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Many creative businesses rely on the business owner’s creative spark.

Recently my colleague at EP Designs has not been well – so lost her creative spark. Another colleague in a local creative business has became jaded and couldn’t find excitement in her work any more.

What happened to their passion and creativity? Often through illness or disaster people get out of the routine of being creative. They then start to layer on fear about whether they still have it in them, which builds more fear about what if they try … and fail.

Others find they lose their creativity when the work they are doing is not quite the sort of creativity they really thrive on. For example if they love painting huge modern masterpieces and all their clients want are small 8×10 paintings of traditional seascapes. Yes, they are being creative, but they are using their creativity in ways that don’t fill their souls – so they slowly wither and die inside.

What is the way out when you have lost your spark? I usually recommend first taking a few days breather by the sea or in the mountains just to take yourself out of the situation.

Then have a go at creating something that will not be sold – it is just for the joy of creating. Now this can be within your genre – painting, design, writing or whatever, or it can be totally left field – carpentry, gardening, finger painting.

The trick is to reconnect with the fun of creating something without the pressure of it having to be for money.

Once you have found your creative fun side, then reconnect with what exactly you do love to create and why – and be more choosy about the clients or projects you accept in future.

Don’t waste your creative gifts doing things that you don’t love. Find your passion and do that – and do it well. Clients will come if you work from your truth and your strength, so take time to rediscover your spark.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

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Heart Harmony – Freelance writers