6 Ways to Get Out of Your Blogging Rut.

School aside, I feel like my brain has been in a real rut lately. My creative juices aren’t flowing. I can’t think of anything I care enough to write about, or even anything I think someone else would care to read about. I think bloggers and writers go through this more often than we care to admit, but when I’m going through a creative rut, I’ve found these quick tips help me regain purpose and focus:

·      Plan your content ahead of time. Writing up a blog post on a whim is my specialty, but it isn’t the best way to go about keeping this baby current. I feel like most bloggers are already on top of this (unlike myself), but planning content ahead of time gives you the leeway to write a quality post versus something you threw together in 45 minutes (guilty).

·      Make an idea web. Like elementary school style. Write down words and ideas that feel relevant to you in this moment. Emotions, directions, places you want to go, where your worry comes from, where your stress comes from, where your happiness stems from, your biggest fear, your biggest hope, your biggest “what if.” See what you can come up with and go from there.

·      Use Microsoft Word instead of your blogging platform. Personally, I don’t find Blogger to be the least bit inspiring. Something about a blank Word document feels so much better to me than writing in a small box within an internet browser.

·      Or a journal. If you keep a personal journal, use previous entries to spark post ideas. Obviously what I write down into my journal is a lot more revealing than anything I’d like to post on the internet, but it’s a start.

·      There’s an app for that. There are hundreds of apps targeted to writers, from brainstorming to plot twist ideas and motivational catch phrases. When you’re in a creative rut, nearly anything helps.

·      Simply start writing and don’t censor anything. Also known as a “brain Just stare at your keyboard and start typing. Use punctuation, or don’t. Don’t worry about spelling, don’t think about stringing together artfully crafted sentences – this isn’t meant for anybody else, just for you. Set a timer for yourself, or just write until you’re fresh out of thoughts.

Have you ever found yourself in a creative rut? What do you do to get yourself writing again? 

Tea Talk, Volume 6.

If we were sipping tea together this morning, I’d be drinking black with sugar with a side of biscotti cookies because my mom gave me an extra package she got from their last trip to Costco. I have some chai and jasmine green, if you’d prefer that instead. Cashew milk and honey, too.

I’d tell you about how my academic life has been a whirlwind ever since spring break, which ended a whopping week ago. I was on campus for over 30 hours last week, and it’s shaping up to be another long week ahead. The countdown is on for graduation, my friend (just 495 days!). I’d also tell you all about the funny stuff the kids do in my literacy group on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Literally had a girl hyperventilating and crying because her classmates didn’t raise their hand to speak. Oh, to be five again. So many problems.

I’d let you in on my new hair care secret that has literally changed my life for the better: MoroccanOil Hydrating Shampoo & MoroccanOilHydrating Conditioner. I am telling you that it is a game changer. I’m talking three nights since my last wash + two workouts later and I don’t even need dry shampoo. It’s a little pricier than what I’d normally spend, but I typically wash my hair only twice a week (and I spend a pretty penny to color it), so I figured it was worth it.

And then I’d tell you that I wish we could catch up even more over bottomless mimosas this weekend, but my mom and I are road tripping up to St. Augustine Beach to visit my grandparents. It’s been a hot minute since we’ve made the trip over together (like, five years) but if there’s one thing I learned from attending Ryan’s grandpa’s funeral service over the weekend, it’s that there is no time like the present to spend quality time with the people you love.

I would probably squeeze my side of the chat into three minutes or less so I can get back to eating all the biscotti cookies…and listen to what’s going on with you, of course.

What would you tell me over tea this morning?

Take Time to Just "Be."

Having a whole 10 days off classes, school work, and clinic did absolute wonders for my soul. It’s funny how most times, you don’t realize what you have until you lose it. In my case, I didn’t realize how much I needed something until I had it. Specifically: time off to just be. To be on my own, to be with Ryan, to be with the dogs. To lounge in bed, to go adventuring, to pick up an extra work shift.

Ryan took off work for the first couple days of the week, so it felt like a perfect little staycation. We had a chilly, rainy day we spent at a matinee showing of Get Out (loved it). We ate sushi and drank half price bottles of wine. I bundled up in a blanket and watched Ryan’s 9:30 p.m. softball game. I did a bit of lunch and shopping with my mom, got a mani/pedi with a friend, and even went to a St. Patrick’s Day festival with some friends.

This weekend, we cleaned the entire apartment. Ryan vacuumed and dusted while I reorganized shelves. I cleaned up all our mini piles of random clothes and whatsits scattered across the bedroom. We opened the windows so our white airy curtains could billow in the breeze. We lit incense and turned on our twinkly lights and it felt like pure heaven.

I almost decided to be productive last night, but I knew I had quite the week ahead of me…so I didn’t. I finally used my Lush bubble bath bar from Christmas, put on clean pajamas, and scrolled through my Tumblr feed while watching the latest episodes of Big Little Lies and Girls. Sorry for the play by play, but it just felt so good to be doing things simply because I wanted to do them, not because I had to.

If you haven't had that kind of option in awhile, I suggest you find a way to make it happen. If you can't have a few days, take one. If you can't take one day, take one hour. It isn't scientifically proven or anything, but I'm telling you that you will become a happier human because of it.