I often find myself needing to take my own advice to get unstuck in my creative practice. Below are five tips that I use when I need a little creative reset or boost!

Tip #1: Journal

I brain dump ideas, concerns, fears, and goals regularly. This does two things things:

1. This helps me feel more focused, because I get all of the swirling thoughts out of my head
2. It most likely will spark an idea

Focus + Idea = Creative Movement!

When you're journaling, ask yourself: What do I want to do creatively? What do I feel is holding me back? What is one small thing I can do to move forward? 

Tip #2: Don't Wait for an Idea to Draw

Don't worry about what to draw. You don't have to come to the blank page with any ideas. Just sit down and make some marks on a page. Make circles, make squares, make squiggles. Eventually, more ideas will start to come and you'll think, "I want to draw a cat," or "I want to draw a whale" and it will lead you into another direction.

If you wait to sit down to draw until you have that idea, you may never sit down. It's once you get your hands moving that the inspiration starts to flow.

Like this tip? Check out this post where I talk more about overcoming creative blocks!

Tip #3: Make a List of Drawing Prompts

One of my favorite ways to get unstuck is to make a list of prompts. You can make your own list of drawing prompts by brain dumping things you like in your life.

My drawing prompt list looks something like:

• Lakes
• Rivers
• Cats
• Dogs
• Plants
• Flowers
• Gardens

Once you have this list of things, you have your own list of prompts tailored specifically for you so you always have ideas of what to draw.

Need a little help getting started with some drawing prompts? I've got a free guide and prompts that can give you a little push! Check out Draw Simple Daily: 5 Secrets to Unlocking Your Creative Flow.

Tip #4: Draw Every Day

One of the most powerful tips I have for getting creatively unstuck is to draw every day.

That doesn't mean try to draw a masterpiece every day. Just draw something really quickly. It could be for five minutes!

If you let lots of time go by, then when you sit down to draw, the blank page can be overwhelming. But if you've been coming to the blank page every day, even just for five minutes or to make squiggles, then when you do sit down, the pressure is a lot less.

Drawing every day gets your hands moving and keeps the inspiration flowing.

These small pockets of time that you make will add up faster than you realize.  

Tip #5: Take Yourself on an Artist's Date

A really good way to get unstuck is to take yourself on an artist's date. This idea comes from Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way. An artist's date could be taking yourself for a walk, going to a garden, or going to a movie. 

It's best if you go by yourself, to let your mind wander and really be with yourself.

If you decide to take a walk around your own neighborhood, try a different route. Observe what you see around you. You'll get inspired in ways that you wouldn't even think of!