Cavy, maybe start out with abstract styles, my first abstract (red and blue)was a trial and error and when it was finished I preferred it upside down (as shown). Mess around on a small canvas with cheap, paint, if you don't like it you can always paint over it (The abstract above is over another painting, in a few places there is green and gold from underneath peaking through). The best thing is you can't really go wrong, with the first one I was afraid to add more paint and each time was sure I had ruined it, but in the end it turned out just great. This was also my first painting on canvas and first use of acrylic paint. I found after a while though that I loved using palette knives as it could build more texture.
I find that when I'm bad, I can't draw or paint - even my stick men look awkward and uneven, I haven't got the spare energy or soul to put anything into artwork. If you don't want to do abstract - although I recommend them because they can be emotionally freeing. For more realistic artwork it's a combination of practice and ideas, don't feel that using lots of different reference pictures is cheating, or being inspired by someone else's ideas is stealing - examples for me would be trying poured watercolours (zebra), epic doodling (looks like the zentangle Ayesha posted), or the reference stock photos used on the above charcoal. My favourite tool is a 4B pencil (Horse) or biro and cheap paper printer paper, even some of my water colours have been done on printer paper (cherry tree). It doesn't have to be expensive, just do it, but don't feel you have to if you don't feel up to it and don't feel miserable if you can't on one day (or for me, months at a time). But have fun (zebra 2) and practice often (Charcoal couple/Coke Can)
Be impulsive, use colours that seem wrong (gun/staffy and above crying girl) - it usually looks good - though often I'm to scared for this one myself. I'm far better at giving advice than following it :S
For emotional art it can hurt to do it, but can be relieving, I personally find it uncomfortable to experience so much feeling all at once and so intensely and often make them in somewhat of a trance, but I usually feel relieved afterwards. You do seem to have to either plan the emotion to relieve or let your hand do what it needs.
Good luck. :)