Carving Mental Space for Fresh Ideas in Writing

Since retiring, I've dedicated time to writing short essays. Initially, ideas flowed effortlessly, drawn from a lifetime of experiences and reading. However, about a year and a half into this endeavor, I hit a creative roadblock. The well of new ideas dried up, marking my first struggle as a creator. When feeling stuck, I often pressure myself to "write," carelessly adding stress that solidifies a stagnant framework in my mind. Consequently, this mental frame resembles a dry sponge—no matter how much I wring it out, fresh ideas fail to materialize, leaving me anxious. During such times, I've discovered that breaking free from this mental confinement is crucial to generating new ideas. Instead of fixating solely on the short essay, exploring external information and diverse perspectives, engaging with nature, or embracing others' ideas often sparks new thoughts. Essentially, expanding my mental framework and creating room for new ideas becomes essential to surmount this deadlock. A similar analogy applies to our living spaces: without sufficient room, new acquisitions have nowhere to reside. Similarly, if our minds lack space, new concepts struggle to find a place. I firmly believe that carving out mental space is key to fostering fresh creations.

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