A reminder to self:
Think of creative energy as a wave. A wave that surges in; this is the active phase of creativity, when we make things. We feel excited about what we are making and we ride the energy in until the work phase has come to an end.
Then, the wave must flow out. On that day we tend not to make things; we feel bla. The mind tends to interpreted this part of the wave as "down," when in fact it's merely the passive part of the cycle. What we need to do is consciously surrender to the wave as it pulls out. The sooner we do, the sooner we'll be ready to catch the next creative wave in. This also helps to prevent us from getting "blocked" or stuck in the passive phase of the cycle.
Unfortunately, our culture is biased in favor of the active phase. Resting is often seen as loafing, being lazy, or unproductive. We sometimes even associate risk with rest, as if it were dangerous to take time off.
There is also a trend to treat ourselves and each other as if we were machines. We are not machines. We are life itself. Creativity is part of life, and resting is part of creativity. All of nature rests without guilt or recrimination.
Because we are so in love with our own creations, our machines, we sometimes forget who created what. After each creative phase, allow yourself "down" time. You may have to force yourself to rest, but practice makes perfect. Remember, even machines have off buttons.
And so a new day...is well under way.
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