2021

How to be Creative When You Feel Like You Are Languishing

How to be Creative When You Feel Like You Are Languishing
It's not easy being creative when you're feeling like you are languishing.

Ideally, when this happens, your mind freezes and feels like it has nothing new to think about.

For most people, you will feel like all the good ideas from yesterday seem so far away and can only find yourself coming up with more conventional thoughts than innovative ones.



It may sound cliché. 

It is understandable how difficult it is to get past these slums because they happen for everyone at some point or another. It really does get better, though, if you put forth an effort into breaking free of the misery soon enough before everything else.

What is Languishing?


For the most part, languishing is a mental state where you are not fully present and focused on what is happening. It can also be characterized by an individual feeling dismayed or despondent.

Languishing can happen in response to a major setback in life or after experiencing prolonged periods of sadness or dramatic shifts that result in a loss of a previous lifestyle. It's normal to experience languishing when faced with adversity such as grief, divorce, severe illness, and shifts from school life to work life.



Essentially anything that might result in one becoming overwhelmed will cause some degree of melancholy during the transitional phase. However, it's important to know that there is no need for medications or drugs during this period because this time allows the body to reset and heal as well as the mind.

In other words, when you are in a state of languishing, it is important to rest and avoid any aggravation or excitement. This may only lead to your mind being bounced between elation and depression.

How do you know you're languishing?


Languishing is a relatively common condition. If you suspect that you're languishing, you're most probably already wondering; "What are the symptoms of languishing?"

If you're feeling hopeless, worthless, or self-pitying and are unhappy with how things have been going in your life then chances are that you might be languishing.



You might also be languishing if friends or family members have expressed concern about your change in mood or behavior, especially if they notice that these feelings have persisted for more than two weeks.

Here are a few more signs to look for if you suspect that you're languishing:



  • You have difficulty engaging in activities that you used to enjoy

  • You often feel tired and drained of energy

  • Your relationships with other people seem to have strained or grown distant

  • You're unable to concentrate on tasks at work or school, which is affecting your ability to function

  • It feels like life is just one problem after another, and you're always waiting for the next shoe to drop

  • You have trouble sleeping, or you sleep too much

  • You frequently feel worthless and hopeless about your future

  • You've lost interest in activities that used to give you pleasure

  • Your appetite has decreased, or several of your daily habits have changed

  • You feel restless or irritable, and you have frequent mood swings

  • You're having trouble making decisions, thinking things through, remembering things, or completing tasks at work or school

  • Your ability to function is significantly impaired by your inability to think clearly about issues and problems in your life


If you're experiencing one or more of the above warning signs of languishing, it's time to get out of your way and find ways of improving your situation.

making plans for work life balance gif

How do you cope with Languishing?


If you're feeling languishing for the first time, the experience can be overwhelming. While in that state, a common question you could be struggling to find the best answer for is; how do you deal with languishing and make your creative juices flow freely again?

Now,
the key in dealing with languishing is recognizing it for what it is and allowing yourself enough time to heal before getting back into the full swing of things.

Once you realize that you are in a state of languishing, it becomes easier to understand and accept the feelings of sadness without making any hasty life-changing decisions.

With time, the feeling will begin to dissipate, and you will be able to focus on what is happening in your current life rather than being controlled by feelings of despondency.



In this blog post, we explore recommendations you may find helpful if you wish to bring your creativity back to life. Keep reading.

โ— Observe the World:


Observing other people or things is an excellent way to deal with languishing and get your creative juices flowing. Try going for a walk and observing nature, art, buildings, etc., then try to put what you saw into words or images.

โ— Take a Break:


Sometimes, all it takes is taking a break from your creative project to get out of the feelings of languishing. Take some time for yourself, and do something you enjoy, like reading or watching TV. This will help give back the energy that has been depleted by feeling stagnant.

pot is good to relax with

โ— Explore Your Interests:


Exploration and experimentation are great ways to find new sources of creativity. This could be anything from exploring different styles of music, trying on new makeup or hairstyles, reading poetry outside your comfort zone, etc.

โ— Try Something New:


Try something you never thought about before but have always been curious about doing. It may seem scary at first but remember it doesn't matter what happens as long as you try.

โ— Draw Inspiration from Your Senses:


Draw inspiration from one of your senses—touching something soft can inspire creativity in cooking recipes; smelling an apple will remind you of juicing recipes; hearing children playing might remind you that some parents need time-saving meals. Use your sense memories to jump-start creativity.


โ— Think About Why You're Stuck:


Sometimes, it helps just thinking about why we find ourselves feeling languishing again and again so much that we stop being creative. Maybe we don't have the right tools to do our work, or perhaps we're not in a supportive environment and need to find another one.

โ— Use an Ingenuity Exercise:


Exercises could also be what you need for your creativity to improve. This exercise involves thinking of three words that start with each letter of the alphabet (A-Z). Your goal is to connect those letters into something relevant to your creativity problem.



For example, if you are feeling stuck on what colors go well together for a painting project, then try using A=aqua; B = blueberry; C=cucumber, and so forth until all 26 letters have been used up. This will lead you out of languishing because it gets your mind off its usual tracks and opens new possibilities.

โ— Be Patient:


Sometimes, if we feel languishing, it's because our ego can't take the idea that we might not be creative and successful at everything. The best way to deal with this is by being patient while opening up room for new ideas—things will start flowing again soon enough. If you're having commitments for example writing your essay, it would be best if you find a thesis writer to help for the time being.

โ— Change your Environment:


Sometimes, changing the environment can help you get out of languishing. For example, if you are feeling stuck in a routine and that's making it hard for you to be creative, try going on vacation or spending some time with new people who have different perspectives than yours.

โ— Seek Professional Help:


If you are still feeling stuck even after trying some of these tips, then it might be a good idea to seek professional help. Sometimes, we feel languishing because we have lost our creativity but don't know how to get it back again.


The Bottom Line


While it's easy to think that you're just not cut out for something, or that you have a lack of talent when actually the problem is your mindset.

Languishing can be fought by identifying what causes you to feel this way and then taking action against those thoughts.






 
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