trying to be creative

The other night I couldn't sleep. And it reminded me of that feeling when I can't be creative. 

You know those nights when you get to bed later than you wanted and you know it's an early morning so you really need your sleep. They are often the ones that are the most difficult to let sleep show up. It's like the urgency sends sleep running. The more tired you get, the harder you try and it all only gets worse. 

Kind of how it feels when you are sitting at your computer, desperate for an idea for the presentation tomorrow. 

But you know those nights when nothing feels better than bed?  There's a relaxed, peaceful, grateful-fo- a-mattress-and-pillow-energy and, usually, an exhaustion and satisfaction from the effort of the day. Sleep is there before you know it. Naturally. Like a gift.

Of course, we can't be creative without some kind of attempt but how we approach the attempt seems to matter quite a bit.