how to bust out of a rut {1 of 4}

Creative ruts happen. 

(They’re not a sign that there’s something wrong with you… or that your book has run out of steam… or that your idea isn’t good enough.)

Creative ruts happen to EVERYONE who’s living a creative life. (That’s you!)

If you happen to be in a creative rut now, rejoice - I’m doing a four-part series on how to bust out. 

And if you’re not in one, stay tuned because chances are you’ll experience one sooner or later!

What does a creative rut look like? 

It might look like losing steam on a project, having writer’s block, not making time for writing. 

Or it might look like feeling bored - not being able to find things to read, watch, or do that hold your interest.

Or it might look like not having new ideas or feeling stuck in the same old patterns of thinking. 

Here’s your first tool to bust out of a creative rut: Experience art.

I’m talking about all forms of art. 

Go to a museum. Visit an art gallery in your town or look at an art exhibit at your local library. 

Hear live music. Go to a concert or check out the local band that’s playing at the bar on a Saturday night. Lots of towns do summer concert series at parks or other outdoor venues. 

Notice murals and graffiti. 

Take a photo every day on your phone of something beautiful. 

See a play. There’s local community theater everywhere. 

I’ve been seeing a lot of Broadway in the past two years and I know that’s an absolute privilege. Something absolutely alchemical happens when you see live theater. 

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of seeing the closing performance of Kimberly Akimbo, which won several Tony awards in 2023 (including best musical, best book, and best original score).

Friends. This performance pierced my heart in so many ways. 

It’s hilarious. It’s heartbreaking. It’s beautifully written and beautifully acted. 

On top of all the themes the show is exploring (including mortality, how to live a life of adventure, and how to grow up), there was another layer: the audience and the actors knew this was their last performance on Broadway. 

The energy in the theater was absolutely electric. When Victoria Clark (who plays the title character) stepped onstage for the first time, the entire audience jumped to their feet and gave her a two-minute standing ovation. 

For coming onstage. 

And when Bonnie Mulligan (who plays Aunt Deborah) choked up onstage at the start of her final song, we leaped to our feet again and applauded her, midsong, until she had regained her composure. 

It was gorgeous. 

I actually cried on my walk from the theater to Grand Central. 

And after that show, I’ve felt my creativity burgeoning to be expressed in different ways… after a short hiatus in the cave of not making things. 

Experience art, in whatever way appeals to you. Trust it to break you out of whatever rut life is throwing your way. 

What’s your favorite art to experience?