top of page

From Creative Blocks to Breakthroughs

Writer's picture: Daina DebletteDaina Deblette

Updated: Nov 6, 2024

Shifting Your Mindset: How to Release Creative Blocks and Access Your Creative Power


By Daina Deblette · www.dainadeblette.com · 6 min

October 27, 2024

 

Creative blocks can feel like invisible barriers that keep you stuck and frustrated, often making you question your abilities. But what if I told you that the very thoughts, words, and beliefs you hold are responsible for these blocks? And, more importantly, what if you could change your paradigm and break free?


The teachings of some of the greats—Bob Proctor, Neville Goddard, Napoleon Hill, Thomas Troward and Earl Nightingale—remind us that we process billions of bits of information daily, and what we believe shapes our reality. Our minds selectively filter this flood of information based on the lens of our beliefs, constantly finding evidence to prove that we’re right—whether those beliefs benefit or hinder us. This cognitive bias, referred to as the Reticular Activating System (RAS), is the filter that determines what gets our attention and what we overlook.


If you’re struggling with creative blocks, it's likely your subconscious is anchored in low-vibrational, limiting beliefs. These beliefs—often inherited or projected onto us as children before we had the ability to question their validity—keep us stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and fear. But the good news is that as adults, we can change them. The first step is awareness. Practiced awareness, over time, builds consciousness, allowing you to take control and sit in the driver’s seat of your life.


The Power of Words

Words are more than just labels or descriptors; they carry energy and frequency. Negative words like afraid, crazy, can’t, and stuck resonate at a low frequency, impacting how you see yourself and the world around you. These words reinforce creative blocks by keeping your subconscious mind locked in limitation.


Imagine constantly saying, “I’m not creative” or “I don’t know where to start.” These thoughts become beliefs, and beliefs shape your actions—or inaction. The more you tell yourself what you can’t do, the more your subconscious accepts it as truth.


Now imagine replacing those words with confidence, faith, can, and growth. These high-vibrational words empower your subconscious to believe in possibilities, not limitations. When your inner dialogue shifts, so do your actions. Suddenly, what seemed impossible becomes attainable. You gain momentum, and creative breakthroughs start to flow.


From Blocks to Flow: Shifting Your Paradigm

To shift from a mindset of "I can't" to "I can", you need to consciously change the way you think and speak. Start by recognizing the common thoughts and beliefs that are keeping you stuck. Here are a few examples:

  • Low-Vibration Thought: I’m not sure I can do this.

    • Reframe: I know I can figure this out.

  • Low-Vibration Thought: I’m afraid to make a mistake.

    • Reframe: I'm experimenting and learning as I go.

  • Low-Vibration Thought: I don’t know where to start.

    • Reframe: I am starting where I am.


Each time you catch yourself using limiting words, stop and reframe them with positive alternatives. This simple shift in language changes the frequency you operate at and rewires your subconscious mind to seek solutions, not problems.


Imagination: The Key to Unlocking Your Potential

Napoleon Hill said, “Imagination is the most marvellous, miraculous, inconceivably powerful force the world has ever known.” He was right. Your imagination is not just a whimsical daydreaming tool; it’s the mental faculty that allows you to step into other places, other times, and higher frequencies. Your imagination will take you anywhere—if you allow it to.


Your imagination is your creative force. It enables you to see beyond the current circumstances, tap into future possibilities, feel in to it, and act as if they already exist. When you imagine your creative success so clearly you can feel it, your subconscious mind begins to believe it’s true, and suddenly, the steps to get there begin to reveal themselves.


As Bob Proctor teaches, “If you have the desire, you have the ability to achieve it. You won’t know how you got there until you’re there, so take inspired action one step at a time, and the way will be shown.” Trust that your imagination and desire are guiding you toward the life and creative freedom you seek.

Commit to Change: Decisiveness Is Key

Creative blocks often stem from indecision—the fear of making the wrong choice, starting in the wrong place, or not being “good enough.” But the truth is, indecision is a decision. It’s a choice to stay stuck.


Decisiveness is the key to breaking free. When you make a firm decision to start, commit, and follow through, you activate a new paradigm. Your subconscious begins to align with this decision, and the universe responds in kind. You don’t need to know the entire path; you only need to take the first step. As soon as you commit, the path will unfold.


From Dreaming to Doing: Stepping into Action

Earl Nightingale once said, “We become what we think about.” If you constantly think about your creative block, it grows. But if you focus on action, on the process of creating rather than the outcome, you begin to move. Creativity is an act of doing.


Here are a few practical steps to shift from dreaming to doing:

  • Set small, achievable goals. Break down your creative process into manageable steps. Start with something simple, like sketching a rough idea or organizing your workspace. Small wins build momentum.

  • Create a schedule. Decisiveness means commitment, and commitment requires consistency. Set aside specific times each week for your creative practice and honour that time.

  • Embrace imperfection. Creativity isn’t about getting it perfect on the first try. It’s about experimentation, growth, and evolution. Allow yourself to make mistakes—they’re part of the process.

  • Celebrate progress. Acknowledge every small step you take. This positive reinforcement keeps your energy high and reminds your subconscious that you’re moving forward.


Remember, creative blocks are not permanent. They are a product of your mindset, which means they can be shifted. By aligning your thoughts and words with high-vibrational energy, making decisive commitments, and taking action, you can break free from the limitations that hold you back.


As Richard Bach wisely said, Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours. This wisdom points to the power of belief. Trusting in your limitations keeps you bound to them, but trusting in your limitless potential opens the door to infinite possibilities.


Creativity is not just a skill—it’s a link to the universe, an endless supply of inspiration and energy. It’s your birthright. We are all born with the mental, physical, and spiritual faculties to create. When you trust in that connection, you tap into a source that is truly limitless. You don't need to figure out every step right now—trust that with each action, the next step will be revealed.



Guide for Your Creative Soul 

My sister and I created this beautiful workbook for you, (RE)Ignite Your Creative Spark, now available for instant download for only $17. It's a step-by-step engaging how-to booklet designed to help you overcome creative blocks, reconnect with your flow, and find inspiration. If you’ve been feeling creatively shut down, or need extra support to get started, this is for you. And here’s something even better: it's yours for free when you share your creative shut-down story in Your Story Matters.

 

This article is inspired by a story from my days as a tree planter in 1995, when my crew boss, Jim Ramsbottom, mentored me using principles that would shape the rest of my life. On our last day, he wrote a simple yet profound quote in my journal: "Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours." At the time, I didn’t fully grasp its meaning, but it left a lasting impression on me.


As a young 20-year-old woman, 5’4" and 110 lbs, I struggled to carry 60 lbs of wet seedlings in my hip bags as they bruised my hips and chafed my thighs raw, hitting more bedrock than soil with my spade. It was brutal work — people were quitting every day from injuries and bug bites. But as my crew boss mentored me on brief visits as he made his rounds, he reminded me that success in this work had nothing to do with size or physical strength. It was all in the mind. I began to shift my mindset and started seeing opportunities where I once saw obstacles. By the end of the season, I was planting thousands of trees each day, became known as a “high baller”, and even won the season’s MVP (Most Valued Planter) award.


Decades later, after studying personal development and actively working to change my paradigm, I finally understood the full depth of his words and how they apply not just to that season but to life as a whole.


This article explores how our beliefs and words influence our reality, and how you can move from a mindset that keeps you stuck to one that empowers you to create freely. Creativity is your birthright. The only limits you face are the ones you choose to believe, for what you consciously believe, your subconscious accepts as true, thereby giving form and expression to them.


 

About the Author:

Daina Deblette is a professional artist, teacher, therapeutic counsellor, and transformational coach living on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada. She teaches art at her brick-and-mortar location, Ocean Art Studio, and online, and helps people return to their creativity and overcome creative blocks through 1:1 and group coaching. Visit www.dainadeblette.com to learn more or reach out directly at daina@dainadeblette.com.



Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating
bottom of page