-by Gowri Menon
I understand it’s been a while since my last post, and I apologize for the delay. But I have my reason because I found myself unsure of what to write, feeling as if I had nothing to share and had lost sight of the purpose behind my writing.
Let’s get right to it. Creative exhaustion is that unwelcome guest who shows up out of nowhere, sets up camp, and refuses to leave. One day, you’re feeling like a creative god, churning out ideas faster than your brain can keep up with them. But suddenly, without so much as a warning, your mind decides to take an extended holiday. You’re left sitting there, staring at the blinking cursor, trying to remember if you’ve got anything left to give—or if this is just it.
At first, you try all the usual tricks. A quick stroll, maybe a fresh coffee, something to coax the creative engine back to life. But creative exhaustion doesn’t work like a Wi-Fi router. You can’t just unplug it, wait ten seconds, and expect it to reconnect. No, this beast demands total surrender. It won’t be placated with a snack or a five-minute break. The harder you push, the deeper it digs in, like a stubborn splinter that refuses to budge.
You start to realise you’re in for the long haul. Every trick you know—brainstorming, scribbling notes, googling random nonsense for “inspiration”—only makes you painfully aware of how drained you are. Your ideas are like dried-up leaves, crumbling to dust before you can even get them on the page. You start questioning every choice that led you here, wondering why, of all things, you decided to rely on creativity. That initial spark that once fueled your creativity seems to have fizzled out, leaving behind a haze of doubt and insecurity. Accountants don’t sit at their desks hoping for inspiration to strike. Their numbers don’t dry up on them out of sheer exhaustion and I am not going to lie, it’s frustrating.
And then, just to add insult to injury, there’s always that one person who’s somehow immune. Not that I am jealous of them but once you scroll through your feed, and there they are—breezing through brilliant work as if they’re fueled by some magic creative elixir. They’re posting fresh content, every line flawless, while you’re sitting there with a head full of… absolutely nothing.
But the thing is, creative exhaustion does pass. It’s unpredictable, yes, and it’s frustrating as hell. But one day—just when you’re ready to throw in the towel—you’ll get that little spark again. It sneaks up on you, like an old friend you thought had forgotten you, and suddenly, you’re back. The ideas are flowing, you’re hitting that stride, and it’s like the drought never happened. For a brief, glorious moment, everything clicks, and you remember why you’re here, doing this.
And that’s the twisted beauty of it all. Creative exhaustion comes and goes, and it’s maddening every time it happens. But the moment it lifts? That’s the moment you realise it’s all worth it.
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