The Hidden Force Destroying your Creativity (and How to Overcome It)
Estimated read time: 12-15 minutes
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Hey, I’m Amiko Simonetti. I’m a fashion designer.
Why I wrote this:
Over the years, I’ve heard from hundreds of creatives struggling with the same frustrating patterns:
Not knowing how to start
Feeling uninspired
Overwhelmed by too many ideas
Paralyzed by self-doubt or perfectionism
I’ve spent a lot of time creating technical resources—like fashion brushes and beginner courses—but I’ve come to realize those tools only address part of the creative process. What often gets ignored is the inner creative journey: the mindset, habits, and emotional blocks that quietly shut down our self-expression.
I hit that wall myself just last week while working on a new fashion collection. From the outside, everything was moving. But when I stood back and looked at my mood board—filled with thumbnails sketches and “inspiration”—it felt flat. Lifeless.
Something deeper was missing. I felt creatively blocked.
So, this newsletter is my response to that feeling.
If you’ve been feeling creatively stuck, uninspired, or out of sync with your voice—you're not broken. You're not lazy. And you're definitely not alone.
We’re going to explore:
The blocks stifling your creativity
How they manifest as procrastination, overwhelm, and perfectionism
The single hidden force dimming your creative expression
How to overcome it
2. What is Conscious Creativity?
What if creativity isn’t something you have to force or earn—
but something that naturally flows from your true self?
That’s the essence of conscious creativity—the practice of making things that are deeply meaningful because they come from a place of alignment with who you truly are.
Let’s start at the root:
Conscious means awake, intentional, aware.
Creativity is simply the act of making something. A meal. A sentence. A solution. A painting.
Put them together:
“Conscious creativity is creating from your true nature—beneath the noise of expectation, pressure, and comparison.”
Sometimes we experience this in unexpected places.
For me, one of the purest flows comes when I’m journaling early in the morning with coffee. There’s no agenda—just me, the page, and whatever wants to come through.
That moment? That’s conscious creativity. It’s the well I return to before I create anything else—including my fashion work.
3. Why Conscious Creativity Matters
When you create from this place of awareness:
You deepen your relationship with yourself
Life becomes more authentic, more joyful
You create more often and with more fulfillment
It’s not about productivity for productivity’s sake. It’s about expressing something real.
And yet—so many of us get stuck.
When creativity is stifled—when you're disconnected from your voice, your rhythm, your joy…
It doesn’t just pause. It festers.
You might feel:
Restless and scattered, with ideas buzzing but nothing coming to life
Frustrated, like you're constantly behind or not doing enough
Anxious about starting, afraid it won’t be good enough
Resentful of your work, or even ashamed you’re not doing more
You stop trusting yourself. You start comparing, consuming, overthinking. Your creativity becomes something you chase—rather than something you are.
This is the real cost of staying blocked. Not just the projects that never happen, but the emotional weight you carry when your inner voice stays silent.
“Unused creativity is not benign. It does not dissipate. It metastasizes. And unused creativity turns into rage, grief, shame, judgment.”
4. How Creative Blocks Show Up (and Why It’s Not Your Fault)
Here’s what being blocked can look like:
You’re not creating at all (👋🏼procrastination)
You’re creating, but it’s out of sync with your voice (👋🏼performing, chasing trends)
You might be doing “all the right things” and still feel creatively starved.
If you’ve ever said things like:
“I don’t even know where to start.”
“I have a million ideas and zero focus.”
“I used to be creative, but now I feel stuck.”
“I’m just not inspired anymore.”
You’re not alone. And it’s not your fault. You’re experiencing a creative block.
“Most of us have two lives: the life we live, and the unlived life within us.
Between the two stands Resistance.”
5. What Are Creative Blocks?
Creative Blocks are the invisible barriers between you and your natural creative flow.
These can be internalized beliefs, habits, and patterns that stifle creativity.They often are picked up through life—from school, family, culture, or painful experiences. Over time, these become internal rules you may not even realize you’re following.
Let’s name some of the most common block patterns:
The 5 Creative Block Avatars
Every creative block is really just a pattern of disconnection—from your voice, your rhythm, your curiosity, your worth. These five avatars help us name those patterns.
👤1. The Outsider
You lack confidence in your ability or skills
You’re afraid of looking silly or failing publicly
You believe creativity is for artists or “geniuses”
You don’t give yourself permission to be creative
👤2. The Romantic
You wait for inspiration to strike
You love the idea of the “muse”
You lack consistency or momentum
You think creativity is unpredictable and rare
👤3. The Performer
You obsess over the final product
You aren’t enjoying the process anymore
You tie creativity to validation—likes, comments, applause
You secretly crave recognition or success through creativity
👤4. The Perfectionist
You’re paralyzed by high standards
You work past your limits, burning out
You feel uninspired, then suddenly overwhelmed
You don’t even start unless you’re sure it’ll be “good”
👤5. The Scattered
You pride yourself on multitasking
You put everyone else’s needs first
You’re drowning in ideas and to-do lists
You’re always consuming—scrolling, listening, watching
Summary of Creative Block Patterns:
You believe creativity belongs to “real artists,” not you.
You believe creativity should be effortless and inspired—or not done at all.
You measure creative success by external praise, likes, and approval.
You believe if it’s not perfect, it’s not worth doing—or sharing.
You start everything, finish nothing. You’re inspired—but unfocused.
Personal Reflection:
“How do these blocks show up in my creative process?”
You can be one—or all—of these avatars, depending on the season, the project, or the pressure you’re under. Personally, I’ve been every single one of them at some point.
Here’s how they show up in my own creative process:
I’m the Outsider when I think: “Who do I think I am, writing this long-ass post?”
I’m the Romantic when I wait for the perfect burst of inspiration to begin a collection
I’m the Perfectionist when I spend hours redrawing the proportions on a technical flat sketch
I’m the Performer when I obsessively check how my illustration is doing in the algorithm
I’m the Scattered when there’s five tabs open, a podcast playing, and folders of inspo piling up
6. Why Traditional Advice Falls Short
To overcome creative blocks, maybe you've been told:
"Just make something every day."
"Find your niche."
"Force yourself to finish."
"Keep hustling—it'll click eventually."
But if you've tried these and still feel stuck, it's not your fault.
These are symptom-level solutions. They don't address the root cause: the beliefs and behaviors blocking your natural creativity from flowing in the first place.
The Truth About Creativity
You are already creative.
Remember, you are a conscious being. Hence, you are creative.
You don't need to "become" creative—you need to remove what's in the way.
“Creativity is a function of being human. There are simply who use their creativity and people who do not.”
Creativity as Light
Think of creativity like light behind a curtain:
The light never left
Fear, stress, and limiting beliefs act like a curtain (your "creative block")
When you pull back the curtain, the light floods in
🔄 Old vs. New Paradigm
Mindset Shift #1:
Old: "I'm lacking. I need to get better, do more, prove something."
New: "I already have it. My job is to clear the blocks and let it through."
Mindset Shift #2:
Old: “Creativity is scarce, unpredictable, reserved for the "talented."
New: “Creativity is abundant, innate, and blocked—not absent.”
Creativity isn't something you chase. It's something you uncover.
Think of the old mindset like a corset—tight, restrictive, forcing you into expectations.
The new mindset—conscious creativity—is like a bias-cut slip dress. Fluid, freeing, following your natural lines.
7. Life After Creative Blocks
When you start removing the blocks, you might notice:
You feel pulled to create—not pushed
You're motivated by curiosity, not perfection
You create more often—and enjoy it more
You stop comparing and start exploring
You feel more like yourself, even outside of creative projects
This is what happens when you create from consciousness. This is what happens when you remove the blocks.
Reflection Prompt:
“How do I want it to feel when I create? (Describe my ideal creative state)”
8. How to Remove Creative Blocks
Beyond Surface Solutions
So how do you actually remove a creative block?
It's not about pushing harder, trying more, or "getting inspired." It starts with learning to look beneath the surface—to recognize that what feels like laziness, procrastination, or burnout is often something more specific, and more workable.
A Real Example
You've been putting off starting your next fashion collection. On the surface, it might seem like you're just unmotivated. But if you pause and reflect, you might notice it's not about laziness at all—it's the pressure to make something amazing. The fear that if it's not perfect, it's not worth doing. That fear creates paralysis.
This is what a creative block really is. It's not a character flaw. It's a pattern—often a protective one—that formed around your creativity. Something that once helped you feel safe, now keeps you stuck.
The key to moving forward isn't to fight the block—it's to understand it. And once you do, you can shift it.
Here’s a simple, step-by-step process you can use any time you feel creatively blocked.
The 4-Step Process to Remove Creative Blocks
Step 1: Notice the Symptoms
Notice when you're feeling stuck, uninspired, procrastinating, or chasing praise
These are symptoms—flags pointing to an underlying block
Instead of judging yourself, get curious. Ask: "What's really going on beneath the surface?"
💡 Example: "I haven't felt like designing lately" becomes "I'm experiencing a creative block." This gentle reframing shifts you out of shame and into awareness.
—
Caution: Avoid False Fixes
When we feel blocked, we often jump to surface-level solutions that treat the symptom, not the root:
Forcing productivity
Chasing validation
Consuming more inspiration
These quick fixes might give a temporary high—but they don't address the real disconnection underneath.
It's like steaming a wrinkled seam without adjusting the grainline or tension. The fabric may look smooth for a moment, but the pucker will always return until the deeper issue is addressed.
Surface fixes don't solve structural disconnection.
A Personal Example
For a while, I committed to posting new designs on Instagram twice a week. At first, it felt energizing—structured, productive, growing my audience. But over time, something shifted. I was still creating, but not from joy. Not from connection. I started designing for the algorithm, not for myself.
The truth is—I didn't need more consistency.
I needed reconnection.
False fixes are like pinning a garment on a dress form to make it look like it fits... even though the pattern underneath doesn't align. From a distance, it works. But the moment you try to move in it, everything falls apart.
—
Step 2: Identify the Root Cause
Every block stems from a disconnection: from your creative identity, rhythm, self-worth, inner compass, or focus.
Look inward:
"Am I afraid of being seen? Chasing perfection? Avoiding failure? Needing praise to feel okay?"
This is where real change starts. By naming the deeper belief or fear, you loosen its grip.
Reflection prompt:
“Where do I feel most disconnected? What limiting beliefs or fears do I have?”
—
Step 3: Invert the Belief
Once you identify the limiting belief, flip it.
Old belief: "If my work isn't great, I'm not good enough."
New truth: "My creativity doesn't define my worth—it expresses it."
These empowering truths become anchors you can return to when the fear returns.
—
Step 4: Take Aligned Action
Now, act from the new belief. Even small steps count—what matters is that they're aligned.
Do a 10-minute messy sketch instead of waiting for the perfect idea
Share something unfinished
Set a time block to create just for yourself
This rewires your habits and nervous system to feel safe creating again.
Creativity is like raw fabric—fluid, full of possibility—but if it's woven too tight with fear and perfectionism, there's no drape. It can't move.
Now that you know the process, let’s explore how it applies to each of the 5 core creative blocks.
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced”
9. Overcoming the 5 Core Creative Blocks
Each block represents a pattern of disconnection—a story you've internalized and a strategy you've learned to cope. But you're not stuck with it. When you name it, you reclaim your power to shift it.
👤1. The Outsider
You believe creativity belongs to "real artists," not you.
Root disconnection: From your creative identity and worth
🔍 Core Symptoms:
You feel like a fraud or impostor
You admire others but downplay your own ideas
You fear looking silly or "trying too hard"
🚫 Common False Fixes:
Curating your persona to look more creative (clothes, feed, branding)
Mimicking others' styles to feel legitimate
Avoiding risk by only sharing polished work
✅ True Solution:
Reclaim creativity as your birthright
Give yourself permission to play, experiment, and be messy
Seek moments of wonder and curiosity (like childhood creativity: doodling, dressing up, making up stories)
—
👤2. The Romantic
You believe creativity should be effortless and inspired—or not done at all.
Root disconnection: From your discipline and rhythm
🔍 Core Symptoms:
You're a binge-creator: long dry spells followed by bursts of energy
You wait for the "muse" to strike
You feel blocked when inspiration isn't there
🚫 Common False Fixes:
Riding intense creative highs, then burning out
Thinking your inconsistency is just your "artistic nature"
Avoiding creative structure because it feels restrictive
✅ True Solution:
There's beauty in creative bursts—and value in structure too
Blend spontaneity with a system that supports you
Build gentle routines around your creativity (even 10 minutes a day)
Create rituals that invite inspiration (warm-ups, playlists, creative space)
Work with your rhythms instead of against them—let flow meet form
—
👤3. The Performer
You measure creative success by external praise, likes, and approval.
Root disconnection: From your internal compass and intrinsic motivation
🔍 Core Symptoms:
You feel lost or anxious when work doesn't get recognition
You pivot based on trends, feedback, or fear of missing out
You prioritize what's "marketable" over what feels meaningful
🚫 Common False Fixes:
Chasing virality or praise to validate your worth
Watering down your voice to please everyone
Avoiding creative risk that might flop
✅ True Solution:
Anchor to your values and personal taste
Track how creating feels, not just how it performs
Reflect often: What am I saying through my work? What do I want?
—
👤4. The Perfectionist
You believe if it's not perfect, it's not worth doing—or sharing.
Root disconnection: From your self-worth and tolerance for imperfection
🔍 Core Symptoms:
You struggle to finish or share anything
You feel constant pressure to prove yourself
You get stuck in endless editing or tweaking
🚫 Common False Fixes:
Doubling down on control, polish, or precision
Avoiding projects unless you're "ready" or guaranteed to succeed
Tying your identity to output quality
✅ True Solution:
Let good enough be good enough
Practice fast, low-stakes creativity (e.g., 5-min sketches, unfinished moodboards)
Embrace rest and rhythm like an athlete—burnout is not a badge of honor
—
👤5. The Scattered
You start everything, finish nothing. You're inspired—but unfocused.
Root disconnection: From from your inner clarity and values
🔍 Core Symptoms:
You're creatively overstimulated, always chasing new ideas
You have multiple unfinished projects
You confuse research/inspiration with actual creation
🚫 Common False Fixes:
Pinning, downloading, bookmarking endlessly
Trying to do everything at once
Jumping from one idea to another out of fear of missing out
✅ True Solution:
Choose fewer, deeper creative commitments
Use structure: vision boards, creative timelines, time blocks
Define clear priorities based on your inner direction, not noise
Reflection Question:
“Which of these mindset shifts do I resist the most—and why?”
10. The Single Hidden Force Destroying your Creativity
Let's zoom out for a moment—this is where things really start to click.
When you examine all five creative blocks as a system, a single root cause becomes clear:
At the core of every block is a misalignment between your true self and your learned self.
At the most basic level, creative blocks stem from disconnection—specifically, disconnection from yourself.
And that disconnection? It's not your fault. It's conditioning.
Cultural. Familial. Institutional. Industry-wide.
A Personal Example
In fashion school, the curriculum was grueling. I remember staying up all night slaving over fashion illustrations, draping projects, patternmaking, and sewing.
The workroom lights never really turned off—none of us were sleeping more than two to four hours a night. That kind of grind culture wasn't just accepted—it was glorified.
The pressure was intentional. We were told it would prepare us for the industry.
I'll never forget one professor playing Flight of the Bumblebee—yes, that anxiety-inducing classical piece—during a timed draping final. It was like a simulation of panic. (And honestly? It worked. I still laugh about it.)
Fashion school was brutal. The only way to survive was to numb—to override my feelings. To push through without checking in. To disconnect—from my feelings, from myself.
Environments can teach you—often without words—that in order to succeed at something you love, you have to disconnect from yourself.
Over time, that repeated experience solidifies into a belief system:
A quiet, internal rule that says:
If I want to be successful in my passion, I can't afford to feel. I can't slow down. I can't listen to myself.
The Root of All Blocks
Do you see how conditioning like that lays the groundwork for creative blocks?
We're taught to override our intuition. To doubt our voice. To hustle for our worth.
But creativity doesn't come from chasing. It comes from returning—to yourself.
Each of the five block types is just a different expression of that disconnection:
🟥 Block 1: You Think Creativity Is Only for Some People (the Outsider)
You've internalized a hierarchy of "who gets to create"
Root: You're disconnected from your intrinsic right to express
🟥 Block 2: You Idealize the Creative Process (The Romantic)
You believe creativity should feel effortless and haven’t yet cultivated it as a learned practice
Root: You're disconnected from your creative rhythm and discipline
🟥 Block 3: You Have an External Locus of Control (the Performer)
You rely on others to tell you when your work is good enough
Root: You're disconnected from your inner authority and compass
🟥 Block 4: You Attach Worth to Productivity (The Perfectionist)
You believe worth comes from output and busyness
Root: You're disconnected from your natural rhythm and nervous system
🟥 Block 5: You Avoid Focus (the Scattered)
You've trained yourself to react, consume, and chase
Root: You're disconnected from your inner clarity and values
Reflection Question:
“What habits or behaviors signal a disconnection from myself?”
11. The Real Solution to Every Creative Block
All roads point to this:
Creative flow is the natural result of inner alignment.
When you're connected to your values, your body, your curiosity, and your permission to be, creativity flows.
When you're disconnected, you get stuck, overwhelmed, performative, or burned out.
The real cause of creative block isn't a lack of ideas or talent—it's disconnection from your true self.
Conscious creativity reconnects you.
✨ 6 Quick Practices to Reconnect with Yourself
These aren't big life overhauls—they're micro-moves toward self-alignment.
Pick one today, and notice what opens up.
1. Name What You're Feeling
Write one sentence starting with: "Right now, I feel…"
2. Create Something Just for You
Make something you won't share—just for joy and freedom
3. Set a Tiny Time Block
Work uninterrupted for 10–15 minutes. Presence, not perfection
4. Make a Values Checklist
List 3 things you want your work to stand for
5. Do a Nervous System Reset
Try breathwork, meditation, or music to calm your body
Quality rest restores your nervous system and reconnects you to natural rhythms
Deep creativity needs deep replenishment
6. Say No to One Thing That Drains You
Opt out of one obligation or distraction for 24 hours
12. Summary: The Frictionless Creation Process
Here’s the cycle you’ll begin once you overcome blocks and unlock your creative flow:
Inspiration strikes
You act on it
You create something
Satisfaction reinforces the behavior
The loop continues—effortlessly
This is the frictionless conscious creation process.
---
But here’s the truth:
This journey isn’t linear. Blocks will come and go.
The difference now? You have the map.
You don’t need to “become” creative—you simply need to return to yourself.
When you feel stuck again, come back to these four steps:
Step 1: Notice the symptoms – burnout, procrastination, self-doubt
Step 2: Identify the root problem – limiting belief, internalized pressure, disconnection
Step 3: Invert the belief – shift into a more empowering truth
Step 4: Take aligned action– one small step from your new mindset
You were made to create.
Not for performance, not for praise.
But because something inside you wants to come to life.
Let’s clear the way.
-Amiko
---
If something in this message resonated—feel free to share your biggest creative block in the comments section.
✨ Key Takeaways
Creativity isn't something you force—it flows when you're aligned with your true self
Creative blocks like perfectionism, procrastination, and overwhelm stem from internalized beliefs—not personal failure
The 5 creative block types (The Outsider, The Romantic, The Performer, The Perfectionist, and The Scattered) each have their own root disconnection
Traditional advice (like "just push through") treats symptoms, not the root cause
The real root of all blocks is disconnection from your true self due to conditioning and external pressure
Removing blocks is about reconnection—to your values, rhythm, and curiosity—not doing more
The 5-step process to unblock creativity: identify symptoms, avoid false fixes, identify root cause, invert belief, take aligned action
Micro-practices help restore creative flow: journaling, resting, setting boundaries, nervous system resets
Creativity is your birthright—it's not about becoming something new, but remembering who you are