Creative blocks.

I feel as if I'm suffering from a creative block right now, both in music and photography. I've gone through this sort of thing for a very long time, but it feels rather acute right now. I can't seem to conceptualize anything: no visions for interesting photographs, no melodies or lyrics to work with. I don't want to dwell on the problems of creative block, though. I'd rather try to pin down some solutions.

In no particular order:

• I need to get my earbuds out of my ears. I've written about it before, but for the last many years I've listened to a lot of podcasts. This is ok for learning and entertainment, and an illusion of company and conversation, but audio also fills in a lot of the moments when creativity can happen. If I want to break out of a creative block, I need to make room in my mind for creative possibilities, rather than listening to others' creations all the time.
• I need to make deliberate time for creativity. This might mean I need to sit down and practice piano every day, or it might mean I need to sit with my guitar, or it might mean I need to work with a sketchbook to imagine possibilities for photography. But I need to set aside time for it, even though my days feel so busy.
• I need to make sure I'm keeping up with exercise. Over the last couple weeks, due to the omicron variant of covid-19, gyms have been closed here in BC. I don't really like working out if I'm not at the gym, and the weather's been too miserable to go for runs outside. But I need to make the time and deliberately keep up with my exercise. So much of my muscle mass has faded since moving in with my partner, just because I now need to share my schedule with someone, and because I've had to spend so much time in the car. I need to make deliberate time for exercise.
• Speaking of the car, I need to get a trustworthy vehicle ASAP. I don't want to write about it here because it would be boring and tedious, but car trouble has taken up an inordinate amount of my time over the last few months. I need to get that sorted out so I stop stressing about vehicles.
• I need to stop taking courses for a bit. Over the past year, I've taken two post-grad courses: an introduction to school counseling course and an introduction to Special Education in BC course. I've learned a lot, but it's exhausting to spend so much time dedicated to something that zaps so much creativity. 

With those notes, it's clear that I have an issue with time. I think I'm particularly bad at organizing my time when I have a partner because I don't like rushing, and partners need lots and lots of quality time. I've learned that the hard way over the years, that the less time you provide to your partner, the worse the relationship gets. However, all of my creative and exercise activities are rather non-partner-specific. I still haven't found a way to balance my partnered and solo activities. 

I miss creating. I miss feeling like I wrote a worthwhile song, or took an interesting photo. Here's to hoping that, as the days get longer, my creativity can flourish again.