September 2004

Two column’s ago I talked about the "Blue Moon Block." Last time I gave some steps to overcome the "Blue Moon Block" This time I am going to focus on the "Blue Moon Triumph." If you recall back to the original column, I pointed out the abstract definition of a "Blue Moon" was: "a very long period of time."

But if a "Blue Moon Triumph" is a good thing, why would I be offering some tips on it? The reason is to try to prolong how long the "Blue Moon Triumph" can last. If something is not nurtured, it will wither, and we do not want our "Blue Moon Triumph" period to wither on us.

So now we just have to figure out ways to prevent the withering of our "Blue Moon Triumph." There are several things that one can do and it is not always the same for everyone. We are a world of individuals, put here to learn different things and just as we are individual, so are our thought processes and reactions. So this will take some trial and error, but fortunately there are some bases that we can work from.

The foremost is and always will be: stress. The more we are stressed, the harder it is for us to relax. The harder it is for us to relax, the harder it is for our thoughts to run on the creative side. This is what causes the writers’ block’s and the dreaded "Blue Moon Block." Find any way you can to avoid the stress, if it does come, then find ways to rid yourself of it.

Another base is to keep your creative mind working, but not to the point of overwork. You do not want to burn out. So the best solution to this is to find several things that you can stimulate your creativity with and alternate them. This way you do not become bored or overwork your mind on one specific activity. Some of which might be reading and watching movies and working with children or senior citizens. The point is to keep your mind active.

There are so many personalized things that you can do, things that you do daily that you do not think about. Look at what you do and find out what makes you happy, what makes you relaxed. What makes you angry or sad. But most importantly, find out what sparks your mind.

My final suggestion is this: do not be afraid to take a break. Be it several days or several weeks. Writing nonstop can be satisfying, but it can also harm your mind by exhausting it. Just as our bodies need a refreshing break, so do our minds.

Try to remember that the end result is not as important as how we get there. Have fun, enjoy the scenery, and take the side roads.