Last month, I read Benjamin Hoff’s book, The Tao of Pooh, and realized many of the concepts and ideas presented could apply to us as writers and creative individuals. So, after I was done, I went back through the book and pulled some insightful quotes to explore with you from the perspective of being a writer or other artist.
Let’s get started!
Changing Perspective
Early on in the book, Hoff explains, “[T]hrough working in harmony with life’s circumstances, Taoist understanding changes what others may perceive as negative into something positive” (6). In a world where we are constantly bombarded by negativity, hate, and pessimism, it can be a chore to push all that aside, clear our heads, and dwell in a positive and healthy space that enables us to create.
But what if we used those horrible things to our advantage? What if, instead of being a distraction, they were the reason we needed to escape and create? What if we pushed them away and allowed ourselves several hours to write, draw, dance, sculpt, and do what we want to do for the joy of doing it? What if we allowed ourselves to create something good in the world?
The world and its events are ever-present, but you have the power in your personal space to do something for the good of yourself and the enjoyment of others. When we doomscroll the headlines on our phones or listen to the news, it negatively impacts us whether we realize it or not.
Allow yourself to break free from the world’s negativity and do something positive through your creativity.
Is it Writer’s Block or Something Better?
In keeping with the theme of the quoted passage above, we can also look at writer’s block from a different perspective. We usually consider it an evil force that prevents us from writing, but what if we considered it a challenge to overcome instead?
Writer’s block always has a root cause, and part of breaking through the block is discovering what that is. So, instead of focusing on the negative, explore the positive aspects of writer’s block. Yes, that’s right, the positiveaspects.
What is your writer’s block trying to tell you? The easiest way to find out is to write about it. Writing about the possible causes of your writer’s block can help you find perspective and hopefully assist in getting you through the block and back to your writing.
Is the block caused by fear? Caused by a story problem? Caused by outside forces? How can you spin those into positive and productive actions that will get you back to writing?
The key here isn’t to fight against writer’s block. As the quote says, we want to be “working in harmony with life’s circumstances,” which means finding ways to positively address and overcome the block so you can move forward with your creative process.
Take the time to explore the possibilities and find a positive solution to the problem. You’ll be back into your story in no time!
Final Thoughts
It can be tough to find the good and positive in the world today, but as creative people, we must take a step back and allow ourselves the ability and opportunity to do what we enjoy. Turn the negative news into the motivation you need to escape into a positive and productive work environment. Permit yourself to take a break from the real world and indulge in the creative process you need for your sanity and mental health.
By giving in to writer’s block and exploring its causes, you can begin to break through and get back to writing sooner. Allow yourself to positively push back at this force of negativity, and see how quickly you can climb over this obstacle to creativity.
Happy Writing and Creating, and I’ll see you next time!
Excellent! Love this perspective! Very encouraging.