The Art of Getting Unstuck
What inspires your creativity when you’re feeling stuck?
When I start to feel that slowdown, when the motivation or discipline begins to slip, I choose to take a break. That choice didn’t come easily. It took time to understand that rest is productive, even when it doesn’t look like it. The truth is, my breaks aren’t really breaks. And being “stuck” is still part of the process.
I live my life in art. Everything I do is surrounded by it. So even when I pause to refuel, I’m constantly absorbing the world around me as a source of inspiration. I go for walks and pay close attention to my surroundings, whether it’s nature or the concrete jungle. I listen to new music, tune in to the radio, watch something fresh or revisit something familiar. I read, cook, dance, move my body, talk with friends and family, people-watch, anything that gets me feeling present and engaged. There are so many things that recharge my creativity and help me become unstuck.
Sometimes, I just need to switch to a different medium. That shift allows me to see and think differently, and when I return to the project, I come back with fresh eyes, new muscle memory, and new ideas.
It might sound simple, but it took time to shift into this mindset. I used to think being stuck meant I was burnt out and had to force the process or flood myself with more art. But I’ve learned that life is art and everything around me can be transmuted into a piece, into something meaningful. Even now, as I sit here writing with Fullmetal Alchemist playing in the background, my jumping spider Scarlet and velvet spider Persephone roaming nearby, I feel creativity flowing just by being in the moment.
If you’ve read my older blog about my studio space, you’ll know I’ve curated my room to be a place of inspiration. I surround myself with beauty. That intention carries into my everyday life. I’m that native New Yorker who still looks up at the buildings, who takes a moment to admire the glimmer of a sunset kissing the windows. I love taking it all in.
