I find it ironic that I’m writing this blog post at a time when I’m having severe writer’s block. But maybe this is what I need and what some of you might need as well. It’s hard to write when you don’t know what to write about. It’s hard to write when your imaginary friends have decided to go on vacation and didn’t give you any warning. And it’s hard to write in emotional times (although you would think those would be the easiest times to write, they aren’t).

So to try and get my inspiration back, that’s what this post is for! Plus I thought it would be helpful for anyone else who isn’t feeling inspired as of late. So here are some tips to help us get our inspiration back!

1. Writing prompts: Not going to lie, I’m not the biggest fan of writing prompts. Some writing prompts are either incredibly ridiculous or in my opinion, they feel more limiting than freeing. But I do see where some people find them helpful when they’re creatively stuck. So look online for writing prompts you can do and see if one of those does the trick! I may or may not try this tip myself.

2. Do something else creative: Writing isn’t the only creative thing we can do. I’m not the most artistic person in the world, but I can make ugly doodles on a page! And I can color (I have Harry Potter coloring pages). So if you’re feeling stuck with writing, try doing something else creative. If you can paint, try picking up a brush and just seeing where that takes you. If you can sew, try making a costume, a quilt, curtains, or whatever else you’d like. Play with makeup and create a really bold or funky look. Sometimes our inspiration comes from visuals, so that painting, make up look, or whatever creative project you do could be the key to your inspiration! So when the writing muses aren’t with you, see if any of the other muses are. Then the writing muses will get jealous, come back to you, and you’ll be back in business!

3. Clean: This one always seems to work for me. Whenever my workspace or room is cluttered and disorganized, it makes it harder for me to focus. But when everything is clean, ideas just seems to come together and getting things done feels a lot easier. Of course there are times I go overboard and end up cleaning the kitchen or the bathroom… but after all that cleaning I feel super inspired and ready to write again. So when inspiration isn’t striking, get struck by the cleaning bug! And if for some reason this tip doesn’t work, then at least you can relax in your freshly cleaned house!

4. Exercise: I have to laugh at myself for putting this one down because as much as I would love to claim I exercise, I don’t exercise. I haven’t even done yoga in months! But for some people, exercise is a great way to clear their minds, and when your mind is clear, it allows for ideas to make their way in. So next time inspiration isn’t striking, try exercising. You don’t have to go to the gym. You can always go for a walk or run or do some yoga. Maybe I should do some yoga again and see if that helps.

5. Change up your space/Change of scenery: Sometimes just a change of scenery can do the trick. When you’re staring at the same four walls, same notebook page, or same computer screen, sometimes your mind just blanks out and all creativity and productivity goes out the window. Sometimes changing up your environment can help. Try sitting in the park and writing. Try sitting on the beach and writing. Maybe visit your favorite bookstore or coffee shop and write there. Sometimes getting out of a familiar space can free up our minds and allow us to do the writing we need to do. I know there was a point during this year when we weren’t able to leave our houses, so that’s why I included changing up your space. I know during that time I was changing up my space so I wouldn’t get bored with or lose my motivation to write (though I definitely did struggle with writing during that time).

These are the five I’ve chosen to go with, but there are so many other things you can do to help inspiration come back to you! Being a writer isn’t easy and some days are definitely a bigger struggle than others, so we need to find ways to overcome those hard days and continue writing. Because once we stop writing, we start losing our purpose, we start losing our passion, and we start getting depressed (maybe that last one is just me though).

So what are some things you do to help bring inspiration back to you? What would you add to this list? I would love to know your thoughts! I hope everyone has an inspiring and motivational week!