In her book, “The Artist’s Way,” Julia Cameron states that, “Creativity is our true nature” (introduction-xiii). It is innate within us.

Yet, many find themselves disconnected from their creative spirit.

Have you ever felt detached from your creative pursuits? Do you have zero drive to write?

I felt that two years ago when I’d stopped writing. I felt guilty but I didn’t know how to return to creative writing.

We all know that inspired writing isn’t always with us. 

Sometimes we have to write despite the lack of inspiration. 

Sometimes, this detachment can be a tool to avoid our fears of never gaining success.

We may tell ourselves that, “there are more important things in life than writing.” Or, we provide ourselves with a myriad of excuses as to why we aren’t writing. 

Yet, the longer we deny ourselves the creative pursuits that fill us, the more we feel uninspired, even older than our age. 

The Artist’s Way aided me in recovering my creative inspiration, ultimately leading to the creation of this blog. 

Today, I’ll share with you the main strategies that Cameron suggests you implement to get back to your creative core.

The Artist’s Way is an active book. Simply reading it (or this post) will do no good.

If you want to rediscover your inspiration and find joy in writing again, come to these strategies with an open mind and an open heart.

Stick with them for a while and see what shifts occur.

Let’s get started!

Creativity is within all of us- hidden beneath the noise of life.

Your creative soul craves whatever fills you. 

But, when denied for too long, our creativity becomes rusty.

It never disappears. It just needs nurturing to bloom again.

The Artist’s Way is a tool to support us all in unblocking our creativity with intentional reflection and action.

It doesn’t matter what type of an artist you are, all can benefit from The Artist’s Way.

Divided into 12 chapters, The Artist’s Way will guide you week by week through your reflective journey.

Starting with a weekly reading, Cameron will lay out a series of tasks for you to complete. Some tasks are must-dos while others are a list for you to choose from.

Take week 4 for example- a week to recover your sense of integrity.

After breaking down the concept of an artist’s integrity, Cameron states that this week is Reading Deprivation Week.

Does that sound scary? As an avid reader, it was one of the most difficult weeks to complete. 

This is a must-do task.

We are spending a week removed from the many distractions that can block our inspiration.

Yes, reading is an excellent hobby.

I know that I can spend hours lost in an imaginary world feeling inspired- but they aren’t my words, they aren’t my creative spark.

I’ve used reading as a barrier and excuse against fueling my creative dreams.

Cameron has updated the term reading deprivation since The Artist’s Way was first published. Many other distractions fall into this category- texting, social media scrolling, watching TV etc. 

Take an honest look at your life and determine what habits to halt for a week.

Perhaps, some tasks will be needed for work but outside of work hours, can you put a pause on them for just one week?

Ideally, you’d be working on your creative projects, but not always.

It may mean slowing down further in life.

Complete a puzzle or knit instead of consuming Netflix. Replace watching TV at dinner time with mindful eating. Just sit in quiet or engage with family at the dinner table. 

This is a real challenge!

As your week progresses, the more you realize how many distractions fill up the space in your life- and how many times you mindlessly engage in distractive behaviour.

Cameron states, “Our focused attention is crucial to filling the well… On a crowded (interesting) train, we train our attention on a newspaper, losing the sights and sounds around us- all images for the well” (23). 

Moving from one stimulating situation into another, we drown out the sources of inspiration around us. We forget to be inquisitive, to appreciate our human world for a brief moment.

For myself, not reading a chapter before bedtime was difficult. I struggled to figure out how to gain downtime before bed.

At the end of the week, I decided that an hour of reading before bed is a habit that I truly appreciate and will continue. 

On the other hand, I haven’t returned to my habit of listening to music on the bus ride home from work.

As I spent the week commuting with nothing but my thoughts, I realized how busy my brain was all day. Jumping from work to commuting to home gave me zero breathing room. 

When I took out the earbuds and allowed just the noise of the city around me, there seemed to be a bit more silence between the sounds. I felt rejuvenated.

When you dedicate yourself to this week, you will discover additional time for your creative passions.

Aside from the weekly readings and tasks, there are two additional must-do strategies in The Artist’s Way.

First thing in the morning, on paper, not digitally, your goal is to write three pages of long-hand.

Put to paper what comes to mind. Don’t reread it. Don’t edit it, judge it or question it. 

We are brain-dumping our logical thinking onto paper- the worries, the to-dos, the random ruminations.

By unloading this onto the page, we can begin to see our creative selves more clearly. We now have the rest of the day to engage with our deeper thoughts and inspirations. 

It’s challenging to not judge our writing. We often step back and think how childish, how unrefined our thoughts are on paper compared to the writing of others.

Be kind to yourself. Let whatever comes come.

I found 3 pages difficult in the morning. As a teacher, I was already up early. I enjoy a slow, quiet start to my day, and finding time to write without removing my other habits proved difficult.

Most days, I had only one page written. I admit that I have not stuck with this habit.

Yet, within this task, I recognize the benefit of intentionally choosing the habits that start your day.

Many out there do morning pages habitually. Perhaps, this will be the morning routine that is right for you!

Cameron labels this adventure as a “play date” for your inner artist. 

Is grinding away at your creative pursuits the way to accomplish them? Nope!

Artist dates are solely for you to experience and explore. 

We don’t bring anyone else with us. We go out and do or try or see something. 

We plan a dedicated block of time that absolutely nothing will make us give up and we stick to it. 

Perhaps, you are heading to a park to see the cherry blossoms in bloom, trying clay-throwing, or heading to a new part of town to experience the sights and sounds.

These dates feed your inner creative child and nurture your inspiration. They are essential and fun!

What was my first artist date?

I went to Michaels, roamed the scrapbook section and purchased something for a future undefined project.

As luck would have it, I ended up on a European trip that summer. The perfect excuse to create a scrapbook! 

How fun it is to plan a date just for yourself?

No accommodating for others. No compromising. Just for you. Your way.

If you’re looking for inspiration, check out this list of 46 Weekly Artist Dates.

The Artist’s Way is a weekly commitment. It is an active read.

I encourage you to check out Cameron’s website, pick up a copy of the book if you can and commit to 12 weeks of creative recovery. 

You may find that morning pages and artist dates will become new cherished habits in your life.

Even if that isn’t so, what harm can there be in giving your inner artist a little more room to frolic?

You will feel resistance at times. You may worry that you’re completing the tasks incorrectly or that the benefits aren’t working for you…

Cameron states, “…anything worth doing might even be worth doing badly” (122).

Think about that for a moment. 

Challenge the beliefs of success and perfectionism that society has provided you.

Commit to your creative growth, independent of others’ praise.

If you have been feeling uninspired, if you’ve lost sight of your creativity, give “The Artist’s Way” a go.

There is potential for reigniting your creativity!

When you’re feeling creatively drained, what do you do to reignite your creativity?

Share your tips and tricks in the comments below.

Talk soon!

Julia