Last week we tackled the stress monster, where it comes from, how it effects us and steps we can take to manage it. Now that we’ve got that creativity killer under control we can turn our attention to our second big nasty…
The Second Monster Of The Creative Apocalypse:
Inspiration (or the lack thereof)
Death is the Road to Awe by Allison Redner
Inspiration is a bit of a sticky wicket. It seems like it should be so easy to come by; we are, after all, constantly being told that inspiration is everywhere. Why does this muse play such a frustrating game of hide and seek? It seems the harder you look the harder she is to find. Is she trying drive you insane? Break your creative spirit? Kill you with a fatal case of ennui? What can you do to break the cycle and find that spark once again?
Why, oh Why…
Why do we lose our inspiration? In short, we become stagnant. We become such creatures of habit that our routines can quickly take over our lives…and little deviation in our day to day life snuffs out our creative spark. Our minds become bored, dull and rigid. Such mental conditions are a far cry from fertile fields in which to grow brilliant and beautiful ideas. But…
I have good news!
Out of all the creativity munching monsters in this series, a lack of inspiration is one of the absolute easiest problems to solve. The simplest way to find yourself overflowing with inspiration is to shake up your routine. Here are a few quick and easy ways to turn that lone ember into a raging bonfire:
- Take up a new hobby. A few years ago I became insanely bored with knitting. I was bored with the patterns I had, the yarns I found…the whole nine yards. How did I get over this hump? I took up spinning. I bought a drop spindle, some roving and signed up for a class. It renewed my love for fiber arts. Spinning also had the added benefit of putting me into a bit of a meditative state which helped my creativity get back on track.
- Read a book and take notes. Take notes? Yes. Take notes. I keep a notebook full of excerpts that speak to me. It might be a few words, a few sentences or a few paragraphs but without fail I will always find a few bits of inspiration in every book I read. One of my favorites? “…these wiry children of chance…” five words that grabbed my attention in Mervyn Peake’s trilogy “Gormenghast.”
- Discover new music. This one is HUGE for me. I know when I’ve found music that resonates with me because it’s like I have a movie reel playing in my mind while I listen. My brain floods with ideas. Music is an inspirational MUST for me.
- Take a road trip. It doesn’t have to be some far flung exotic locale and you don’t have to be gone for days on end. Sometimes a quick day trip is all you need to shake things up. I know my honey prefers flights over road trips, but for me, the journey is a large part of the fun. The joy of discovery and sense of adventure is what makes road trips so inspiring. If he had his way and we flew everywhere then we would miss out on awesome road side attractions like this:
And how do you not find a restaurant that is housed in a giant woman’s skirt inspiring? - Learn about history. Another go-to inspirational source for me is history, be it an event, a particular era or a historic figure. There are so many ways to learn, it borders on obscene. You can watch a documentary, take a class or read a book. There are so many fascinating people and events, the possibilities are almost endless. This piece was inspired by a Madame de Pompadour jag that I went on a couple of years ago:
Seriously? Is that all?
Yup. That’s it. Absolutely anything and everything you can do to open yourself up to new ideas and new experiences will provide you with inspiration that can help pull you out of a creative rut. I told you it was easy! And it’s a great excuse to go out and have some fun! So whether you join a club or go on a hike, you really can find inspiration everywhere. You just have to move out of your comfort zone and try a few new things to get the ball rolling.
Where do you turn for inspiration? Feel free to leave your tips and tricks in the comments section below.
Kisses & Chaos,
Alli Woods Frederick
Next Friday we’ll tackle our third monster (and boy is it a doozy!): self-doubt.
PS- Interested in the rest of the series? You can find them here:
The Culprits of Creative Slumps 1: Stress
The Culprits of Creative Slumps 3: Self-Doubt
The Culprits of Creative Slumps 4: Perfection
