Food for thought… A generous helping of inspiration

Writers Block!

How do writers manage to overcome it and still maintain inspiration to continue their craft? When the brain has decided, without notice, that it’s on strike, what’s the next available option? Wait it out or find other routes?

Is it the case of any strike- ‘life goes on‘?…

When tube workers are on strike- take the bus.

Or if bus drivers are on strike- walk!

I’m on the path of discovery to negotiate a deal to end my strike and get back some inspiration! I don’t know any another routes of gathering inspiration than my general well-being working together to absorb it. When one unit shuts down, is it down to motivation to be co-captain and run the joint?

Despite starting my blog in June 2012, I found true inspiration four months later, when personal circumstances lead me to pack up and go to Brazil to find myself.

Inspiration has flowed with ease since then, and the results, like anything that requires hard work, have been visible. I’ve been writing a blog post regularly, steadily gaining a small but dedicated readership in less than two months of being in Brazil.

With little or no warning, yesterday my brain decided to cease processing any inspiration- a vital component towards writing my blog posts. It took me a while to realise, like a child that says ‘I’m ok’, sometimes there’s a ‘untruth’ about the simplicity of just being OK.

So I turned to food to boost her up, to get my mind on a roll of thoughts again. Raiding my cupboards with my eyes to suggest offering she might like. And you know desperate times call for desperate measures when even motivation offers to help by going to the shop with me to buy chocolate- at 11pm!

After indulging in a few moments of pleasure, much to the delight of my mouth, my brain stubbornly decided to remain in an unproductive mood! Self pity was knocking at the door but I refused to let it in. Instead sat in silence and tried to workout why after almost three months my brain was acting this way.

Nothing good lasts forever (chocolate included! The sensation was gone in 5 minutes)!

This is the hard part.

I’m at preparation stages of gathering my equipment together for a skydive fall to earth. I’ve never actually tried skydiving (though it’s on my bucket-list!) but the anxiety of facing reality is already kicking in. And I can’t guarantee a soft landing!

My journey in Brazil which has seen me from finding myself to making myself is coming to an end. With less than a week before I’m back home, this is perhaps my body’s way of saying;

“I don’t want to leave!”

So with empathy, I explained that my work here if done. It’s time I took the raw materials of what I’ve learnt on this journey back with me for processing. Back to my home. Where I hang with pride my memories on my wall of fame. My haven for refection. That’s where the real journey happens. Survival in the real world!

Each trip, good or bad has taught me something new about myself and gained me a set of essential survival skills to use in the jungle of the city I live in! Being scared to go home, is like an apprentice being scared to gain a promotion.

This morning I woke up early with the sun rise. My team is back to normal, each unite breaking its fast by processing the beautiful sight.

I helped myself to a generous portion of inspiration to start my day…

How do you overcome writers block and gain inspiration?

Related articles

• Inspiration (carlarenee45.wordpress.com)
• Dealing With the Little Devil Called Writer’s Block (ucdavis.uloop.com)
• Reader inspired “Inspiration” (artsyprincess.wordpress.com)
• Knock Your Block Off: How to Get Rid of Writer’s Block (writersinthestorm.wordpress.com)
• Waiting for inspiration to strike? (yourseachangelife.com)
• 8 writing triggers you should never ignore (raventools.com)