who just give up because they’re not feelin’ it with their spouse any more, no bueno in my eyes).
My point is that living, working, and relating based on feelings are unreliable. Many times, our feelings are a barrier during certain circumstances, especially when it comes to creating.
Stephen King says, “Sometimes you have to go on when you don’t feel like it, and sometimes you’re doing good work when it feels like all you’re managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.”
He’s right.
Some of our best work could be when we were the most unmotivated and uninspired, though I admit I’m still waiting to confirm his brilliant analysis so we’ll see, stay tuned. Hilarious to hear this from someone who posts and never reads her work ever again. I guess in order for this post to be true, I must carry on and reread my shoveled shit yeah?
I know this is directed toward artists, but this principle could apply to anyone for that matter. It applies to you too whoever you are and wherever you are. Right now.
Maybe you’re at a place where you can’t find motivation in your job right now.
Maybe you’re worried that the spark between you and your partner is lacking.
Maybe you’re just unable to get yo ass in the kitchen like me and feel inspired to cook up a new meal, maybe the thought of cleaning your house makes you want to barf.
Fear thou not. Things pass. Circumstances pass. Feelings pass.
Everything on this natural earth is temporary. Now, are you ready for me to confuse you?
First, wait and accept where you are at. Second, ask yourself why you think you are there (as there are undercurrents working in the subconscious often). Third, get to work anyway.
In society, we think actions follow feelings. However, I’ve learned to think oppositely. Feelings follow actions.
Go buy your boyfriend the tool he’s always been wanting. Or just give him a kiss and tell him how much you’re grateful for him. Then recheck in with yourself. How are you feeling now?
Grab a cup of coffee and just bang out that proposal you’ve been putting off. Or grab that co-worker of yours who needs to hear your concern or an apology in order to settle the tension that has built up the last three days. Once that proposal is done, once that conversation has ended… recheck in with yourself, how do you feel now?
Here is the part where I tell you to go cook yourself a meal or clean your house, but who am I to tell you to go do that I just hired a dang cleaning lady to do it for me because I literally had nothing in me to do it… whoops. But you’re catching my drift, right?
Look, it’s a miracle. I finished the piece and enjoyed it for the most part. I didn’t write this out of motivation, I just took action and started writing. I just did it. And now I feel freer.
This, my friends, is the psyche of an unmotivated writer who wants you to explore your thoughts on this new concept that feelings follow actions.
XOXO,
Kelly