Estimated read time: 5 mins

Do you ever have one of those days — or weeks or months — where you just feel like a complete dimwit. 

When lessons you thought you learned long ago pop up whack-a-mole style and you can’t bash them fast enough. 

Or you do something and later think “wtf was I thinking?” only to realize, you weren’t. 

Or maybe it’s a pattern you repeat like a grandmother knitting rows on a vast tapestry. 

An internal narrative that’s holding you hostage. A limiting belief that goes bone deep. An inability to do something that seems so simple on the surface. 

Whatever your flavor of frustration, if you’re utterly sick of your own bullsh*t and how it impacts your business, you’re far from alone. 

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The connection between creative blocks and clear intentions

It feels weird to admit this to you, dear reader… but I’ve been in a bit of a creative funk lately. 

The last few issues of Spill the Tea have actually been repurposed emails I wrote years ago. Same with almost all the emails I sent out during my recent partner promo of DCA. 

And while I love me a good repurposing strategy, I also can’t help but feel a bit guilty. 

I should be spilling the freshest tea only! I have so much to share with you that’s highly relevant to RIGHT NOW. Putting pen to paper shouldn’t be an issue. Yet here we are. 

I’ve identified at least one of the creativity sapping culprits: intention. Or a lack thereof. 

A really simple writing practice I used to use religiously

Starting each email, social post, page, article, whatever piece of writing by first identifying 3 things: 

1. one reader — the person you’re most perfectly poised to help. 
2. one problem — the problem you’re fixin’ to solve. 
3. one call to action — the method for how you’ll solve it. 

You know how you just stop doing things that work because you don’t think you need them anymore? At a certain point I stopped using this exercise. 

Back to basics 

In all creative pursuits (including marketing and building your business) intention is mission critical. 

Etymologically, intention means to stretch — to direct one’s attention toward a purpose.

Which is our whole job description as creators. To stretch and share our ideas so they can improve other people’s lives, each in our own unique way. 

Stretching into the nothingness (holler if you’re watching KAOS) is creatively stifling like nothing else. 

So I’m back on my pumpkin spice level basic writing practice with a little extra soul, because beneath knowing your one reader, one problem you seek to solve, and one call to action — there still needs to be intention. 

Which unlike modern conversion copywriting practices rooted in the masculine left brain, can be as “woo” as you want it. 

My intention today is simply to let anyone who is feeling lost, dumb, uninspired, or uncertain, know they are not alone.

Building a sustainable business is a long road with many seasons. Some of absolute creative fertility and some riddled with doubt and disconnect from why you started in the first place. 

Here’s to dancing with both and stretching in the right directions 💚

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Sip on this…  

🧋If you love memes, come hang out with me on IG — the meme dumps just keep getting better!