Pull Inspiration from the Air

As creative individuals, we all know that every once in a while we hit a road block, our mind’s go blank and we cannot think of anything to write about. I know if has happened to me more than once and I hope it never happens again. But I know it will. This is why I have decided to write down, in this one hub, all the tips for finding inspiration I have amassed over my short lifespan.

The first and most important thing I find helpful in locating inspiration is having a personal space completely decked out in things I find inspiring. You can find more information about creating this space in my hub “Creating a Creative Sanctuary.”

If you always go to the same places, take the same route to work, go to the same restaurants for special occasions, then you should switch it up a bit. Take the long way home from work, go to that new restaurant that just opened or go for a walk. Inspiration can hit us at any moment and by switching your location you may find what you need to get yourself creating again. Just be completely open to the idea of inspiration and take in all that you see in these areas.

It is funny how others creative endeavors can inspire us. Often I find myself motivated and inspired to work on my own novel after reading a particularly gripping tale, especially if the writer is young. Maybe you always read the same genre? Try reading something different. Always read fantasy? Try reading an environmental book. Into history, try a sci-fi story. Not only may this inspire you, but by expanding your reading scope, you are introducing yourself to other writing styles, which will help you with your own writing.

Along with this are magazines. I find having a stack of magazines close to my desk to be helpful. When I am trying to figure out what to sculpt next, I just flip through the nearest one and viola, I have found something that I want to sculpt. The same thing goes for writing or painting. You never know what may inspire you next so you have to keep an open mind.

Now this may sound silly, but by forcing yourself to write or sculpt or paint, you will get inspired to write or sculpt or paint. It is just like forcing yourself to smile when you get up will lead you to smiling for real throughout the day. If you get yourself into the habit of writing daily, you will start to get inspired. Whether this be writing in a journal, free writing, or forging ahead on that novel, you will start to see the ideas trickle in. For the painter, forcing yourself to sketch ideas, random objects, or creations from a book (there’s that reading point again), will cause you to stumble upon something wonderful. The same goes for other creative endeavors. You may have to push yourself a bit to get going, kind of like a snowball. At the top of the hill it is small but it gains speed and mass before it reaches the bottom.

Now, I do not personally have children, but I feel that this will actually work. Children are full of creative energy, always finding new things to play or creating something with their legos or playdough. By watching them, you may find yourself drawn into their world of imagination, and for a creator, that is the perfect place to be. Even better, join them when they play. You may stumble upon some wonderful jewel of an idea. Plus, you are playing with your children and what is better than that?

If you find yourself being inspired on the go, make sure you at least have a pen and paper with you to record the inspiration. If you can’t remember what it was, then what is the point of going out to get inspired? For more information on what you should be carrying with you, take a peek at my hub “An On-the go- Creator’s Toolkit.”

I hope these tips and tricks help you get creating again. I know that they work for me. But you have to be open to the idea. Some people may scoff and say playing with their children will not inspire them, but if they are not open to the idea of inspiration, how will inspiration ever find them? And with that food for thought, get out there and get inspired.