It’s pretty well known that creativity has many benefits. Bringing creativity into any and all facets of our lives can enhance our experience at home, at work, in our relationships – pretty much anywhere we apply it. Being creative is just plain good for us! But often, the act of actually “being creative” is harder than it sounds. Sometimes, creativity just isn’t as accessible as we would like it to be. We just aren’t motivated, can’t come up with ideas, or simply feel stuck. We’re missing something. We’re missing INSPIRATION!
Inspiration and creativity go hand in hand, like the chicken and the egg; it’s hard to say which comes first. Being inspired definitely leads to creativity, and the act of being creative leads to further inspiration! This cycle can continue and continue, unfolding and blossoming into more and more possibilities. When we’re inspired we feel buoyant, uplifted, ready, eager, motivated, and abundant! We are carried by our inspiration, ready to act, aligned with greater purpose, and our deeper truth. We are authentic, we’re “on track”, we feel happier. We get the sense that we’ve tapped into something greater, something supportive and all-knowing – because we have.
Then, there are times when it can be harder to tap into that delightful flow of creative inspiration. For those moments when we’re feeling less than inspired, the following tips and ideas can help to get the ball rolling once again. Read on for 12 ways to reconnect with inspiration!
#1 – LET GO OF PERFECTION. “Perfect” is a relative term and often unachievable. The quest for “perfect” can be paralyzing and often gets in the way of true action. Let go of the goal. Let go of preconceived ideas about what you think you want and just try for something, anything. Be open. Once you get the high standards out of the way and stop judging yourself, you can be much more inspired than you’d realized. Even the ideas that you labeled “not good enough” are the building blocks for inspiration – don’t throw them away.
#2 – OBSERVE. Take a look at the world around you. Often, we’re so wrapped up with thoughts or anxiety about the pressure to produce, that we aren’t seeing all of the countless sources for inspiration around us. We may be looking right at our greatest muse and not notice it because we’re not really paying attention. Truly look, listen and observe the world around you. Allow it to penetrate the bubble of your internal dialogue. Let it affect you. What do you notice around you? How does what you see make you feel? What reactions do you have to the world around you? Follow the threads to inspiration.
#3 – CONNECT WITH YOUR HEART. Feelings are one of our greatest sources of inspiration. Our emotions MOVE us. They move us to action, they move us to thought, they sometimes consume us. They are powerful, they are resonant, and they are full of potential. Connect with your heart. Close your eyes and really try to feel what’s there. What lies in your heart? When we are connected with our hearts, we are more deeply connected to our true feelings and our deeper meaning. From this place of connection, inspiration can flow much more freely.
#4 – BE PRESENT. It’s impossible to be inspired if you’re not here. If you’re thinking of past or future worries and not really embodying the moment then how are you going to tap into the creative flow of inspiration? Check in. Are you present? Are your thoughts tangled up in stories or working out problems? Let those thoughts go. Connect with this moment and see what is here. Your creative ideas are lying within you and around you, quietly waiting to be noticed. Clear away the mental chatter in order to notice what’s already here. Take some deep breaths, quiet your mind, meditate. Do whatever it is that brings you back into this moment and see what is here for you.
#5 – CONNECT WITH OTHERS. We are most often inspired by each other. As we set upon our own unique journeys, we share the commonality of all being humans on this Earth. We look to each other for inspiration through the ways we are different, as well as the ways in which we are the same. When we noticed our connectedness and connect with one another, we are uplifted and inspired by one another. Observe and connect with others, engage in conversation, brainstorm together, include others in your creative pursuits. Recognizing and celebrating the creativity of others, helps to motivate creativity within ourselves as well. The best ideas are shared!
#6 – LOOK TO NATURE. Nature is awe-inspiring. The beauty, the complexity, the simplicity. Nature has a way of helping us clear our minds, be present and feel more connected to our inner truth. For some, nature is a change of pace that helps jumpstart ideas, for others it’s like coming home. Either way, nature has a powerful effect on us and there is so much to gain inspiration from. Get out into nature to be inspired by nature and by yourself under the influence of nature.
#7 – PLAY. Imagine, daydream, be like a child! Get moving, get into your body, activate your mind. Play a game, play around with ideas, do something just for the fun of it! Experimentation is a major road to inspiration. Remember when you were a small child and would just play, not worrying about a goal or intention. You’d let your imagination run wild, take over and lead you to wherever it wanted. You played around, just for the fun of it! This type of behavior often gets cast aside as adults because we feel we’re “wasting time”. Allowing time for play, whether that’s physical or mental, unlocks a door to our creative inspiration.
#8 – BE OPEN. How is inspiration going to enter if we’re not open? Open your mind, open your heart. Let go of judgement. Let go of thinking things need to be a certain “way” or mean a certain thing. Let go of expectations. Let go of doubt. Open to possibility. Don’t shut any doors. Allow, receive, stop pushing. Connect with freedom and surrender. Once you’re open, allow whatever comes in to be what it is. Don’t judge it, don’t force it, just notice it. See where it leads you.
#9 – TRY NEW THINGS. A lot of the time, we’re feeling uninspired because we’re stuck in our same old routine. That which we’re accustomed to no longer sparks our imagination in the way that a new experience does. Get out of your rut! Even little changes can have a big impact. Listen to new music, try new food, drive a different route home. Try something you’ve never done before or learn a new skill! Learning stimulates the brain in ways that aren’t stimulated when we’re following routine. Exposing yourself to new or even just different than usual experiences creates opportunities for inspiration!
#10 – DO WHAT YOU LOVE. What are you passionate about? What activities do you look forward to doing, what engages you, makes you happy? When we do the things we love, we connect to a place within ourselves where a higher vibration occurs. From this place, we can tap into the creative flow of inspiration! So, rather than pushing yourself to get inspired, just do something that you enjoy, something you can get lost in, something that fires you up! Ride that positive energy and see what inspiration comes from there.
#11 – CONNECT WITH SELF. Our true, authentic Self is the one we don’t need to try to be, the one that lies underneath any masks, repressions or traumas. When we are not being THAT Self, it’s very hard to connect with the inspirations that arise naturally from within us. When we are not being genuine, we create blocks within ourselves and things get trapped inside. We can’t connect to creativity or express inspiration because we’re cut off from our source. Find your authentic Self. Be it. Connect with that You, deep inside of you, the one that just is and doesn’t have to try. Find your way back to yourself and be inspired.
#12 – CREATE. Creation leads to inspiration! Make something! Do something with your hands. Draw, paint, write, sing, make a playlist, dance, cook, bake, garden, rearrange the furniture! It doesn’t have to be “good”. The act of creating is like getting on a raft in the river. Start moving, start doing, be active, engage yourself in creating. Ride the current and soon you’ll be in the flow of creative inspiration!
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