Being inspired and nurturing inspiration can be tricky, yet it is such a powerful way to keep your creative practice going, or to live with wonder in various areas of your life. You could think about something all day and not come up with one good idea, and then all of a sudden, while in the shower, it finds you with such force and clarity. It can really be such a mystery how inspiration behaves. A helpful starting place is knowing what sparks your flair of inspiration, what makes you come alive when you need to fuel your creativity in art, cooking, decorating your house or tackling a problem at work. Knowing this can be so useful when solving a problem, even if it is a blank page, so here are 5 ways to nurture inspiration in your life.
1. Write down a master list
Jotting down a few things in an easy to access place of ways you personally find spark inspiration and use as a reference point when your creative block strikes can be a great and handy resource. Think of the times you feel inspired in the most ordinary of tasks, maybe paging through a cookbook, walking on the beach, or listening to certain types of music, for example. These are your tried and tested ways in which you can call on to get your inspiration juices flowing.
2. Research the "thing"
This may seem very obvious, but it is sometimes the most obvious things that can be the most helpful. Look at similar items, research the close environment of the "thing", discover different colour palettes and gather bits of information to will help flesh out your idea.
3. Leave it alone
At times, you may be forcing the issue. Trying all the things in order to find inspiration and sometimes you need to do the complete opposite to let inspiration find its way back to you. Go for a leisurely walk with someone and chat about each other's day (not about your inspiration struggle), or do an unrelated task to give your mind a break and space to wander, like baking. Giving your mind a chance to freely wander is sometimes just what you need.
4. Do a task in silence
If you usually listen to music, audio book or a podcast, try to work in silence to focus in order to tone the noise down for your brain to naturally float through different ideas. I personally love to listen to music or a podcast, but sometimes not having an extra sensory input allows all your senses to nurture and grow your moments of inspiration.
5. Try something new
Perhaps you are stuck in a rut and are trying the same things over and over again. Think of playing with different, or lesser used ideas or resources. Play with a new colour scheme / colour you don't normally use, a new recipe / outfit / route to work. Breaking out of natural habits can sometimes recharge your mind to then think of new things and ideas.
Those are 5 ways to gently nurture and cultivate inspiration in your life. If one of these tips are new to you, why not start with that and see what new avenues of inspiring energy flows to you? You may be pleasantly surprised where these new paths lead you.
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