Taté Walker
A lot of my blocks are attached to anxiety, and I find working through a block like I would any other stressful situation helps tremendously. I inhale several deep breaths while thinking about nothing but the seconds it takes to pull air to me and let it out again for at least a minute. Then I take several gulps of water. I stretch and/or walk around the area I'm in (something short to get the blood moving). By this time I've calmed myself enough to figure out if the block is something I can remove from my path or if need to come at it from a different direction.
Making bulleted lists of what needs to go into a piece also helps during a block episode. Lists are easy wins - something that make me feel accomplished, especially if I'm below my own expectations for the day's goals. If I'm struggling with stringing words together, whether it's a poem or a research paper, I'll make a list of things I things I know I want to incorporate for when I've hurdled the block. These lists can be comprised of single words, full (if choppy) sentences, or even whole paragraphs--however long they need to be in order for me to pick up the thread when I return to the list later.
I'm also inspired by other writers, and keep favorite books on-hand to read when I'm not at my best. I'm entertained and influenced all in one go!
I'm my own worst enemy, and blocks can feel like self-sabotage, so I try to be gentle with myself as I work to overcome whatever is in my way.
Note: I'm not always successful using any of these strategies, and I've learned to be OK with that.
Making bulleted lists of what needs to go into a piece also helps during a block episode. Lists are easy wins - something that make me feel accomplished, especially if I'm below my own expectations for the day's goals. If I'm struggling with stringing words together, whether it's a poem or a research paper, I'll make a list of things I things I know I want to incorporate for when I've hurdled the block. These lists can be comprised of single words, full (if choppy) sentences, or even whole paragraphs--however long they need to be in order for me to pick up the thread when I return to the list later.
I'm also inspired by other writers, and keep favorite books on-hand to read when I'm not at my best. I'm entertained and influenced all in one go!
I'm my own worst enemy, and blocks can feel like self-sabotage, so I try to be gentle with myself as I work to overcome whatever is in my way.
Note: I'm not always successful using any of these strategies, and I've learned to be OK with that.
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