143: 21 Tools to Get Through a Creative Funk

Published: April 12, 2018, 3:22 p.m.

"Taking on a proper perspective can temper us for great success and creating a full life."\nHey, guys, welcome back to ONKEN RADIO (previously NION Radio). In this podcast, we explore the body, mind, and soul of the creative entrepreneur. It's my goal to help you take your creativity, business, and life to the next level. I'm so glad you're joining me on this journey!\n\nWe all go through funks in our creative journey. In fact, I\u2019m going through one right now. It\u2019s really challenging when your creative outlet is also your living \u2014 it adds a whole other level of complication and can make your funk even worse because not only is your creativity not at its best but neither is your money-making.\n\nWhen I get in a funk, I find myself questioning everything: Am I good enough? Am I on the right path? Am I an impostor? When is the next job coming? My inner critic is raging, and it\u2019s a constant battle not to take any rejection personally.\n\nWe can\u2019t choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we deal with them. So today I\u2019m sharing 21 tools to help you get through a funk in your creative career.\nWhat\u2019s Your Funk?\nFunks are part of everyone\u2019s journey. They\u2019re all part of the up and down wave of life. Now the thing about funks is they come from different sources. Sometimes, it can be in the lack of presence or judging one\u2019s self. When your funk comes from the latter, expect that its stink will crawl in every aspect of your life, whether it\u2019s business, personal relationships, or career.\n\nBut if you think that\u2019s bad enough, there\u2019s something a lot worse about funks\u2014they\u2019re experienced by everyone and your situation doesn\u2019t really matter. You can be in your lowest moment and feel it, but you can also be at the top of the world, and still smell funk everywhere.\xa0\n\nBecause the reality will always be that we\u2019re humans. Though we might have different backgrounds and upbringings, we are bound by the lack of uniqueness when it comes to experiencing emotions. We all can be happy, feel giddy, and of course, feel despair and failure as well. We are all capable of emotions.\n\nDespite that, it doesn\u2019t mean that we all react to things similarly. As they say, we can never choose our circumstances, but we can always control how we react to them. I\u2019ve personally known from experiences that powerful people have risen from the trenches of their circumstances and upbringings that are direr than anyone can even ever imagine. And based on the successful people I\u2019ve interviewed and photographed, the common theme is that mindset is the key to get over your funks and reach success.\n\nSo before we go through all the different tools to manage their funks better, I challenge you to ask yourself this, \u201cWhat\u2019s my funk?\u201d Remember that the answer doesn\u2019t need to be solely about money, but it could be about your life in general. Knowing the answer to this question will help you maximize the tools I\u2019m about to share with you. Let\u2019s get started.\xa0\n21 Tools to Get You Through a Funk\nThese are some of the tools I believe are beneficial to get you over a funk.\n#1: Perspective Is Key\xa0\nAlways remember the Persian adage that says, \u201cThis too shall pass.\u201d Despite how dark or low of a place you\u2019re in right now, have comfort that all your suffering is destined to end. You\u2019ll be able to get through this, and you'll be back up on the top of your game in no time.\xa0\n#2: Awareness Is Key in Life\nI believe that awareness of your emotions, what you're going through, everything around you, and what you're thinking is important so that you can know the things that you can change. This is a part of the process I call Identity Alchemy. It might not always be the most pleasant experience, but it can help you shift your perspective to make your life better.\xa0\n#3: You Are Not Your Thoughts\nThoughts are just thoughts. Whether we choose to believe them or not is what\u2019s important. Remember that despite everything you\u2019re hearing in your head right now,