5 Ways to Find Inspiration
I’ve been really uninspired for a while, now. In fact, I’m probably in one of my longest seasons of personal drought. I’m aware of the things that are hampering my creativity, which is honestly one of the hardest things to identify. But I’ve been able to identify them over the past year. If I’m grateful for anything in this season of drought, it’s that I’ve learned a ton about my own creative rhythms and can now identify roadblocks. Some of those roadblocks can be personally overcome, but other roadblocks I have in my life right now are situational.
But I don’t want to make this blog about my problems, rather some solutions. When I need some inspiration or creativity, the best thing I can do is travel somewhere. But is it the traveling? No… it’s tip number four below. But we’ll get to that in a moment.
Here are the five ways I have found inject some inspiration back into my life, even if only temporarily.
#1: Get Out and Do Something
I don’t mean to be completely blunt, but the easiest thing you can do to get some inspiration in your life is to move. You don’t have to go run a marathon, but go do something. Go for a walk, run, bike ride, etc. I like to cruise on my skateboard or Onewheel through the forest. Why not?
Hang with friends. Do something social. Do something solo. Honestly, just getting out and doing something has helped me feel creative many times. I would connect this to number four as well, so be sure to keep reading to see what I’m getting at here.
#2: Try Something New, Creatively
In 2018, I was super burned out with my music. If you knew me prior to 2018, you probably just knew me as a musician. I spent nearly twenty years as a career musician in the church. Music was getting harder and harder, though. I was bored with the music my job required of me. I was tired of writing songs that were congregational. I was tired of playing music live, and tired of recording / mixing / producing / engineering in my studio.
So what did I do? I picked up a camera for the first time in many years and started shooting again. And here we are today, where photography is my leading art and music has very much taken a back seat.
Photography inspired me. And I can tell you the exact reasons it did.
I had to get out and do things. I couldn’t just take pictures in my living room. It forced me to go find stuff to shoot.
I could include my family with photography, something I couldn’t do with music.
It was a relational gateway, where I got to meet new people and be inspired by them. In fact, your favorite photographers are likely way more accessible than your favorite musicians.
Try something new. You may find you love it, or if anything, that it challenged you. Once you get some creative energy flowing, you can either keep running with it or transfer it back to your medium. Either way, you get some inspiration.
#3: Write Something Down
Writing is talking to yourself, but productively. When I just brain dump and write stuff, I find I illuminate truth. I get clarity.
I typically will process things by writing them. I have several notebooks where I just brain bump. In 2019, I was attending at a conference and was just struggling with where I was personally and professionally. I went outside and sat at a picnic table and began just writing my frustrations, hopes, and dreams. That writing (across several pages) eventually led me to where I am today, because I could clearly see where I was and where I wanted to be… all because I wrote it down.
Recently I read an article about the the calming nature of water. The article was written by a psychologist, and she was breaking down why water has a place in therapy. She was describing things like swimming, surfing, and diving.
Here’s what it came down to. When we are immersed in water, the only thing we focus on is the present situation. If you’re treading water, you’re actively keeping yourself alive. You’re not thinking about a thousand other things - you’re staying alive. I found it fascinating, and when I paddle out to surf in Santa Cruz as I do often, I’ve started becoming aware of how present I am in that moment.
Writing is like water. It produces clarity, and clarity and focus bring about inspiration and creativity.
#4: Break Your Routine
I referenced this tip in the beginning, and I think it’s the most important one for me. I disrupt my droughts by disrupting my daily routine. Nothing great comes from the mundane.
This is what traveling is for me. When I’m most drained and most uninspired, I like to take a trip. It doesn’t have to be an international week away, just something outside of the norm. For me, it can be as simple as a day trip. But I actively plan trips to inspire me, fully knowing that I’ll need it.
Breaking routines can be challenging and scary. We get really comfortable with the day-in / day-out routines and rhythms. But breaking those rhythms can produce something new. It can energize our creativity.
I knew someone who use to describe themselves as limping into vacations. They would be beat by their work, and when they finally got time off they’d go into it defeated. I never want to be that. Therefore, I am always planning my time off proactively. I’m making rest and inspiration part of my ongoing calendar management. I think it’s best to break rhythms often, and the only way you’ll do that is if you plan them.
#5: Rearrange Your Space (Physically & Digitally)
Space plays a huge role in inspiration. For me it’s very simple - if I don’t have creative space, I am not a creative. I need room to play, experiment, focus, see things that inspire me, etc. Sometimes micro or macro adjustments to your space can do wonders for your creativity.
I am always evaluating my home and office setup. I tweak things all the time if they help me be more productive. One simple thing for me is cable management. I don’t want to see cables, so I try to hide them. It keeps my space inspired. When I’m feeling like I’m in a drought, I’ll make some changes to my space. I’ll rearrange it, or switch out some decor. I’ll reorient my desk, or add a plant. Anything just to have some newness to work within.
I also do this with my digital workspace. An update to my MacBook Pro wallpaper can do wonders for my creativity. Or moving files to an external drive and off my desktop. There are countless ways to rearrange or organize your digital space, so try it out if you need some inspo. Need some fresh wallpaper? I have a free download for you.
If you came here in a drought, I hope these suggestions help you out. If you’re a creative in a good season, be proactive and stay that way! If you have feedback or thoughts, I’d love to hear them. Be sure to drop a comment or DM and let me know what you think. Stay inspired out there and keep creating!