What do I do when I’m feeling uninspired? Overwhelmed? Under pressure? I take a break and decide to create something UGLY. It is a conscious decision to make something unpleasant. I draw or paint something I won’t like, won’t use, and is a failure from the start. There is no room for criticism or disappointment. I’ve already decided it is an ugly thing. This thing, it doesn’t matter. There is nothing left to judge. I’m on a ten minute break. I am free to experiment, play, and not pay any attention at all to the voice that insists I be productive, or insightful, or perfect. Most of the time it works to get me unstuck. I jar myself loose from focusing only on the end product. I get back to basics. It’s pretty fun, actually.
There’s a children’s book called Ugly Pie by Lisa Wheeler. It’s about Ol’ Bear who is in the mood for some ugly pie, so he goes around the forest collecting the ugliest ingredients he can find from friends. The friends offer him all kinds of beautiful pies along the way- pleasin’ pumpkin pie, righteous rhubarb pie, heavenly honey pie- but Ol’ Bear holds out for his own ugly pie. In the end, the ugly pie is the most delicious pie of all and everyone comes to share it.
Ol’ Bear was right. Some days, ugly pie is just what I need. It’s about the gathering, the mixing, and the feel of creating something. It may look terrible, but who cares?
Sometimes I get out a sketchbook and draw whatever is in the room. I draw without picking up my pen. I draw with my left hand. I draw shapes using only scribbles.
Sometimes I get out watercolors. Watercolors, to say the least, are not my forté. So I paint colorful dots. I paint big blobs. I paint water and colors blending together until it all turns to mud.
Sometimes I write. I write freeflow and for two minutes I 
continuously scribble anything that comes to mind. I write silly haikus and include anything that fits the syllable patterns. I write a page or two intricately describing one single thing in the room- a penny on the floor or a cup of tea on the table.
It can’t possibly come out good, but it feels good. There is a kind of letting go when you realize you can’t possibly win, so you may as well enjoy playing. Next time you find yourself blocked or burdened, think of the ugly pie. And cut yourself a slice.