How to Stop Forcing Creativity
What a simple prayer and a shift in posture taught Bradley Jersak about trusting the process
“Show me the heart of the matter.” —Bradley Jersak
Have you ever sat down to create something — a piece of writing, a song, or even a simple journal entry — and found yourself pushing harder than you meant to? You start with openness and good intentions, but pretty soon you’re grinding it out, frustrated, tired, and wondering why the flow isn’t there.
If so, you’re not alone.
Maybe you’ve been taught, one way or another, that creativity is something we have to force. That if we want to make something worthwhile, it’s going to take hustle and strain. But what if that’s not the whole story?
On a recent episode of the Living from the Heart podcast, Nelson Boschman sat down with Bradley Jersak to talk about writing and the creative life. What unfolded was less about technique and more about trust.
Bradley shared how, during the process of writing his PhD dissertation, he chose a different rhythm. He began each day with a quiet, honest prayer:
“Lord, show me the heart of the matter.”
And then — he listened. When his body or spirit signalled it was time to stop, he did. Even if it wasn’t a “full” day.
A gentle voice would remind him,
“Don’t weary yourself.”
That small act of trust changed everything. He finished early. He stayed grounded. And — perhaps most surprising of all — he actually enjoyed the process.
This isn’t a strategy or a life hack. It’s an invitation.
It’s an invitation to embrace your creative work as a gift, rather than merely pushing through it.
May you find the courage to pause, the grace to listen, and the trust to let your work unfold in its own time.
This reflection is drawn from “Contemplative Writing: How to Trust the Creative Process with Bradley Jersak,” a conversation on the SoulStream Living from the Heart podcast. You can listen to the full episode on our Substack podcast page.
Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash
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