You're missing the most obvious answer:  Collaborate with someone who writes lyrics!  There are definitely some who currently think chord progressions and melodies are hard, so it would help them too. 

craigb
You're missing the most obvious answer:  Collaborate with someone who writes lyrics!  There are definitely some who currently think chord progressions and melodies are hard, so it would help them too. 

This isn't too bad of an idea, fundamentally. I think maybe because I've been on my own so long, I tend to think of things from a personal perspective. In that, I mean, the music and lyrics have all come from within myself in the past. My songs are all very personal to me. It feels... odd... to have run out of things to say. I suppose I could do some collaborations, but would I feel the same about the results?

Only one way to find out....

Serenarules

craigb
You're missing the most obvious answer:  Collaborate with someone who writes lyrics!  There are definitely some who currently think chord progressions and melodies are hard, so it would help them too. 

This isn't too bad of an idea, fundamentally. I think maybe because I've been on my own so long, I tend to think of things from a personal perspective. In that, I mean, the music and lyrics have all come from within myself in the past. My songs are all very personal to me. It feels... odd... to have run out of things to say. I suppose I could do some collaborations, but would I feel the same about the results?

Well, many don't have the decency to stop once they run out of things to say, so I'd say you're ahead of them! 

If you've run out of inspiration from your own life, how about writing about someone else's?. There are a million good stories out there, pick a few that interest you. You might find you can give the stories a slant by your own perspective, put yourself in another persons situation and imagine how it would feel.
 
With regards to the music side, I find it helpful to break a slump by forcing myself to write on piano (I'm a guitarist), that tends to pull me away from 'muscle memory' riffs and chord patterns.
 
Also, starting with a top line melody can also throw up some interesting chord changes or inversions that you may not have thought of before.
 

I hear Ed starts with Am and, er, well, pretty much stays there! 

Serenarules
The thing is, I have kind of already done all that. I have arthritis, high blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma and have had two strokes already. I am on meds for it all, but I gave up my drivers license years ago because of it all.

Basically, I do not leave the house.

Therein lie the #1 reason to keep playing music.
 
I have a friend who has to have 9" of his colon removed.  I called him today and he was playing his harmonica into the phone as we talked.  He said it was his medicine.
 
I hope the best for you.
 
Jesse Q. Screed
 
 

Jesse Screed
I have a friend who has to have 9" of his colon removed.  

Does that mean he has a semicolon now? 

craigb

Jesse Screed
I have a friend who has to have 9" of his colon removed.  

Does that mean he has a semicolon now? 

Well, funny you should ask.  Considering that the diameter of the human colon is between 8-12 cm, and the tumor in his is at least 6 cm in diameter, he has a semi in his colon.
 
However, the length of the colon could be up to 2.7 m, thus he has some to spare. So his colon will be a semi colon, but only by <20% or so.
 
The extenuating issue is that he had a kidney transplant some years ago.
 
I took a road trip with him today.  We spent time isolated together in a vehicle.  We had the "anything could happen conversation."  He told me the password to his music files and said if the worst thing happened, "get my laptop and make sure my friends and family hear my songs."
 
I assured him that salvaging his laptop would not be necessary because the best outcome would be realized. 
 
So now it is semi on the up and up, and semi on the tempest in the mid section.
 
I hope the OP writes a cool song soon: it might be the best way for family and friends to know who you really are.
I hope Craig writes a cool song too.
 
Jesse Q. Screed
 
 

That's cool that he has you to talk with.  Most people in that situation don't.
 
As for cool songs, I've got a few started, but finding a job to keep a roof over my head comes first!  Then I'm sure GAS pains will return hard and heavy. 
 
(Heck, I'll probably update SONAR from Producer v4 then as well!  )