A body in motion tends to stay in motion.
I recently caught up with a good friend on the phone while sharing creative tips back and forth about how to keep the spark "alive" in our minds. When days or weeks go by where I haven't made any art, it takes a lot of energy and will power to sit down, focus, and make something. I feel fine without it because I'm lost in other projects. But then, when I sit down and paint for 30 minutes, it all comes rushing back to me.
When I am in a creative rhythm, I have these vivid dreams. Walking through town, you can often catch me daydreaming about colors, lines, and textures. At night, I'm constantly thinking about ways to make a drawing come together. But like inertia, it's fueled by movement, by action, by repetition.
If you feel like you are in a rut, or feeling off emotionally, try dedicating 15 minutes to yourself to create something. Go into it with zero expectations, release any inhibitions, and just put pen to paper. Smile at what you make regardless, be gentle with yourself, and stick with it. See if you notice a difference after a few days of dedicated creative time.
What does your journal look like? Do you have a super small one that you can throw into your bag? I urge you to keep a pocket journal to jot down words that you hear or sketch in instead of quickly jumping to your phone. If you are willing to share your journal pages, I would love to see what you're working on! Feel free to email them to Emily@Emilychapin.com, tag us on Instagram at @_emilychapin, or use #creativeinertia.
Happy creating!