If You're Struggling, Create Something
I've been thinking a lot about creation. Not in the biblical sense, but in the sense of how good it feels when we, as humans, create something. It's why I always seem to be trying something new, but more than that, creating something new.
It's why I have founded multiple companies, why I work to create new stories in theater, why I write songs, why I build furniture for my house and why I'm writing this blog now.
It feels good to create something new. There's a certain euphoria that washes over me. Excitement over a new song that finally seems finished, or those new business cards being printed and seeing the final result resting in my hand.
When I find myself stuck in a rut, I try (and sometimes very hard) not to resort to comfort foods, which for me are laced with sugar. Instead I try and find a reason to create. I'll head over the piano and mess around until I find a string of notes I like that seem new. I'll head into my garage and finally start to build that shelf to organize my tools. I'll decide it's about time I make a blog on my website, even though I don't know what to write about.
Creating something, for me, is like meditation; When I create something, I become focused on that thing, and don't have enough mental capacity left to check in on my fears, my anxieties, or how my body feels. I become all about the project in a Zen-like state, and whatever was making me tense can often disappear entirely.
Sometimes I create to get away from the stress of the day. Sometimes I create to get that euphoric "runners high" that comes with creating something new. Sometimes I create just to take a break from a problem I'm stuck on with another creation. Sometimes I create just to pass the time. Either way, I always feel better after creating.
