on being discouraged

So last week one friend got discouraged, and another bloggy person took an at home rest cure, and it started me thinking again about this business of being creative just how much it takes out of you, and what happens when the inspiration runs out? 

Se, here's the thing about being creative: it's a heck of a lot of work. Trust me when I say that it's much easier to just follow than it is to continually pull together ideas and create something where before there was nothing, and, what's more, create something unique. And while I appreciate well-reasoned critics and enjoy their commentary and definitely think that any piece of creative work needs to be able to stand up to scrutiny, sometimes I head nagging, yammering, uninformed nit-picking and it makes me want to say "Just go create ONE SINGLE THING--I don't even care what, you can even bake a cake for all I care--and then come back and we'll try this again." Because constantly pushing yourself is hard work. (This is why I no longer carry my camera to personal events; I can no longer turn off "photographer brain," that phenomenon whereby I'm constantly checking the light, looking for angles, and trying to shoot mundane subjects in a way that hasn't been shot before.) 

Ahem. Sorry. That's a bit of a rant, I think. 

So anyway, sometimes you (and by "you" I mean me) get tired, right? And there is NOT ONE SINGLE IDEA in your brain that doesn't involve a) a couch b) chips or c) eating ice cream right out of the carton. Or, you know, whatever those bad habits are that you revert to in times of stress. 

The above quote may or may not be applicable; I really have no idea. It's just been permanently inscribed on my brain somehow, and I had to share it. But I think it does apply; half of overcoming discouragement is just keeping on. 

Ok, so on the actual process of regaining creativity; I'm to share what works for me and what I've seen, and please share your ideas in the comments or your own posts. I want to know!

The biggest thing for me is rest. Since creativity is a discipline, it's hard work! And work is, by definition, tiring, no matter how much you love it. So when I start losing ideas, the first thing I try to do is catch up on my sleep. (Sadly, if you are stressed this doesn't always work, since the brain is racing in circles attempting to resolve issues and you just can't sleep.) 

Sometimes I need to do something else that I love. I suppose this sort of falls under rest, because turning off my brain can definitely jumpstart it again later. Reading a delightfully fun book, going on a picnic, building a bonfire in my backyard and making s'mores with friends, or hitting the local goodwill are my favorite ways to relax and distract my brain. On a related note, the more balanced my life is between life/work/solitary time/socialization, the more ideas I have, it seems. 

So now I'm rested and relaxed and my house is clean (yes, this helps me), and I'm still hating the thought of generating a new idea? This is when I start hitting the inspiration hard. Movies, books, blogs, and music all kickstart my brain into high gear. 

These are my favorites:

Movies: Marie Antoinette, Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Atonement, Vanity Fair, I Capture the Castle. Most of these films have a common theme: they're absolutely gorgeous to look at. I can watch them with the sound turned off, and they start my brain whirling with new ideas of ways to use light and angle and props. 

Books/Magazines: I have a stack of old Vogues that I flip through periodically, as well as the "Day in the Life" series of books. Also, I am strangely obsessed with any behind-the-scenes of a restaurant book, starting with Michael Ruhlman's "chefs trio" through Kitchen Confidential, and now am lusting over the new book by Eric Ripert. 

Blogs: This could be a long, long list, but I'll pick my top five. Lauryl, Color Me Katie, Poser, E, Doe Deere. 

Music: I listen to music slightly oddly; when I hear it, in my head I see scenes that should be happening in time to it. I know, right? So a good roundup of the iPod can give me ideas like nothing else. Best ones: Amy Seeley, Vampire Weekend, Ray Lamontagne, Mika.  Soundtracks: The Patriot, The Last Kiss, Les Miserables (dreamcast!), Band of Brothers. 

Ok, enough of my ramblings. What do you do when creativity is at an all-time low?