Declaring something an excuse is a negative spin on reasons for not accomplishing something. It implies that your reasons lack validity, and that’s a way of shaming yourself or someone else into action. Often our reasons for not taking the next step, tackling that project or overcoming our fears are rooted in reasons that are absolutely valid.

We come up against roadblocks or worse, regularly, but the question to ask yourself is not “are my reasons for not moving forward valid?” but “are my reasons for not moving forward holding me back from living the life I want?”. It’s a subtle shift in language that allows for the possibility of growth while respecting where you’re at currently.

There are ebbs and flows to our journey, and certainly, reaching plateaus is part of the experience. Hitting a plateau allows us to take a moment to reflect, to grieve or to bear witness. We can reevaluate when we reach that place and understand what would be most beneficial moving forward.

When that plateau goes from horizontal to vertical and becomes a wall, that’s the indicator that we need to take action.

I have been stuck in a creative and motivational rut for the last month, and there are many reasons I can point to that have drained me of creative and motivational energy. I have been accepting of my plateau and given myself grace, which is a mindset I’ve only recently adopted in the last year, but…

This plateau has become a wall.

Giving myself grace and space was appropriate and compassionate for a time, but it’s clear that I’m in the stage of holding myself back from living the life I want.

In order to switch on the pilot light, I’ve landed on a few strategies that feel proactive and aligned with my values while simultaneously honoring my current stage as an integral part of my journey.

Write it out. If you don’t have the option to post your thoughts on a blog, then consider journaling, morning pages or writing a letter to yourself and burning it. However you do it- pen and paper, digitally or your kid’s crayons, just get down all the reasons that are holding you back from moving forward.

Creativity with no purpose. My creativity lies in writing, interior design and cooking, and all three have a functional purpose. I write for this blog, I take on freelance design projects and when I cook, it’s usually to prepare a meal for myself or my kids.

I’m a crap artist, but I love the feeling of taking charcoal or paint to paper and seeing where it leads me. I typically don’t allow time for this, but when my rut leads me to social media scrolling, I definitely have the time.

It doesn’t have to be creating a piece of artwork though…

Make a fancy two bite dessert that takes hours to make and seconds to eat. Learn a new song on whatever instrument you have laying around. The point is to do something that will not make you money, check off an item on your to-do list or be done exclusively for another person’s consumption.

Activities with no purpose aka hobbies. My childhood was filled with opportunities to learn, to play and to explore. I wasn’t setting out to be a concert pianist when I learned to play piano. Playing soccer certainly wasn’t leading to a college scholarship. And taking hours long bike rides through the suburban Chicago forest preserve was an expression of freedom and joy, not work.

Busy is the definition of modern life, but I’m realizing it’s vital to find the mental space and actual time to seek joy. To that end I’m looking into singing lessons and dance lessons – for no other purpose than connecting with my body energetically…and maybe a little to rock karaoke night when that’s an option.

Reach out. The pandemic has thrown up obstacles to connection throughout the past year, but especially now in the colder winter months here in Seattle. I thrive on the energy between myself and another person, whether that be work colleagues, friends, my kids or a romantic partner. I am now making the extra effort to connect and harness that energy towards renewing my creativity.

Shake up your routine. This could be something small like waking up a little earlier and savoring a cup of coffee or something larger like planning a trip. I’m doing a bit of both and finding myself enjoying some quieter moments earlier in the day to just reflect, and I also planned a mini vacation, which I am currently enjoying as of this posting. While a routine is great for stability and security, I find that a shift in the daily structure or a spontaneous act can keep me moving forward and inspire increased creativity and productivity.

It’s a challenge right now to move beyond the place you’re in. I know how hard it is to move away from your plateau. If you’re ready, honor your future self and try a few of the strategies above to get you moving forward, and leave your own strategies in the comments below.

Are you ready?

With love,

Steph

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