:( I understand and have been there myself. Wish there was a way to help you out of it but all I can say is try and not stress and when you are more relaxed you might feel more creative. I know, easy to say and you don't feel it will ever happen...hope things get better for you soon.

I hope things get better for you.

sounds like you definitely need a vacation.

I def know how that goes :[
the damn rat race is such a weary grind. and having so little free time and lots of stress can easily slap one's art muse to hell. sure as hell happened to me.

I'm sending all the best wishes your way. I hope everything turns out okay for ya.

This is going to seem rather cheesy, but I swear it's helped me out a lot. Like you, I spend entirely too much time on the job - have a very white-collar career going, put in a position of authority, and find I'm putting more effort into the things I never thought I'd be doing than the things I actually want to do. This has been going on for three, four years at this point, and it's frankly murdered my motivation for creating. I have tried things in the past couple years that used to whip me into shape...like going to cons and taking on an extra-heavy workload of custom commissions (typically, this lit a fire under my ass and kick-started the creative process), or maintaining a regular stream schedule and attracting an audience to perform for.

Since about mid-2012, those activities and other things I once did to spur me onward lost their effectiveness entirely. The stack of work owed became further reason to turn inward, shy away and shirk from folk, souring my mood and worsening my state of mind further. That my position at the office demanded more of my time also served to deepen my sense of helplessness and futility, finding it easier to remain after official hours or log-in from home and continue working. Whenever I had a day off, there was always a necessity demanding immediate attention - a family issue; a friend issue; a must-needs-address-this-moment personal issue. In short, time seemed to just melt on by without my really being aware of it, a reclusive, depressed mentality dominating my daily life.

Eventually, I wound up moving to another city for the sake of my job - leaving behind friends, family, and those few things that could still pull me out of my stupor and into something resembling the kind of activity I used to delight in. I realized that I didn't make the move on account of any real conscious desire - it was something that took place simply because I -allowed- it to take place; because I was detached from what was actually going on in my life. That realization didn't dawn on me until about six months after I'd made the move.

I was fortunate after I got here that I met someone who'd hit a very similar state with regards to her art, and her creative process, and had me read through a number of books that wound up offering some crucial advice I hadn't considered before. Most notable book she had me borrow, and abide in totality after reading it through, was called "The Artist's Way." I have to admit is a -very- therapeutic read. Probably the best thing I ever did was to start venting my frustrations on a daily basis by writing them down - nowhere anyone would see them, just something to defrag, basically, without prying eyes. All of it was, and remains stream-of-consciousness with no defined rules. Although it's taken a long time, longer than I would've liked, I'm finally getting back to a point where it's getting easier to work on owed pieces; to sketch out ideas even in those few moments I have available that aren't taken up by work or prior obligation. If you can find a copy of the book, I really do recommend giving it a thorough, earnest read, and abiding the advice. If you have someone, -anyone- at all, in your local vicinity you can make an artist's date with, I recommend that, too. It's been slow and soul-wrenching, but bit-by-bit it's been paying off, and I wouldn't have unloaded all this if I didn't think it wouldn't be some benefit to you.

If none of this seems like it would be any help, then at the very least I sincerely hope things improve for you eventually, and I sincerely hope you find your center and your creative spirit again. No one should have to go along feeling this way and dealing with these things, and I very much wish for brighter days for you. <3

That's a shame. I've found some of your art really inspiring.