# How do you recharge your creativity and sense of wonder?



## Studio E (May 27, 2021)

Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s bad brain chemistry, but things just haven’t been the same for a while. Yes, I can function and write cues, as I have completed some projects in the last year, but I feel constantly paralyzed during the process. So much self doubt and really being underwhelmed with most of what I create. 

Now, I am suddenly being thrust into the busiest, most demanding time period of my semi-career, with three projects all starting in the coming weeks, and a huge sense of “of shit....”. I know in my mind, that I can indeed create soundtracks, and I have a track record of doing so, but it really feels more daunting than ever.

I am as physically active as I’ve ever been, running three times a week and working out three times a week as well. I eat a vegan diet, and a pretty health conscious one at that. What I don’t do, that I feel I should be, is meditate, and I’m wondering if that might not open a door or two. Also, I work full-time outside of composing. 

I’d love any tips you have for possibly recharging creativity or a sense of wonder in what we do.


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## darkogav (May 27, 2021)

Yeah. Mostly running 3 or 4 times a week here as well.


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## Living Fossil (May 27, 2021)

Listen to some outstanding music in the styles that are required for your projects, if possible study their scores.
And go for a walk in a forest.


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## TinderC (May 27, 2021)

For me meditation helped clear my mind, in fact meditation leaders tell you to observe your thoughts and let them pass by. It puts you in a restful state which might make you receptive to ideas when you complete your session. For me running does the same thing. I also suggest getting inspired by reading about the composers you admire particularly composers in the style of your project.


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## clisma (May 27, 2021)

Hey Eric, it looks like you already are doing a lot of things right. I imagine that having a full-time job along a composing career might put you under additional pressure when needing to compose.

You are likely right that meditation would help this. What helps me a lot as well is to take a few days off when I can, and when I can’t even just ONE day, to go out into untouched nature and let it sink in, observing all the beauty that is around us. The sense of peace that overwhelms me lasts for a long time and recharges me, giving me confidence for what is ahead. 

My other suggestion would be to go out and listen to live music: it doesn’t matter if it’s a band or orchestra, but the act of listening to musicians playing together live still retains magic that gets my juices flowing and makes me want to write and try new techniques.


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## shadowsoflight (May 27, 2021)

To add two things to an already great list, which generally help me out:
- Listen to some of your own older stuff. Sometimes the reminder of what I have pulled off in the past helps me build confidence for my current projects.
- Spend time with your subject material, in whatever form you can. For example, scripts, clips, Alpha builds, author notes, Wikipedia articles, images, etc. I am currently working my very first commission, which is for a video game, and have been trying to play the Alpha build when I get a chance. Trickier with a full-time job, I know, but I've discovered that I (personally; this is different for everyone) recharge my creativity much better from external inspiration rather than internal inspiration.


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## StillLife (May 27, 2021)

Watch a really good movie, read poetry.


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## kgdrum (May 27, 2021)

Marijuana was recently legalized here in NY……………………….💨🌈🧚🏿🦄🌈💨


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## MarcusD (May 27, 2021)

Personally find it helps to do something outside usual routines. Something that's exhilarating or scary. Otherwise life can become monotonous, leaving us with very little to express, creatively, that's interesting.


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## Double Helix (May 27, 2021)

StillLife said:


> . . . read poetry.


For ol' Double Helix, reading poetry both relaxes and inspires: Mental images generate audio parallels/corollaries.
We are musicians, so this is probably a natural by-product.
Good luck with your up-coming projects, Eric


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## Oakran (May 27, 2021)

Really great answers above.
I'm actually starting to feel more and more the same way even if I'm younger than you are.

To me the thing that keeps everything (most of the time) balanced is to practice another art. I'm also a painter and even if these days I'm spending 90% of my time composing music, I'm always interested about painting stuff (art history, oil painting, drawing, etc.). Even the way I experience the world is different when I analyze the light or the colors even in the most mundane situation. I can't help it, it just consistently shift my brain into different ways of experiencing the world.

Different creative inputs make your brain more complex and therefore more creative. It's definitely a positive feedback loop and that's what so great about art in the first place !

It's just my personal example but I'm pretty sure the best way to live a healthy artistic life is to balance your principal creative activity with another one radically different or with different "minor" activities: learning about bonsai making, astrophysics, psychedelics... It's so good to disconnect your brain once in a while from an activity that you invest a lot of time into.


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## LamaRose (May 27, 2021)

Break the mold... routines are fine, but can stagnate both mind and body. 

Ditch the running, which I believe is overrated, with a contemplative walk, alone, hopefully in a quiet natural setting. If you gently focus on just colors during your walk, your mind will have focus but will largely shut down the endless chatter. 

Indulge in positive childhood memories... things you used to love doing, but haven't done in "ages."

If you wake up craving a cheeseburger and fries, go for it. But I'll tell you from experience, dodge the fries and keep the burger on the smaller size! I've eaten all forms of diets, there is no one-fits-all for all people.

No need to go overboard all at once, but human beings are meant to evolve, individually, with the experiences we respectively encounter in our lives. Most folks, once they hit a certain age/point in their lives, choose the merry-go-round. I chose the rollercoaster, lol, and know this doesn't work for most! 

Just look for change and new genres of thought... and in my experiences, real change can be unconfortable and inconvenient.


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## Trash Panda (May 27, 2021)

A weekend in South America with half a kilo of yayo and a small harem to yourself can do wonders to fuel creativity.


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## JohnG (May 27, 2021)

Beer and tacos.


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## mscp (May 27, 2021)

Silence. Turning yourself off for a while helps.


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## patrick76 (May 27, 2021)




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## Technostica (May 27, 2021)

How is the rest of your life going?
If your day job, living environment, relationship, family/friendships etc are struggling in some ways that can impact you.


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## nolotrippen (May 27, 2021)

MarcusD said:


> Personally find it helps to do something outside usual routines. Something that's exhilarating or scary. Otherwise life can become monotonous, leaving us with very little to express, creatively, that's interesting.


Sometimes it's as simple as getting out of the chair (or bed) and moving to a different room. Try it.


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## NoamL (May 27, 2021)

this is an almost un-ironic suggestion: get an assistant. Bouncing ideas off someone really sparks creativity. They can also help you stay focused on the creative side and take care of routine tasks.


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## Stephen Limbaugh (May 27, 2021)




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## cygnusdei (May 27, 2021)

Take a break from the peanut gallery (VI-C)


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## MarcusD (May 28, 2021)

nolotrippen said:


> Sometimes it's as simple as getting out of the chair (or bed) and moving to a different room. Try it.


Not always. Depends on what’s going on mentally and in general life. When there’s a lack of creativity it can stem from lack of new and exciting experiences. Not so much from repetitive routines.

Learning something new can be good but constantly engaging your brain to learn is draining. Sometimes we just need to switch off and have a little mindless fun doing things outside usual comfort zones that requiring little to no thinking. Otherwise we can become blinkered. Good memories and experiences are ultimately the best fuel for creativity. Even the bad ones...just gotta find balance


🍺 & 🌮s. Totally accurate!


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## nolotrippen (May 28, 2021)

MarcusD said:


> Not always. Depends on what’s going on mentally and in general life. When there’s a lack of creativity it can stem from lack of new and exciting experiences. Not so much from repetitive routines.
> 
> Learning something new can be good but constantly engaging your brain to learn is draining. Sometimes we just need to switch off and have a little mindless fun doing things outside usual comfort zones that requiring little to no thinking. Otherwise we can become blinkered. Good memories and experiences are ultimately the best fuel for creativity. Even the bad ones...just gotta find balance
> 
> ...


That's why I said "sometimes."


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## MarcusD (May 28, 2021)

nolotrippen said:


> Try it.



Was just offering a different perspective to think about for the OP. That's all. Wasn't sure why you were telling me to try your suggestion. It's irrelevant. 



nolotrippen said:


> That's why I said "sometimes."



✌️😊


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## nolotrippen (May 28, 2021)

Wasn't addressing you.


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## GNP (May 28, 2021)

Studio E said:


> I know in my mind, that I can indeed create soundtracks, and I have a track record of doing so, but it really feels more daunting than ever.



If it's not daunting, or doesn't excite you the least in some way, then something's wrong! That's perfectly natural, I would think.

Forget about "recharging" your sense of wonder - sometimes you just have to dive into it regardless...I'm sure you'll find pockets of that sense of wonder along the way.


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## el-bo (May 28, 2021)

Go camping for a few days, in a very secluded spot. Take nothing but fruit, nuts, water, a flip-phone (for emergency use only) and something to write notes with/on...or not.


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## creativeforge (Aug 2, 2021)

kgdrum said:


> Marijuana was recently legalized here in NY……………………….💨🌈🧚🏿🦄🌈💨


Genuinely curious how it helps you.


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## NekujaK (Aug 2, 2021)

For one day... Turn off the computer. Turn off the iPad. Turn off the TV. Silence the phone. Do something analog; i.e., non-digital. I like to pick up my dusty old acoustic guitar and "feel" music once again for a while. And later, take a really long drive through a mostly rural environment. Does wonders to clear the head and soul.


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## kgdrum (Aug 2, 2021)

creativeforge said:


> Genuinely curious how it helps you.


I was being somewhat sarcastic………………..😎


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## Smikes77 (Aug 2, 2021)

Studio E said:


> Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s bad brain chemistry, but things just haven’t been the same for a while. Yes, I can function and write cues, as I have completed some projects in the last year, but I feel constantly paralyzed during the process. So much self doubt and really being underwhelmed with most of what I create.
> 
> Now, I am suddenly being thrust into the busiest, most demanding time period of my semi-career, with three projects all starting in the coming weeks, and a huge sense of “of shit....”. I know in my mind, that I can indeed create soundtracks, and I have a track record of doing so, but it really feels more daunting than ever.
> 
> ...


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## el-bo (Aug 2, 2021)

NekujaK said:


> I like to pick up my dusty old acoustic guitar and "feel" music once again for a while. And later, take a really long drive through a mostly rural environment. Does wonders to clear the head and soul.


Perhaps they could pick up their dusty old legs and walk in a mostly-rural environment, rather than drive. Much more analog


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## Saxer (Aug 2, 2021)

For me it's playing live music with other people I like. Immediate feedback and fun doing things together in realtime. Some antipole to the studio autism when sitting at the DAW alone.


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## NekujaK (Aug 2, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Perhaps they could pick up their dusty old legs and walk in a mostly-rural environment, rather than drive. Much more analog


Walking works too, of course. I just love driving for the sake of driving and the pure sensation of being in motion. Having a sports car doesn't hurt, either 

Also, I get some of my best ideas while driving - as my "mechanical" brain is busy managing the driving tasks, leaving my "creative" brain free to meander and muse.


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## PeterN (Aug 2, 2021)

Studio E said:


> Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s bad brain chemistry, but things just haven’t been the same for a while. Yes, I can function and write cues, as I have completed some projects in the last year, but I feel constantly paralyzed during the process. So much self doubt and really being underwhelmed with most of what I create.
> 
> Now, I am suddenly being thrust into the busiest, most demanding time period of my semi-career, with three projects all starting in the coming weeks, and a huge sense of “of shit....”. I know in my mind, that I can indeed create soundtracks, and I have a track record of doing so, but it really feels more daunting than ever.
> 
> ...



Let me throw in one odd one, but its serious, not some joke.

Tea has been praised from Zen monks to Japanese artists, from wise men to poets. Real tea, not the "tea" sold in West. Real tea, like green tea from famous tea mountains and such. You can get slightly drunk on real tea (esp Puer). Get, say, raw Puer tea, or Japanese green tea, or green tea from Darjeeling and such.

There are books on understanding tea. In Japan the tea ceremony is about worshiping tea. A spiritual drink that connects us with nature. It can enhance creativity and it has been used for this purpose in Asia for over thousand years. Its very subtle, but it is.

Accumulate experiences in life, let it rest a while, then drink green tea and sit in front of piano.


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## el-bo (Aug 2, 2021)

PeterN said:


> Let me throw in one odd one, but its serious, not some joke.
> 
> Tea has been praised from Zen monks to Japanese artists, from wise men to poets. Real tea, not the "tea" sold in West. Real tea, like green tea from famous tea mountains and such. You can get slightly drunk on real tea (esp Puer). Get, say, raw Puer tea, or Japanese green tea, or green tea from Darjeeling and such. There are books on understanding tea, in Japan they understood its quintessence, and the tea ceremony is about worshiping tea. Its a holy drink. A spiritual drink that connects us with nature. It can enhance creativity and it has been used for it in Asia. Its very subtle, but it is.
> 
> Accumulate experiences in life, let it rest a while, then drink green tea and sit in front of piano. Dont follow mainstream advice, you end up as a statistic.


Ah, yes...Tea


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## PeterN (Aug 3, 2021)

el-bo said:


> Ah, yes...Tea




The English never understood the subtle nature of tea. They even corrupted the drinks taste and nature.

Now, people in West think me was joking about tea, and having it as code word. Nope. Must throw in some Western science here for balance.




Drinking tea improves the performance of divergent creativity​








Drinking tea improves the performance of divergent creativity


Previous research has found that tea improves performance on convergent creativity tasks, such as the Remote Associates Test, by inducing a positive m…




www.sciencedirect.com


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## el-bo (Aug 3, 2021)

PeterN said:


> Now, people in West think me was joking about tea, and having it as code word.


Nope! Was just taking the opportunity to show a funny clip, from a funny film


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## Loïc D (Aug 3, 2021)

Mountain hiking for a few days.


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