Creative Solutions and Inspirations from the Modern Day Muses

When the Pause is Part of the Process

By Jill Badonsky, M.Ed., Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach

PLUS: Meet the Muse Lull

"I handle the notes no better than many others, but the pauses — ah! that is where the art resides." — Arthur Rubenstein

Do you ever beat yourself up because you keep putting off your creative pursuit? In the cases I am talking about, at the last minute the course is made dependably clear, the motivation is full throttle and the task is completed with brilliance. For the most part, because I know creativity’s nature, I no longer beat myself up and thus have even more energy and ingenuity for that last minute gusto. I urge you to stop the cruel and unusual self-flagellation too. This information may help.

The creative process has cycles. They are non-linear and fickle. The method that works to motivate and set us in motion one day is not available for comment the next. An idea that seems Da Vincian in one moment seems like the gum on the bottom of the chair in the next. And then there’s the cycle where no idea seems to even come up for consideration and resistance has parked itself on your couch and is suggesting TV shows for your addicted pleasure.

Procrastination is indeed, a twenty-first century progress thwarter. I remember way back in the late twentieth century it was fairly popular too. Procrastination manifests from fears, perfectionism, overwhelm, self-sabotage and being held captive to a habit called “I love my comfortable rut more than I know.” Yet, sometimes putting off action can be a result of the creative process moving into dormancy in order for the subconscious to collect data and make connections. It is the classic stage of creativity called incubation. Graham Wallace, one of the first psychologists to propose a model of the creative process, described incubation as “where the problem is internalized into the subconscious mind and nothing appears externally to be happening.” It is not an excuse to put things off; it is information that can relieve a creative person of wondering why they are at the mercy of this confounding place where patience works better than force. Patience is hard for many of us but it works better than negative self-talk for creative excellence and for the vital confidence we need in order to creatively shine.

Incubation or the “pause” is personified as a Muse in my book The Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard.* Her name is Lull and she is the Muse of Pause, Diversion and Gratitude:

“Lull lets us know that at certain points in our creative process, we cannot make more progress unless we honor the part of the cycle where the unconscious processes of spirit and intellect have a chance to connect. This natural element of the creative cycle is often mistaken for a block when sometimes it is just an indicator that it is time to let go for awhile. Sometimes when we go blank it is simply Lull reaching to replenish the resources of our creative magic. She has removed the process to freshen and load it with abundant wonder and untold inspiration. Mandatory goofing off is in order here. At last, we have actual permission to skip out.”

Here is where the creative process gets spiritual. We need the faith and trust that letting go is the best thing to do, to focus on what has already been done rather than focusing on what needs to be done, and to divert attention to another source of inspiration to help fill the reservoir of ideas. These are the things that bring the creative process back and also create ourselves as more stable and beautiful people. When one creativity goes off, another — the creation of better coping skills — is there for our choosing. The pause between the inhale and the exhale is the pause between the inspiration and its expression. It is a void of stillness and possibility. One is necessary for the other.

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." — Albert Camus

Copyright © Jill Badonsky, 2006. All rights reserved.

About the Author | More by Jill Badonsky
Jill Badonsky, M.Ed. is a nationally recognized workshop leader, artist, performer, humorist, and author of the book, The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard): 10 Guides to Creative Inspiration for Artists, Poets, Lovers and Other Mortals Wanting to Live a Dazzling Existence. She teaches creativity lovers to facilitate classes and workshops based on her book and along with UCLA psychologist, Robert Maurer, she trains people to be Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaches. She can be found lurking at www.themuseisin.com.

08/14/06