Contributed by Tina Holland.

It seems strange to look for a muse in the modern age.   I have an elderly dog that wants to hang out with me when I write.   His name is Kaiser and he’s a chocolate lab.   When my husband comes in, he will often say,  “I see Kaiser is musing” (yep he made it a verb).  This usually means Kaiser is napping in a nearby corner or at my feet.

Another phrase common in creative circles is, “Feed your Muse”.  This generally refers to doing something to fill your creative well – You’re not doing the “thing” but you are doing a thing related closely to it, like reading (for a writer) or something you love (I like scrapbooking).  Occasionally, in these moments you will find inspiration for your current work or maybe a spark of something new.

The modern muse can be an illusive entity.  In our modern world we have so much pulling us in different directions, it can be hard to find time for ourselves, let alone inspiration.  How do we change that?

What I’ve done when I’ve been blocked or overwhelmed is to make a conscious effort to carve out time for myself.  For me that means no distractions – No TV, no phone, no tech at all and I settle in with a book or a craft project for a couple hours.  I don’t even think about writing, because honestly when I’m blocked, I’m too fragile.  And looking at a blank screen when words won’t come makes me feel like a failure.

I’ve added more time to this creative block over the years and it does help me find inspiration and my muse and Kaiser usually joins me in all things so he enjoys a day without all the tech too.