So you’re struggling to be a writer, an artist, a musician, or whatever it is you do. And you know what? It’s completely normal. In fact, it’s perfectly natural to feel like this from time to time. People who create things go through phases of losing motivation and struggling to find their way. It happens to everyone; even the most successful people in their respective fields have been there before.

So what are some signs that you have artists block? Here are the five most common (but mistakenly overlooked) red flags:

“Artists Block” is a term used to describe the feeling of being creatively blocked. The term is almost always used in a negative connotation, as something which hinders an artist’s ability to get work done in a timely fashion. When I was younger, I would always feel like I had “artists block,” only to later realize that it was simply the natural process of my creative mind trying to find something worth working on.

Trying to force your creativity can lead to many problems, but thankfully there are ways you can recognize when you have artists block and how to overcome it. This post will go over the most common (but mistakenly overlooked) signs you have artists block, and how you can overcome it.

[…]*Once again, remember that having artists block is completely normal. It’s not something you need to be worried about or ashamed of. All you need to do is recognize the signs and try some ideas which help get your mind back on track.*”

Name:personal essay

Having trouble writing? Creative block can really be a hindrance when it comes to producing any kind of art. If you’re in a rut and feel as though you aren’t able to create anything new, these are the five most common signs you have artists block:

1. You’re Afraid of Being Judged

Fear is one of the most powerful emotions we experience. Fear of judgement is a very real part of the creative process and one that should not be ignored because the fear is crippling your ability to create art. You need to accept the fact that everyone has an opinion about what you do and that it’s okay for people to judge you for your work. Art is subjective and what may be a masterpiece to some may be complete garbage to others. The key here is to embrace your inner critic and accept constructive criticism, rather than allowing your fear of judgement paralyze you into inaction.

2. You Don’t Know What Your Purpose Is

If you don’t know why you’re creating something, how can you expect anyone else to get behind your vision? It’s important that if you want to be productive, that you have something that inspires you or motivates you to create more art. Even if it’s not perfect, just getting started is a huge

You’re in the middle of a project. You’re staring at your canvas, your blank sheet of paper or the empty screen of your computer. You’re not sure what to do next or how to proceed. It’s frustrating, right? You feel like you just can’t go on.

Thing is, you’re not alone. Many artists suffer from this same affliction known as “artists block.” The good news is that it can be resolved and there are proven ways for you to move past it and back into your artistic groove so that you can produce quality work again.

One common cause of artists block is a lack of inspiration. A person with artists block might feel like their creativity is blocked, or that they simply can’t come up with any good ideas.

Although it’s possible to have an episode where you feel unable to create anything at all, this is not the most common reason for artists block. It’s actually more common to have a situation where you get an idea but then lose it and feel stuck or like you have nothing else to create. The fact that you’ve got one idea gives you the feeling that there should be more.

The first and most important thing to do in this case is to trust yourself and trust your creativity. You may be surprised by how many ideas come when you give yourself time and let your mind run free, without any pressure to create.

Trying too hard to force new ideas will only lead to stress and frustration which will hurt your creativity rather than help it. So take a break, go for a walk, watch something funny online, or just allow yourself to think about something else for awhile. When you’ve relaxed and gotten some distance from what you were trying so hard to create, your mind will be open again and ready for new ideas.*

It’s also important not to underestimate the

Um… I don’t know how to draw.

I mean, I’m pretty good at it in my own mind, but I’ve never tried to draw something and then have other people see it. It’s just too scary.

I mean, what if they laugh at me? Or think I’m stupid? Or a bad artist? Or worse, what if they pity me for being so bad at drawing?

I mean, I tried getting help from the internet and youtube, but all those tutorials are way too hard for me! They used way too many details and stuff like that. And besides, most of those people are just trying to make money. They’re not really trying to teach you anything. And even if they were trying to teach you something, they wouldn’t know better than me what I need to learn to improve!

So yeah. Basically that’s it. That’s how bad my situation is right now with drawing. So… Yeah. Don’t talk to me about art until I can tell you how well I can draw or paint or sculpt or whatever the heck else artists do (even though I’ve done 3D art with sculpting software before).

1. You’re not being creative enough.

One of the most common mistakes people make when they have writers block is that they think that if they just keep on writing, eventually something will come out. The problem is, if you keep on writing without any thought or focus, you’ll probably just end up with a block-full of unconnected thoughts and stitched together sentences. If you want to kick your writer’s block, take some time to really focus on the problem and try to think of some solutions that might fix the issue.

TIP: Keep a notebook with you at all times so that when an idea comes to mind, you can jot it down right away. This way you don’t lose anything, and can go back to ideas later.*