One of the worst fears for a writer, for any creative person I think, is the fear that you will run out of things to say. Especially after accomplishing something big, like you write that first book. You are barely done celebrating your acheivement before there is the daunting task of a sequel. I used to feel this when I would write music, after finishing a song that I felt proud of. What if this is my best one? What if after this I won't have any more good ideas. As if creativity was a well that could somehow dry up.
Living with this scarcity mindset is not only anxiety producing, but completley self sabotoging.
Creativity is not a limited resource. In fact, if you foster it, it will multiply ten times over. You are not the same person from year to year, day to day, or moment to moment. Everything changes, and that's a good thing, because that's where the spark of inspiration lies. There will always be something new to say, because you will be a new person saying it.
A good artist is an observer. She is someone who sees a metaphor for life when she comes across a bird building a nest. He watches people and wonders what they are thinking, puts himself in their shoes, and in doing so recognizes their common humanity.
You may not be an artist by trade, but everyone has an inner artist. It's the child who sees beauty and magic in everything. Creativity, inspiration, beauty, is always there all around you. All you have to do is learn how to tap into it. Like Luke Skywalker channeling "The Force."
A writer friend once told me while discussing a difficult experience, "well, at least I can use this for my writing!"
Be grateful for what life brings. Pay attention. Find the small pleasures. Release your inner artist.
As I write this, this song keeps going through my head:
"There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy..."
you fill in the blank :)
Great post, Laurel!!
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