For most of us our art isn’t going to just appear to us, ready to be made. We have to feel inspired, we have to recognize those moments of inspiration and experience those moments. Many times when we aren’t in the right mindset we struggle in creating our art. Life can easily step in and distract us or make us feel like we aren’t good enough, or that we aren’t growing at the rate we feel like we should be. I know this feeling all to well. I have been working my way through a 365 project for the last 5 years and let me tell you what a roller coaster that project is! At this point I know it is part of the whole process, but it can still be so frustrating feeling stuck and like I can’t create anything I am proud of or would want to actually share with anyone.

I can promise you, you aren’t alone in these feelings. Even the best of artists go through these times of feeling stuck in their own work. Don’t get caught up in those voices of frustration! This is your time to grow. Your creative mind has pushed it’s way along to the next level and you will find it there ready and willing to create. These moments of “ruts” and “feeling stuck” while completely valid are also all about perspective and carefully adjusting your mindset. I know life is not an easy path and because of that we wander, we get lost along the way and our art is usually the first to go.

As my own work transitioned and grew over the years, I started to see more of a pattern in the highs and lows. While I never could predict when they would hit, I knew one or the other was right around the corner. I started to dive a little deeper into why this was happening. I noticed others voicing the same frustrations that I was having, feeling like they hit ruts and were not growing, or that they weren’t happy with their own work anymore. So I decided to research what creativity really was and if it was something that could actually be taught. (Hint: It can!)

My entire mindset has changed on what “ruts” really are in our creative process. I don’t see them as such a bad thing anymore. While yes they can still be frustrating when they hit, I now know how to navigate them and use the time to my advantage. I know now this is my time to grow and mature as an artist. It is my creativity’s way of saying lets move on to that next level!

So let’s pause for a second, go back to those early days of learning. The days where everything was new and we thought we were creating gold at every click of the shutter. There was no such thing as a rut back then right? Then we grew a little, our creative mind was expanding, we started to see what was correct and then what was just plain bad photography. We started to figure out our own style in photography, maybe you hit a big goal you had been working towards in your photography career. Then all of a sudden it is like you hit a brick wall. There is this feeling of what’s next, or is that it? Where do I go from here? It can be the most frustrating feeling not being able to navigate your way out of that. This is where the course Authentically Creative comes in, I want you to be able to use it as a tool belt in navigating your way out of those discouraging times. I want you to be able to build self-esteem and dive deeper into your craft, coming at it from all angles, like you never have before. I want you to be able to strengthen your mindset and focus on the good, not the bad. You are still an amazing artist, you are growing, the rut is not a rut, it is your creativity saying join me up here we’ve moved on. It is there, I promise, you just need to listen, to explore, to try new avenues even if it is just for a short time. You will get through these times and you will come out stronger than ever. You are not alone and the growth that comes from these times will be ever so worth it!