Do you ever hit that point where life just kind of….stalls? Maybe you’re planning your wedding, and what was suddenly fun and exciting, has become a chore that you just don’t want to deal with anymore. Maybe you’re a creative that’s been running your own business for a few years and where inspiration used to be rich, you feel bogged down with sameness. Maybe you’re a Mom who has days full of gusto to parent with all the idealism and lack-of-tv-time in the world….but find yourself in a cycle of coping and just trying to make it through the day by whatever means necessary.

Seems to me that no matter how many books on living a life of success we can read, there will ALWAYS be ups and downs, highs and lows, mountain tops and valleys. That’s not to say they can’t be overcome, of course, but it seems to me they’re somewhat unavoidable. And I think that’s true no matter how experienced you are in your “field” (be it business-owning, or parenting, or what-have-you).

As a creative, it can be SO easy for me to get bogged down in the “right way” to try to make my business successful, that I simply lose all the drive to feed my actual creativity. Which, of course, is what DRIVES my business. It’s hard to continue to thrive and be fulfilled in my craft when I lose the joy of actually immersing myself in it. But as I’ve been on this journey for 8 years, now, I’ve come to realize how important it is to just make time for things that fill my creative tank. And I think this principal applies to all of us, regardless of what industry or season of life you may be in. Making time to relax in a way that fuels you is SO important.

For me, it can be anything as simple as taking a few quiet moments to flip through a creatively inspiring magazine or photography book or blog while I drink my coffee. It can be painting my nails, listening to new music, or even just stepping outside to take in some sunshine. It can be journaling whatever fun ideas come to mind, or inspiring quotes I’ve recently read. As insignificant as some of those things sound, it makes a world of difference to keep yourself refreshed and even in those small ways I’ve been able to more successfully combat the seasons that feel “stale” in my life, creatively.

What are some of your favorite ways to refuel? How do you keep the creative juices flowing, when life around you seems to have stalled?

I’d love to hear what works and inspires you! Here’s to tackling this Monday, and starting off this week, on a productive, creative, fueled-up note!