For any sort of artist, whether you draw, paint, sculpt or write, a creative block is one of the scariest inconveniences out there. It holds you back from doing the thing you love; puts you at a standstill. It may even take away the confidence you have in your work, and keep you from trying to start back up again.

My creative block started with my writing at the beginning of my senior year in high school. At the time, I found it easier to turn to the art and sculpture classes I was taking instead of dealing with my writing. However, my classes came to an end and I was left feeling like nothing I created was worth anybody's time; not even my own.

I had let my own creative block take a complete hold on me. This time, I threw myself into work. I had a summer job and did nothing but work full time. Any time I tried to write, I'd just delete the words as if it never happened. When I'd try to draw, I'd crumple up the paper and throw it in the trash before anyone else could see it. I was holding myself back and even began to feel as if I lost my love for creativity.

However, my freshman year as a writing arts major crashed into me at full force and I was feeling like a phony. My first step in the right direction was beginning to write for Odyssey. It pushed me into a regular writing routine, and it began to remind me why I loved creating in the first place.

My second step was determining what was holding me back. At first, this seemed like a complicated answer. Then, as I began working on my mental health again, I realized it had been the problem all along. When my mental health began to slip, so did my creativity and confidence in the work I was doing.

Everyone's creative block is different, but no matter how long it's been, remember that it's never too late to start again.