Dear artist with waning motivation ...

Your journey with art is a marathon, not a sprint, and there will be seasons of intense activity and seasons of quiet reflection.

Dear artist with waning motivation,

Dear writer whose fingers hover over the keyboard, but the words refuse to form.

Dear painter whose tubes of color sit unopened, despite a head full of visions.

Dear musician whose instrument leans silently in the corner, though melodies echo in your mind.

Dear maker whose tools are neatly organized, yet the spark to begin feels distant.

This is for you.

You are not broken.

We often fall into the trap of assuming that true creative passion means an unending wellspring of motivation, a constant drive to make and do. But the reality is far more nuanced, especially when your health is playing its own complex symphony underneath the surface.

When anxiety whispers doubts, when depression saps your energy, or when chronic pain demands your attention, that vibrant creative drive can feel like it's dimmed, or even vanished.

You might be experiencing shifts in motivation, not because you've lost your touch, but because your body and mind are working through significant challenges. These aren't flaws in your artistry; they are simply real aspects of your human experience. Your drive to create is intimately connected to your overall well-being. It fluctuates, just like your energy levels or your mood.

What if, instead of chastising yourself for a lack of motivation, you met it with curiosity? What if you recognized that sometimes, the most creative act is simply to rest, to replenish, or to engage with your art in a gentler, less demanding way?

Maybe today, motivation looks like allowing yourself to simply think about your art, without the pressure to produce. Maybe it's watching a documentary about another artist, reading a book that inspires you, or taking a walk to observe the world around you. Sometimes, simply tending to your own needs (getting enough sleep, nourishing your body, finding moments of peace, saying no to something) is the most profound creative act you can undertake.

Your journey with art is a marathon, not a sprint, and there will be seasons of intense activity and seasons of quiet reflection. Your commitment to your creative self is evident in the fact that you're even reading this. Trust that your desire to create is still there, even when it's quiet.

You are still an artist, and your unique creative voice is essential, whether it's currently roaring or softly humming.

With deep empathy and understanding,

A fellow creative.

I see you.

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Use this free assessment to explore your unique patterns related to how your wellbeing shows up in your creative practice and where you might want to focus your attention.