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I think it’s just part of the cycle… 
Creative thinking and doing ebbs and flows. Don’t you find that to be true?

Maybe like the seasons cycle from summer through spring again and again, this is not something to disturb the creative mind.

But, it can feel disturbing when I’m in the inevitable ebb!  That’s when it is so easy to doubt and question everything creatively. These doubts, questions and anxious thoughts can linger to become an obstacle to creating at all. 

This is when my mind needs a reset or to be renewed. 
Scripture, you know, has this idea woven through it … but I don’t always think to apply it to my creative self, especially when it seems that creative thinking is dissipating.

But, in this changeable cycle, I’m coming to a more relaxed understanding.  
A time of less active creative thought and motivation is actually a time of rest, and it’s needed! It’s in these times of rest that we restore energy, reflect and gather steam for the next things. I’m learning to accept and embrace this reality as a gift meant for my good and well being. That being said, a state of constant rest is not the goal either!

Here are some of the things I’m learning to remind myself of when I feel that slump. I want to align with and follow my God-given, (and God-endorsed) unique design, the design that God delights in and desires for me. It’s helpful to me to go back to the basics as I restore and renew my mind. 

• The creative calling to step into my design is a privilege and it is not of my own making.
• Creativity is a way that we, as humans, can emulate and participate in a wonderful facet of God’s character as the Creator.
• What we do, creatively, is living out a good purpose to bring good into the world - through beauty, joy, meaning and generosity.
• I’ve been given a unique path that aligns with my design. Each of us has been! This is one of the ways that God shows up in the world. He “speaks” in unlimited ways through the designs given to us.

These may seem like obvious (rather than earth shaking) assertions. But they help me dispel anxious or doubtful thoughts, even in the cycles of creative ebb and flow.

Leave a comment!  I'd love to know how you ride the tides of ebb and flow!

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Photo credit: Benjamin Balazs

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