As a writer for Odyssey, I have to come up with a new article idea each week. As a graphic designer for my college’s campus events office, I have to come up with new designs on the daily. In case you couldn’t tell by the title of my article, it’s not always an easy job to do. In my documents as of 10:28 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, I have upwards of 10 half-finished articles on topics my heart is just not set on.

It can be rather difficult to constantly be coming up with new ideas. Your work is often a direct extension of yourself, and when you’re putting your creative works out into the world, you want to make sure it’s high quality and unique from what has been done before–as it is not only a reflection of your skills, but it is a reflection of you.

This is where I’m at this summer. I started writing articles for Odyssey at the start of the year, and I thought that after the semester from hell was over I might be able to focus on my writing and be able to better hone in on more relevant topics that will attract a large audience. I thought that I would be able to get ahead on articles, be able to think more outside the box and challenge myself more, push my limits and maybe, just maybe, pull a Kim K and break the freaking Internet. However, I don’t think you can break the Internet with an article on the top 10 greatest cat memes, and I find myself in what I figure is a two-month rut that is seemingly impossible for me to break.

I realized that one of the reasons I’m having so much trouble trying to come up with ideas is because I’m away from some of my best friends in the entire world. So, option number one in breaking a rut is to surround yourself with people that inspire you. Sadly, summer stole my besties, so since I’m at home, I draw inspiration from my family. My parents and my sister are some of the most creative and talented people I know, and whether they realize it or not, they inspire me think outside the box.

Option number two, get outside. I don’t just mean go outdoors. Get out of your usual environment. I have been stuck in a routine of going to work, then home, watching a crap ton of Netflix, playing those three songs I memorized on guitar and sleeping. I definitely needed a break after taking 19 credits, working two jobs and attending countless hours of club meetings (aka, the aforementioned semester of hell). Even though break is nice, I find myself missing the craziness of the semester, which actually helped me in coming up with ideas. The constant go-go-go of it all prevented me from falling into a rut. I always had something to do, whether it be work, class, hanging out with my friends, club meetings, or volunteering, which helped in sparking inspiration. I was able to better draw ideas from all of the different activities I was involved in, and the different experiences I had in each activity.

Option two goes along with option three: Actively don’t try. The best ideas aren’t forced, they come naturally. Like I mentioned before, I was able to subconsciously better draw ideation from the activities I was involved in. By getting my mind off of what I needed to do, I found what I wanted to do, and that helped me more than forcing myself to sit down and create something that wasn’t completely authentic. It can be hard to pull yourself away, but by doing so, you may end up coming up with an idea that allows you to create something impactful, and something that is super awesome.

If a rut has got you way down, to the point where you’re ready to give up, remind yourself why you started.

Option four is to know that you’re not always going to put out your best work or work you’re truly passionate about. There will be days, or in my case, months, where you just don’t feel like yourself and where you just can’t figure out what to say or do. When I have those days (or months), I wonder if I’m not cut for this. I wonder if I should just quit. But then I remind myself that this is my dream and it has been for a while, and this is a stepping stone, and everyone needs a stepping stone. Rivers Cuomo didn’t become Rivers Cuomo until he decided to pick up a guitar. Weezer didn’t become Weezer without a lot of practice. And I know that I am definitely not Rivers Cuomo (I’m definitely not that cool), but what I’m saying is, people don’t just wake up where they want to be. You have to work for what you want, seize every opportunity, and put yourself out there. Yeah, it can be hard, but anything that's worth working for is worth it. Ruts don't last forever, inspiration can come from unlikely places and, if you try, you're bound to succeed eventually.

So, don't let a rut make you give up!