Here is a thing no one warned me about getting older: you can legitimately, actually start losing your imagination.

I read books like I breathe air. I practice multiple creative pursuits almost daily. I am lucky enough to have pretty good mental health. But... (1/?)

I'm no longer able to visualize imaginary scenarios in vivid detail like I did as a teen. I can still construct them, but it takes effort. The images are blurry and difficult to hold onto.

Once, I could lay in bed and imagine a full story. Now, I get stuck on one scene. (2/?)

It is literally like starting to go blind, but in my brain. And it's friggin' terrifying, especially for a creative person. I've done everything I can to keep my childlike imagination alive, but it's slowly seeping away like my brain sprang a leak. (3/?)

Related: after about age 21 or so, writing got a lot harder for me. Words used to pour out of me, and writing was an immersive, joyous discovery. Now, most of the time, it's work. I've gone from magicking worlds into existence, to building them out of legos. (4/?)

I guess this thread is mostly to say:

1. If you're still in the "words pour out" phase, write like crazy. Save all your ideas. They may not be a bottomless resource.

2. If you're a creative and you've also experienced this stupid, awful phenomenon, you're not alone. (5/5)