ELENA PETERS | MIDLIFE BLOGGER

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I love blogging. In fact, it is perhaps the only thing that I have remained consistently enthusiastic about, and I’m lucky enough in that it has become my full-time career.

However, this blogging year has been difficult and demotivating at times, and after several months of feeling like I was having to force myself to post anything, I stopped.

For anyone who has blogging for a long period of time, it is fairly inevitable that there are moments where it stops being as fun as it once was.

There are endless reasons for this – unfulfilled expectations and perceived missed goals, overwhelm from the tasks you may have set yourself, the success stories of others and conflicting information about the ‘correct way’ to blog.

For those who experience this after monetizing their blog, it can often be put down to the fact that once a passion becomes a job, it becomes a job, accompanied by the responsibilities of self-employment.

What I discovered was that I needed a break, a few changes and a rethink of my priorities. Motivation and creativity are things that can’t be forced, but they can certainly be gently coaxed back in small steps.

Lost that loving feeling? Here are a few ideas to get your creativity and motivation back!

13 Ways To Inspire Your Blog Creativity When You Feel Like Quitting

1. Take a step back from the blog and everything connected with it for a period of time. Temporarily walking away from a negative and/or stressful situation will provide the opportunity to get some head space back for some new ideas, especially if you are stuck.

2. Reflect on your original reasons for creating the blog. What was it that you wanted to achieve? How did it make you feel? Is your blog aligned with your authentic self?

Take a moment to stop and look back at your blogging journey so far. When you’re immersed in a regular routine, it is often difficult to see any progress you may have made, however small.

Start keeping track of things that you deem important – stats, engagement, income etc – you may be surprised at the results!

Or you may find that your direction has shifted and your original blog mission no longer feels right. It’s totally ok to re-brand or re-niche. You have to be passionate about your purpose or you will continually find yourself being uninspired and unmotivated.

3. Take the pressure off yourself. You don’t have to post to a schedule. You don’t have to share your posts on social media multiple times a day. And most importantly, you don’t have to do it all by yourself.

There is a whole bunch of people out there on Fiverr and Upwork at your disposal. You can even find great people through blogging groups to do the things you hate or that you aren’t skilled at.

The number one thing that most successful bloggers regret is not starting to build their team sooner. Taking stuff off your plate and removing the notion of ‘have to’, will help you focus on what you actually want to do.

4. Exercise. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy run – a daily walk helps to clear the mind. Physical health promotes mental health. So if you are stuck, move your body!

5. Visit somewhere new or do something you’ve never done before. Focus on a simple creative activity that you enjoy, just because you enjoy it.

There are endless amounts of ideas that can come from a day out, a new craft or a tutorial.

In the last few years I have found inspiration from creating my own flat lay images, designing Blog Journal spreads, taking photographs and making notes whenever I travel.

6. Journal. When I’ve lost that loving feeling, the last thing I want to do is write a lengthy and detailed post and have to worry about images and promotion.

Instead, I like to write in a notebook or in the notes on my tablet, just because. It’s rare that I publish things that I write in my notes, but it often gives me useful ideas for further posts.

7. Replace detailed lists with short trackers. Many bloggers I know regularly use lists as a way of planning, goal setting and keeping on track, and it is often the case that the lists are far too detailed and unachievable.

Instead of writing a list, create a small tracker that contains just a few daily tasks – it’s always better to do a few things, but do them well.

8. Create a mood or vision board – these have an amazing ability to activate emotions and inspire creativity.

Look at images, articles and quotes of anything you would like to have, or achieve, or become.

There are tons of printables out there. Print and frame them for your office.

Surrounding yourself with your dreams, goals and positive affirmations will go a long way in curbing your limiting beliefs AND boosting your desires. Nothing does more for your blog creativity than visualizations.

9. Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. When I’m tired I’m always at my least productive. Create a night-time ritual if you are having trouble getting to sleep. Meditate. Read. Take a bath.

The worse thing you can do is fall asleep watching tv or holding on to your phone, scrolling through social media.

While you think all this information that is available to you at your finger tips is inspiring, it keeps your mind active when you should be slowing down.

Not to mention the studies that have found that blue light, like that from tv’s and cell phones, trick the body and keep you from reaching that really good state of sleep.

Give your brain the rest it needs for optimal creativity.

10. Reconnect with your favourite people from the community. Reading posts from my favourite bloggers and the subsequent conversations that follow make me feel much more positive and motivated.

I also like to talk to bloggers who have experienced similar levels of demotivation and discuss how they push through difficult times.

Or sometimes you just need that firm kick in your backside that only your blogging bff’s can give you.

11. Don’t be afraid to remove things that require lots of effort with minimal results. I recently removed myself from lots of Facebook and Twitter share threads and instantly felt lighter.

Not participating in these has made no difference to my stats and has helped me to feel much more positive.

12. Avoid attempting to multitask. The key to blogging is not working harder but smarter. Though you may think that multitasking makes you more efficient, it in fact, makes you 40% less productive.

So if you are struggling, feeling like you are doing so much and not seeing progress, it may because you are trying to do too much all at once.

Try focusing on one task at a time. Give it all you got. Do it well.

Then move on to the next item on your list. You will get so much more done in less time and free your mind from the constant shifting. This will allow creativity to flourish.

13. Be aware of what you consume. When you’re feeling demotivated, looking at other blogs for inspiration can both be incredibly helpful and a complete hinderance.

While it can be a fantastic way of generating ideas, reading an income report from someone who is making seemingly large amounts of money in a very short space of time can potentially add to the negativity.

Instead, I like to scan Pinterest for images, photographs, doodles or mood ideas that I find visually appealing.

It is not unusual for bloggers to think about quitting. And it often happens when their well of creativity has dried up. Somehow, some way, their passion for blogging has disintegrated. Using the above tips will help you get back into the proper mindset so that ideas and inspiration can flow back in.

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