Spring is such a great time to get those creative juices flowing. It almost doesn’t matter where you throw that energy, at least at first — if you’re not sure what to do next, just get moving, keep moving, and hone your focus as you go.
This may sound crazy (or too easy), but it really works. When things are uncertain, or when you’re feeling lost and without specific purpose, it’s the inertia that can be most paralyzing. The good news is that you have the power within yourself to do something about it. Even better — find a buddy, and spur each other on. Five minutes a day, by phone, text, Zoom or whatever, can be transformative.
Or, maybe you’re activated by other art. Now that museums are open again, take a field trip. Pay attention to your own reactions to what’s around you. Read a new book. Watch a movie about the act of creation. In the wake of Oscar mania, here are a few of my favorites that fall into the latter category — particularly those that depict overcoming obstacles by taking creative leaps. They’re all available to stream on one channel or another:
- Babette’s Feast (1987)
- Big Night (1996)
- Butter (2011)
- Chef (2014)
- The Deal (2008)
- Enchanted April (1991)
- Finding Forrester (2000)
- Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014)
- Hugo (2011)
- Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
- Mother (1996)
- Saving Grace (2000)
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
- Still Breathing (1997)
- Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
- This Beautiful Fantastic (2016)
- Today’s Special (2009)
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette? (2019)
Please note that this is a list off the top of my head, mostly from the last couple of decades, that some of these films have some pretty significant flaws, and these stories are not actually about music. I’m certainly not suggesting that buying a food truck or entering a beauty pageant or growing illegal weed are the answer — don’t take these as literal suggestions, people! But sometimes, going outside your own work and your own reality becomes a very good place to start. Only you will know what you really respond to. Make your own list. Find a way in. That might be your very best first step. Just don’t get stuck in that “finding” phase — DO SOMETHING.
Go get ’em.
P.S. If you’d like to share your list with us, or even just make some suggestions for things to see, read, or do to kickstart creativity, please contact us. It would be very interesting to see what kind of resource we might crowdsource from and for the Listerhood. Let’s see what takes shape.
Originally published in our member e-newsletter, 3/29/22.
Featured photo by Jené Stephaniuk on Unsplash
