4 who escapes reality through idealization, coming ‘down to Earth’ has been uncomfortable but necessary for me. When I claimed my creative dysregulation and took ownership of it, I became an empowered agent for healing and transforming it.

As an Enneagram

felt us both sigh with relief as I labeled the experience. “It’s like a rollercoaster ride,” I said, gesturing with my hands. “I go from exhilarating highs to debilitating lows, and it’s exhausting. But now that I know about dysregulation, I want to find a way to stabilize my creativity.”

Like an animal sensing danger, my body would surge with adrenaline and excitement when struck by a new idea. I would be consumed by an intense burst of creativity, unable to focus on anything else. But that adrenaline would wane before long, leaving me feeling drained and despondent. The once-thrilling project now seemed dull and unworthy of my att

I was trapped in a cycle between extreme highs and debilitating lows. Lying to myself and others about my progress. Believing that this cycle was progress. It felt as though I could be diagnosed with ‘creative bipolar.’

Creative dysregulation describes the inner imbalances that disrupt an individual’s ability to consistently engage with and execute their creative work. These disruptions hinder the fluidity, productivity, and fulfillment of the creative process, as well as one’s ability to see themselves as a successful creative.

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” ― Gospel of Thomas

I know I will continue learning, refining, and expanding upon the idea of ‘creative dysregulation’ after I ship this book. You are reading V1 (version one), which I did not know was allowed in book publishing. But it turns out you can do whatever you want in self-publishing, and a digital book is a file that can be updated. So, I will continue to r

‘creative dysregulation, ' which I defined simply as the inability to sustainably and reliably create without a mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual crisis along the way.