We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amanda Keller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda, so happy to have you with us today. You are such a creative person, but have you ever head any sort of creativity block along the way? If so, can you talk to us about how you overcame or beat it?
As a creative entrepreneur, creative blocks come with the territory! So many things can impact my creative flow — distractions, feeling overwhelmed, the seasons, my hormones and digestion, my social media intake.
I’ve noticed, for me, the most beneficial methods for overcoming creative block are sticking to routines, changing my scenery, and simply being self aware.
1. Sticking to Routine
By mapping out my mornings, prepping meals, and making intentional time for the things I value, it keeps my mental capacity free flowing. I’m not bogged down by decision fatigue or distractions. I don’t like to overthink it — because if it feels unattainable, I’m less likely to stick to it — so I’m not like one of those crazy ambitious CEOs who wake up at 4am after three hours of sleep. When I start my day with a set routine, I’m much more productive and energized. Right now, that looks like a 7am alarm, taking a walk and exercising, showering, iced coffee and overnight oats for breakfast, and sitting down to start working by 9am. I also do things like posting on Instagram and going to bed around the same time each day.
2. Change of Scenery
Often the creative block comes from feeling stuck, so getting away from my desk can help shake away some of that stagnant energy. When I’ve hit a wall, I will go for a walk, do a chore around the house, go get the mail, or go outside to take care of my ducks and chickens! Sometimes, I’ll even start my day working from a coffee shop, which also gives me something to look forward to!
3. Self Awareness
Being in tune with myself and knowing the symptoms of creative block, mental fatigue, or overwhelm and anxiety, is extremely important. If I’m not paying attention or listening to myself, the creative block becomes like a black hole that is much deeper and harder to get out. So I need to do regular check-ins with myself and not avoid when the disruptive feelings creep in.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am celebrating my first full year in business! I quit my corporate job at the beginning of 2024. Before taking my business full time, I started freelancing as a side hustle in 2020. Today, I build compelling brands and high-performing websites for service providers. I’m also a copywriter, photographer, and digital marketer.
Everything about my career as a designer feels aligned in the stars. I’ve been creative all of my life, so this journey has come to me pretty naturally. I love creating things that can make a difference in others lives.
I don’t really have a “style” because I design to meet the needs of my clients’ customers. And I more highly prioritize results and how things perform than how they look. Everything I create looks aesthetically pleasing, professional, and on-brand, but “beautiful” can only get you so far. I get charged up about tapping into user behaviors and human psychology, and using that to inform my design decisions!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
My three most impactful qualities are resiliency, self-sufficiency, and a willingness to take messy action.
I’ve observed that to be a successful entrepreneur, you need an amalgamation of fortitude, audaciousness, steadfast discipline, and the courage to get things wrong. Sure, easier said than done, but when you’re in the thick of it and left with no other choice (because your livelihood depends on it), you’ll dig deep and find depths of yourself you didn’t even know were there!
Stay focused, keep learning, and fail forward. Remember to celebrate the wins, no matter how small. And never forget why you’re fighting for this dream in the first place.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Definitely my former boss. He is the person who lit the spark of entrepreneurship in me. As a serial entrepreneur himself, he strongly encouraged the people in his organization to dream big, scary dreams and always take a chance on themselves. Dozens of entrepreneurs were born from his leadership.
He instilled a love for learning and reading in me. I never let not knowing the answer, or fear of the effort to learn it, get in my way of achieving my growth goals. I learned a lot about the type of leader and business owner I want to be from him.
He’s always been generous with his time, knowledge, and money. Through his actions, he showed me the value in giving back and living in gratitude. And I have him to thank for strengthening my mental fortitude.
Because of his guidance and lessons, his vulnerability, and sharing his own mental health journey, I take much better care of myself. In fact, he prioritizes it so much, he actually added full-time life coaches to the company. The entire staff has access to them, and can essentially schedule therapy sessions during their workday.
When I made the decision to leave his organization after nearly 13 years (and being one of the longest tenured employees), he was my biggest supporter. He changed my life, and I’m forever grateful for him.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.northwoodscreates.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northwoods.creates/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553977138095
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-keller-northwoods/
Image Credits
Jess Burns
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