Finding inspiration when you need it most can be a tiresome task. Whether you are a blogger, a teacher or just looking to decorate your home, we can all be struck with a lack of creativity at any given time. It sucks, right?
I usually lose my creative mojo when I’m busy or stressed, a bit of a bugger when your job depends on it, but I’m slowly learning the tools to reign it back in again. As there is no doubt a lot of you out there who struggle with this too, I thought I’d share five ways to help reignite inspiration, wherever you happen to be…
Location, Location, Location
You could be sat in a coffee shop, or gazing out to sea on an idyllic desert island – your location can determine how you feel and what you think about.
For me personally, I can’t work from home if I’m lacking inspiration. I have to relocate to a corner of a coffee shop with a large cappuccino, or put the laptop away for a few hours and spend some time offline with friends. I’m lucky to live in the Cotswolds where there are several beautiful escapes within a short driving distance, picture perfect hot spots like Broadway and Stow-on-the-Wold that motivate me to share new content. It doesn’t have to be ground-breaking stuff, sometimes an idea can stem from just people watching!
The key here is to step back for a minute, look around you and inspiration may pop out from somewhere unexpected…
Surround yourself with positive people
Ever heard the saying, ‘your vibe attracts your tribe’?
Over the years I’ve seen and been in friendships that come and go. Friendships that made me feel inferior and used to boost egos, being their ‘single friend’ who is always there when their partner is busy… It took a long time to realise that it’s okay to let go of those people, that they don’t deserve a place in my life because I don’t want to be surrounded by negativity. It creates what I call a ‘grey cloud’ above your head, following you around wherever you go. This isn’t going to lead you to feeling inspired, if anything it will be the cause of the lack of it. Luckily I now have a strong group of friends around me – some are great listeners, some are great motivators and some are great at telling me when I need to stop worrying – and each one of them inspire me for a number of reasons.
Think of three people in your life who make you feel good about yourself, who encourage you to be creative and be your authentic self. Keep that list of people saved on speed dial for when you need some help finding inspiration – it’s amazing what happens when you bounce ideas off someone.
Tidy your living space
De-cluttering is brilliant for the mind, whilst burning a few extra calories too. Whether it’s a spring clean, sorting out your winter wardrobe or picking up items from your ‘floordrobe’ and hiding them in a drawer – nothing quite beats a good de-clutter in my opinion. Now I’m not saying you need to live a minimalistic life, despite how good it can look on the ‘gram, but from personal experience I find that getting rid of anything I don’t use or care for anymore can induce some serious inspiration out of nowhere.
Surround your room with trinkets that you picked up on holiday, frame your favourite photographs and line your bookshelves with inspirational reads. Look on Pinterest for ideas on how to create beautiful living spaces. Inspiration can be found in a number of places and spaces, so why not make your home one of them?
Listen to music
Music can affect people in many different ways. It can be used to evoke emotion, create memories and boost moods. It’s a powerful tool that I use on a daily basis, particularly when I’m seeking inspiration. Depending on the blog topic I want to write about, I will turn to Spotify for a playlist that will help ignite a personal connection to the idea I have in mind. If it’s a chatty life post, I’ll opt for an acoustic covers playlist, if it’s a travel guide I will play something more upbeat.
It’s pretty incredible what music can do for the brain, so next time you need a little pep in your (blog) step, try playing some music and let the lyrics do the talking…
When all else fails, turn to Instagram
If I’m ever in a writing rut, I find visual platforms like Pinterest and Instagram are really beneficial. No text, just beautiful imagery that speak a thousand words. Whilst I could name a good fifty Instagram accounts, several of them dedicated to coffee cup flatlays, these four ladies inspire me on a daily basis. To create better content, to push the boundaries and to not give up.
Victoria, Rosie, Mollie and Kate – thank you.
Don’t be afraid to unfollow those who do not inspire you. Whilst social media is not ‘reality’, what you view online can effect your mood offline, and there is nothing wrong with being selective with what you see.
Where do you go to find inspiration? Let me know in the comments.
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