The Spiral Nature of Creativity

Embracing and growing through your patterns

Have you ever found yourself facing the same creative block over and over again, even when you thought you’d already dealt with it? This isn’t a flaw in your process—this is the spiral nature of creativity.

Creativity as a Spiral 🌀

As I continue to reflect on the nature of creativity, I'm reminded that it doesn't follow a linear path. Just as our nervous system ebbs and flows, so too does our creative energy, interest, and capacity. Creativity teaches us that we don’t simply jump from idea to tangible creation; instead, we ride the waves of internal and external change.

The more we commit to the path of creativity, the more resilient we become in navigating these waves.

One of the most humbling aspects of creative work is meeting the same block or challenge we thought we’d conquered—only to discover its back, perhaps disguised in a new form but still undeniably familiar.

These are our ‘creativity patterns.’

In my own journey, I often find myself meeting a challenge I thought I’d ‘dealt with’ the previous year or during a previous project. This time, though, it shows up a little differently—and I meet it as a slightly different version of myself.

A Personal Pattern: The Love-Hate Tug-o-War

One of my patterns is the “I love this so much → and I never want to touch this again” dance. It’s a cycle of expansion and contraction in every meaningful creative project I embark on. Around the 6-9 month mark, the initial excitement fades, and I’m suddenly struck by the realization that this will require discipline and work. Similar to when we exit the honeymoon phase of a romantic relationship and realize it, too, will require work to become a long-term committed partnership.

At this point, I usually start to resent the project—feeling drained of motivation. I push through for a while, forcing myself to keep showing up, but eventually, the frustration grows to a point where I react and step away. Sometimes, I abandon the project altogether. This happened with my podcast Wild on Purpose; this year, it almost happened with my book.

After enough cycles, I began to see the pattern for what it was. No matter how epic and exciting the project was initially, I always reached a moment where resentment bubbled up, and the urge to quit followed. For years, this pattern played out unconsciously.

But this year, something shifted. When the same thoughts and feelings surfaced around Creative Dysregulation and the rewrite of my book, I had enough awareness to catch it. I had spiraled upward to a new level of maturity within the pattern 🌀

Seven months after writing V1 (like clockwork), the urge to step away filled my body and mind. In a delightfully meta moment, I knew this was my creative dysregulation at play— coming to teach me more lessons about what it truly is and how it shows up. If I were to understand this concept, I knew I had to figure out what was going on beneath the surface.

What I found was three things:

1. Finding my intrinsic motivation: Because V1 of my book exists due to a friendly challenge, I burned through all the extrinsic motivation energy available. The first few months of this venture were primarily fueled by other people's enthusiasm and stoke for it. I needed to discover why I wanted to pursue this topic and what V2 would mean for me.

2. Cultivating sustainable pacing: The micro-virality of the concept and book hooked me and my dopamine receptors and sent me on a multi-month frenzy to keep the high going. After a few months, I was humbled by a micro-burnout and depletion— a reminder that creativity is a gradual, cyclical, and natural process that can't be forced (and my pacing is unique to me).

3. It was time to recommit: The honeymoon phase of creative dysregulation was over, and it was time to lean into this relationship with maturity and commitment (something marriage has taught me). I recommitted to the project and concept while clarifying what I wanted to get out of it and what I believed I could bring to the table in exchange.

When I dug into my pattern, I found deep wisdom. Although my mind and body wanted to run away, those were just cues that something was stirring beneath the surface, and I needed to inquire within.

Meeting Your Creative Patterns

Recognizing your creative patterns is just the beginning. The real work lies in how you engage with them. Instead of labeling these patterns as obstacles to be avoided, what if we saw them as clues—pointing us toward deeper truths about our creative process?

When we encounter the same block again and again, it’s easy to get frustrated or feel like we’re regressing. But in reality, these moments offer an opportunity to dig deeper, to get curious about what’s really going on beneath the surface.

Here are some ways you can begin to explore your creative patterns and use them as a gateway to deeper understanding:

1. Pause and Observe: When you notice a familiar pattern—whether it’s procrastination, perfectionism, or feeling stuck—pause. Rather than reacting or pushing through, take a step back. What thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations are arising? Are you feeling anxious, resistant, or overwhelmed? Simply observing without judgment is the first step to understanding.

2. Inquire Within: Once you’ve identified the thoughts or emotions, ask yourself: What is this really about? For example, if you're feeling a strong urge to quit a project, ask what deeper fear or belief might be underneath that urge. Is it fear of failure? Fear of being seen? Or maybe it’s a signal that your creative energy is depleted and you need rest. Get curious about the meaning behind the surface-level emotion.

3. Listen to Your Body: Creativity isn’t just a mental process—it’s embodied. Notice how your body responds when you encounter a block. Are you tense? Restless? Fatigued? Your body often holds the wisdom that your mind may not recognize right away. By tuning into these signals, you can start to uncover what your creative rhythm actually needs.

4. Trace the Pattern’s Origins: Consider when and where this pattern first showed up in your life. Did you develop perfectionism as a child, wanting to please others with your work? Did you learn to procrastinate as a way to protect yourself from disappointment? By tracing the roots of your pattern, you can start to unearth the deeper motivations driving your behavior—and perhaps release some of the old stories you’ve carried with you.

5. Embrace the Lesson: Every creative block carries a message. It’s not just something to “get over” but an invitation to grow. Ask yourself: What is this block trying to teach me? Maybe it’s asking you to slow down and embrace patience, or perhaps it’s challenging you to trust yourself and take creative risks.

Each time you face a familiar challenge, there’s an opportunity to spiral upwards, bringing more awareness and self-compassion into the process.

By approaching your creative patterns with curiosity and openness, you can transform them from roadblocks into gateways—leading you toward greater self-awareness and creative mastery.

The Art of Returning

With each turn around the creative spiral, we start to catch on. We develop the ability to recognize our patterns and behaviors, becoming more self-aware. One of the most powerful realizations is the moment we say, “I’m onto myself,” or “Hey, I’m doing that thing I do.”

Instead of running from familiar feelings—like the urge to quit or the fear of imperfection—we begin to meet them with curiosity. This shift marks a deepening in our creative journey.

The beauty of this process is that each time we revisit a challenge, we’re not stuck in an endless loop. Even though the challenges may look familiar, we now bring new tools, insights, and a deeper understanding. We’re spiraling upwards, meeting the same issues but from a place of greater wisdom, resilience, and compassion.

Over to You

What patterns have you noticed in your own creative journey? How have you been able to work with them? I'd love to hear your experiences and insights in the comments below 👇

With gratitude,

~ Kelly

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This is article 05 of the creative capacity series. If you’re just tuning in, I invite you to explore the previous articles to better understand creative regulation. You can find all of them here.