“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” – John Maynard Keynes

Sometimes, getting out of a creative block requires escaping from the gravitational pull of old ideas, other times it might require diving into them to get re-inspired. Below, we’ve shared a variety of perspectives, insights and advice on how to overcome creative blocks.

Trissa Pearson

My mental health journey reached a critical turning point after years of prioritizing my business over myself. When I started my massage and spa company in 2015, my passion slowly became all-consuming—I poured every ounce of energy into growing it, unaware of the toll this took on my well-being. By 2023, the neglect had escalated into debilitating anxiety, self-doubt, and burnout. That’s when I realized survival meant choosing myself. Read More>>

Ben Kidd

Being a YouTube creator requires a steady stream of ideas for videos, and for ‘video essay’-style YouTubers like myself a bout of writers block can be devastating. As I script out videos I end up writing about 5,000 words a month (the equivalent of writing one novel a year, which would be much more impressive), so over the last 8 years I’ve had to come up with some strategies to keep the word count climbing even when it feels like the creative well has dried up. Read More>>

Alicia Searl

Writing has always been a passion that has generally brought comfort and peace to my life. As a young girl, I carried around a journal everywhere and was often found doodling in class (rather than “listening”), as I believe it actually helped me to learn. Handwritten notes were also given to family and friends as my language of love, and a way to share what was on my heart. Read More>>

Vishaal Desai

Writer’s block—or any creative block— can be a crippling experiences for an artist. As a writer, I’ve encountered it more times than I can count and I’m certain I’ll face it many more times in my career. I would love to say there is a foolproof method to overcome it, but the truth is, writer’s block is as subjective as the writer’s own perspective. Read More>>

Brittany Vogel

I think it’s very natural for a creative person to have periods of time where we don’t know what to paint, etc. My creativity goes in cycles where some times I have more ideas than I can make and others where I don’t even want to go into the studio. Read More>>

Lisa Shiomi

I believe it’s important to trust myself and remember that there’s a reason I’m here. I also make a habit of writing things down when I feel stuck.

When I first came to the United States to attend graduate school at Loyola Marymount University, I was confident in many ways except for my language skills. Read More>>

Desmond Wilson

A good way for me to overcome Creativity Blocks is to go outside and touch grass. Take a walk somewhere as that would help free my mind. A good walk outside especially during the warmer months does the mind wonders. Read More>>

Vanessa Mei

One foolproof way I overcome a creative block is by visiting museums or galleries. Seeing the level of craftsmanship reignites my own desire to create. I find myself wondering how I can challenge myself to reach that level of expertise. Whether it’s an exhibition of a world-renowned artist or a small local artist, I always leave inspired. Read More>>

Joe Velez

I overcame my block by understanding how important it is to keep myself interested in what I’m working on throughout the entire process.
Sometimes when you know what the exact outcome of your painting will be, it can become boring after a while. Read More>>

Muyiwa Adesokun

As an author and filmmaker, I should struggle with writer’s block, but the truth is—I rarely experience it. The closest thing I carry around is a notepad, and it’s no coincidence that the Notes app is the one I use the most. Read More>>