When the Spark Fizzles

How confusion and comparison are keeping you stuck

Hi, Hi, Hi, Hello!

Lately, I’ve been in a weird place with Her Joyful Life and content creation. Like, real weird. I’ve been taking training and focusing on the future of where I want Her Joyful Life to go. And in the process I’ve struggled with the present.

The ideas aren’t flowing like they used to. My usual rhythm feels off. I sit down to write or share something, and suddenly it’s like my brain just flatlines. Nothing comes out, or if it does, it sounds stiff and forced and not me.

I couldn’t make sense of why. I blamed it on being tired, on having other parts of my life take up more of my time and attention. So I thought maybe I just needed a break.

But after sitting with it some, and taking time for myself to rest that ended up not being restful at all (and I’ll be honest, spiraling a little bit), I finally realized what was going on.

I’d been spending way too much time in my head!

I let what other people were saying and doing grab hold and take up too much space in my head. At the same time, I was trying to rework everything about my message and Her Joyful Life in a way that’s more aligned with the direction I want to go.

Both of those things collided and merged and got me so confused and overwhelmed that I put myself right into an energetic quicksand pit that kept me from moving anywhere but sinking down.

And then I also allowed the overwhelm to take over so much that I stopped noticing all the lessons and insights in my daily life that are usually what sparks my posts and podcasts.

Does this sound familiar to you?

Have you ever been in a season where your creative spark is just... dim? Where you are blinded to inspiration surrounding you. Well, you’re not alone. We tell ourselves we’re “unmotivated” or “lazy” or that we’ve lost our passion.

But, in reality, I think we are just shifting. Our vision is evolving, our message is clarifying, and we’re standing in the awkward in-between point, excited for what’s coming, but completely unsure of how to actually move towards it.

I think it goes beyond just being stuck. I think it’s being stuck because we’re trying to evolve. What a wild thought, right?

We’re growing. We’re being called to something deeper. But because the path forward isn’t laid out in neat little steps, our nervous system is like, “Nope! Let’s stay here where it’s safe and familiar.” And suddenly the things we used to love doing (like creating or sharing or showing up) feel foggy, overwhelming, or just... blah.

So what do we do?

Honestly, I wish I had all the answers to snap out of it. But this season? It doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes clarity comes slow. Sometimes we try a bunch of things and throw them all out. And sometimes we just have to sit in the soup a little while until the flavor starts to make sense.

BUT I can share a few things that are helping me inch forward:

• Tune out to tune in.
  I had to step back from watching what everyone else was doing so I could hear my own voice again. It’s hard to find clarity when you’re drowning in other people’s content.

• Talk it out.
  Community helps. I’ve been bouncing ideas with trusted people, and just saying out loud, “Hey, I don’t know what I’m doing right now” takes the pressure off. Sometimes clarity comes from conversation, not overthinking.

• Allow the messy middle.
  We don’t talk about this part enough. The part where you’re excited for what’s next but also scared. Where you don’t have a plan yet but you’re moving anyway. It’s okay to be in that space. It’s not failure, it’s fertilizer.

So if you’re feeling stuck, lost, or low-key panicky about where to go from here… just know: You’re not broken. You’re just becoming.

This is the part where things shift. Where you start aligning more deeply with what you’re really here to say. And yes, it’s uncomfortable. But it’s also sacred.

Let’s give ourselves permission to not have it all figured out today. Let’s stay soft in the becoming. Let’s remember we’re never really alone in this.

Remember, You Are Worthy and You Are Loved!
Cheryl

P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts, struggles or questions in the comments.