Writer’s Block — Bringing Your Brain Back Online

Whenever you’re stuck, feel overwhelmed, or your creativity is blocked, it’s because a part of your brain is literally not fully online. Here’s why, and how to switch it back on.

All negative emotions involve stress chemicals in your system. The same stress chemicals that are created in the “fight-freeze-flight” emergency state associated with physical danger.

These stress chemicals cause certain physiological responses in the brain and body, including draining blood from the prefrontal cortex of your brain, to the back of your brain (the survival mechanism).

The prefrontal cortex is where you do your cognitive thinking. Creativity, comprehension, strategizing, communication, and other higher-thinking activity is therefore compromised whenever stress chemicals are being produced by your system.

This means: Whenever you’re feeling any negative emotion, you are literally unable to think straight.

Stuck in the Mud

The more you try to write, while in this state, the more of those stress chemicals you’re pumping into your system — and the stronger the feelings of overwhelm, frustration, and other negative emotions… and of course, the more you feel those, the more…