Creativity Killers: 9 Ways to Overcome Negativity

This one never fails, at least for me. I can wake up with an amazing idea, and really inspired, but it’s at that point that I have to be really careful what I let into my mind at that point. Negativity will kill it every time. If I let myself get on social media (which is also a distraction, see tomorrow) and the stories on there are distressing, disturbing, or just plain frustrating, chances are, I will be taken out of my creative game. The creative flow can be a very fragile thing, and frustration and negativity will surely disrupt it. Here are some steps you can take to avoid it.

1. Start right away. When you get inspired and are feeling creative, if it is possible, dig right in. At the very least, write sketch, get as much as you can “on paper” (or whatever media you use) to store up your ideas.
2. Avoid media and social media. Let’s face it, there is a lot of negative stuff out there, and a lot of people who are all too willing to spout an opinion that is guaranteed to ruin your flow. Avoid it like the plague.
3. Avoid negative people. Let’s face it we all know “that little rain cloud” that thinks it won’t work, knows it’s impossible and will do everything in their power to keep you mired in gloom. They’re not necessarily bad people, and they may have good intentions, but they will take you off your game every time.
4. Rest. Nothing will take you negative faster than exhaustion. You need to rest. Record your ideas, and shut down for a while.
5. Reflect. When negativity comes to call, rather than giving into it, reflect on what you have to be grateful for, until the negativity goes away.
6. Seek positivity. Positivity is the opposite of negativity. I know that’s incredibly obvious but the best way to combat negativity is to seek out positivity. It’s out there, we just need to find it.
7. Remember why we do what we do. Making art and doing the things we were created to do is a source of joy for us and an incredible privilege. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of this. Sometimes the best way to do this is simply to start creating aimlessly until you start to “feel it.”
8. Remember your purpose. Resistance and negativity are not abnormal in the creative life, and especially in the Christian creative life. If you are doing work that honors God, there will be pushback from the enemy of our souls.
9. Remember who called you. The Creator of the universe has called you to creativity. You are created in His image and He loves you. He has called you and gifted you with talents of great value. He invested these talents in you knowing what you can and will do. In a way, it could be argued that God believes in you. That should counteract a lot of negativity.

Now I want to put a caveat in here. If you are mired in negativity, you might be dealing with depression and this could be a medical condition requiring treatment. I certainly would never want to minimize there effects of depression. If on the other hand, if “run-of-the-mill’ negativity is cramping your creativity, try some of these nine steps and see what happens. At the end of the day, the creative calling is a very high calling, we need to overcome negativity to get on with one of the ways God has chosen to give life meaning.