I go in waves with creativity. Sometimes I find that the more I use, the more I have. And then other times, I panic and feel self-doubt that maybe all my good ideas have been done, and there’s nothing left in the tank.

I think it’s so unique to everyone, but today I wanted to share some tips incase you feel in a creativity rut like I’ve been in many times before (it sucks, I know) but hopefully these might help you in a way.

Look at your past work. You’ve done it before, you can do it again. Take a moment out and look at what you’ve already achieved, whether that’s how many blog posts you’ve published, the pictures you’ve taken, or the wonderful comments you’ve received.

Reframe your mindset. Maybe it’s not creative block, maybe it’s a little bit of boredom? Doing the same thing over and over again can feel tiring, so mixing things up can leave you feeling so much better, and re-ignite that passion you already have.

Inspire yourself. Search out new people to follow online, listen to that podcast you seem interested in, or finally buy that book you’ve been wanting. I’m giving you permission, do it!

Try something different. It’s time to pick up that new hobby you’ve been dreaming about! Interested in painting but haven’t touched a brush since year 8? Now is the time. Get out of your creative comfort zone and realise how much there is left for you to gain.

Take the pressure off. Okay, you’ve tried everything else on this list and it’s still not working. Go hit the brakes and take a day off, or several. Putting pressure on something only makes it feel worse, so quit the negative self-talk, and put it out of your mind. Go for a walk, spend time with the family, or chill on the sofa with Netflix and chocolate.

Personal recommendations from me:

• Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic is an amazing book in my eyes, and I’d recommend it to everyone who likes to live a creative lifestyle too. Her podcast is also so so good too.
• Some of my favourite Instagram creatives are @allthatisshe @siennaandi @kerryvillers @kutovkika @misskatyenglish and many many more. Go check out their feeds and be inspired.
• Going for a walk in nature always helps me and clears my head, making me feel refreshed and reset.
• Sometimes you just need to get your bake on! I can go weeks, even months without baking if I’m really busy, but once I do it again I realise just how much I enjoy it, and how great it feels to make something with your own hands.

How do you re-ignite your creativity?

Lets be totally honest here, there’s gonna be a lot more than 3 things that I need to let go of, but these are pretty big (read: huge) things that I’ve been trying to unpick for a while, and I wanted to share them with you today because I think they are applicable to us all in some way or another.

None of these things are something that’s going to happen overnight, but every day I’m going to work on them, slowly but surely.

Pressure.

I never realised how much pressure I put on myself until the veil lifted a few months ago, and boy, is it quite something. Am I being a good sister/daughter/wife/? Do I eat too much sugar? Am I *doing* enough? I’ve been working to erase this with positive affirmations, and reminding myself that everyday I’m just doing the best I can. There is no need to put myself under boundaries of what I should or could be doing. I am enough, I have enough, and I do enough, something I try to say to myself whenever it feels like I’m struggling.

Control.

I like control. There, I said it. I like routine, I like to manage plans and know that everything is all set in the right place. But of course, life sometimes has other ideas. And when you let go and succumb to the flow of life, which sometimes is magical and others, not so great, you step back and see the bigger picture. There’s nothing to control in the first place. This is something I still need to work on, but I think I’ve made big steps over the last year and I’m proud of how it’s going. Granted, I’m not quite there yet, but maybe I’ll never be, but I’m going to keep trying, because it really does feel like a weight off my shoulders when I release and let go.

Old habits/thoughts.

Ouch, a biggie for me. I’d like to think I’m a positive person overall, but sometimes you don’t realise how negative your self-talk can be, and just how easily it seems to come without you even noticing it. Again, this is something I’m working on with my positive affirmations. I know it’s going to take quite a while to improve, but in this case I really believe small steps are the way forward. Self-love is such a massive topic, and in my opinion, probably a life-long commitment. I really want to be kinder on myself and make it a priority, and when I do focus on this, it honestly makes such a difference and I’d recommend it to everyone.

Things that help me in letting go:

• Being in nature
• Focusing on my breathing, and being present.
• Positive affirmations
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Having an evening routine
• Listening to my favourite playlists
• Cups of tea and moments of gratitude

What do you need to let go of?

Hello guys! It’s been over a week since I’ve checked in with you lot, and incase you didn’t see it on my Instagram we’ve been on honeymoon! We went on a cruise around Dubai, and for this happy things post, I thought I’d tell you a bit more about it…

#1 My first ever long haul flights. Previously I’ve only ever done a 4 hour flight and it’s been quite the journey for me and flying, but I successfully did my first ever long haul flights! I honestly feel so proud of myself for coming this far, I never thought I’d be able to manage it so it feels great to conquer that battle. Plus I watched loads of stuff on the plane and ended up thinking it wasn’t too bad after all.

#2 Getting some much-needed sunshine! It’s felt like ages since I had any sunshine, so it was long awaited to sunbathe for the next week and let’s be honest, it was heavenly. Chilling out listening to music, podcasts and reading was just what I needed.

#3 Spending time on the ship. I’ve never been on a cruise before, so I literally had no idea what to expect. It was even better than I could imagine, with so much different stuff to do. Jacuzzi’s, spa, casinos, theatre and so much more. Although this isn’t to say I spent the two days at sea without feeling any seasick, I definitely don’t have sea-legs after all!

#4 Hot stone massage. On holiday, I had the best massage I’ve ever had in my 25 years. It was the perfect way to chill out and have a bit of a pamper after a long day travelling.

#5 Breakfast! The food on the ship was just up my street, lots of vegetarian breakfasts and amazing breakfast stuff. Pancakes, waffles, and fresh fruit was what I started practically every day with, and it was perfect.

#6 Exploring Dubai. We spent our last day exploring Dubai for a few hours and it was completely different than what I expected, and I liked it so much better than I thought I would. A lot more chilled than I had presumed, and definitely not as intimidating.

#7 Quality time. Life is full of distractions as I’m sure you’ll all know, so spending time together was really nice, and I can’t count how many games of cards we ended up having..

#8 Free ice-cream. The package we had on the ship meant we got a lot of benefits, one of which is free ice cream! And yes, I tried a lotttt of different flavours. When on holiday, right?

#9 Coming home. To me, there’s no better feeling than the airplane landing back on UK soil, I just love it. After such a long day travelling, it felt amazing to come home, and have a nap of course! We were so so tired, and you can’t beat your own bed.

#10 Reunited with Harvey. The most happiest thing. My harvey boy! Being reunited with him is just heaven on earth, he’s my best friend and I’m so happy we are back together again!

What’s made you happy lately?

I feel like I’ve got a really good bunch of newsletters. They pop into my inbox and I can’t wait to sit down and enjoy reading them with a cuppa. It’s taken a while to hunt out the online creators I want to invite into my mail account, but now I feel like I’ve got it down to a tee and I want to share them with you today!

JEN CARRINGTON‘S WEEKLY LETTERS

I really love the slow and steady, heartfelt approach that Jen promotes online. She is honest, open, and oh so authentic that you instantly warm to her. Jen is a creative business coach and her weekly letters all mainly business focused, but with a hint of lifestyle too. If you want to build a business which works for you and not the other way around, you need to subscribe.

KAT (BLUE JAY OF HAPPINESS) MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS

I’m a massive fan of everything Kat is about. She is passionate about self-care, making time of ourselves and always reminds me that life isn’t a race you have to partake in. Every month a newsletter is dedicated to a certain topic, the last one was being mindful of our communities. I also love Kat on Instagram so make sure to head on over there if you ever need a reminder that self-care is not selfish.

SOPHIE CLIFF‘S THE WEEKLY PEP TALK

I’ve read Sophie’s blog for years, and I love her realistic, yet positive content that she shares online. When I heard she was starting a newsletter, I wanted to sign up immediately. It’s delivered every Sunday and is exactly what it says, a positive pep talk to end the week on. I love how open Sophie is and how bravely she shares her life online, I find it very inspiring as a fellow blogger. She’s also started a podcast of the same vein called Practical Positivity, so check that out if it sounds something you might like!

JESSICA ROSE WILLIAMS SIMPLE LETTERS

I discovered Jessica on Instagram a few months ago, and I love watching her on Instagram stories. She is a lifestyle minimalist, and promotes the beauty in the simplicity, but doing it in a way that isn’t patronising or pressured. Every Monday she sends out a simple letter and I always look forward to them hitting my inbox.

BETH‘S EVERYDAY ETHICAL NEWSLETTERS

I’ve followed Beth online for ages, but I only just signed up to her newsletter the other day when I realised she had one. I love her Instagram stories and her account makes me feel like I can do my bit for the environment, and that small steps SO matter. She shares lots of good tips and advice how we can improve our eco footprint in her newsletters which I always enjoy reading!

Which newsletters do you subscribe to?

It’s been a few years since I completed Yoga with Adriene‘s January challenge, (doing yoga every day for the whole month) so I was a little nervous at the start of this journey, whether I’d be able to complete it without feeling like I needed a day off, or how I’d fit it in if I really wasn’t in the mood to get my mat out.

DID I COMPLETE IT?

Thankfully, I’m very happy to say I loved every part of it, and I’m so proud of myself that I finished it!

That’s not to say some practices weren’t exactly what I wanted on that particular day, or that it felt easy to fit it in after a super busy day, but I really committed to this journey, and I was adamant that I would finish it as a little promise to myself.

HOW DID I GET ON WITH IT?

I’ve practiced yoga for about 4 years now, and I use Yoga with Adriene’s regularly so I knew what to expect, but I feel like over this 30 days, I’ve noticed such a difference in my body, it feels much more toned, and in my practice I feel a lot stronger than I did before, and also my mind. Having that time to myself every single day to focus on just myself was quite a relevation, and something I don’t want to give up on just yet.

WHAT WILL I DO NOW?

I definitely don’t plan on giving up on an everyday practice for the time-being, and I think I’m going to continue doing the February calendar on Yoga with Adriene, I’ve seen theres a few 10 minute practices which will be great to fit in on honeymoon, and I really want to continue having that time for just me to focus on my mental and physical health.

If you want to know more, I shared my practices on my Instagram stories, which I’ve highlighted under ‘yoga’

Have you ever tried 30 days of yoga?