5 Things to do When You Need Inspiration | How to get out of a Creative Rut
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash
Someone once asked me where I find inspiration. My answer was something along the lines of “everywhere,” which is true and still true today. However, there are days or seasons of my life when I don’t feel inspired. What do you do when you’re not feeling inspired?
When I want to do something but I don’t know what. When I’m in a creative rut and I’m not sure which direction to take. When I may be motivated and determined, but there’s no idea or vision. If you’ve shared these moments, here are 5 tips for you.
Here are a few things I do when I need to feel inspired:
GET OUTSIDE
Going outside is an easy way to get inspired again. Whether this means sitting outside, going for a walk, or just driving around, I get myself out of my room and out of the house. I think there’s something about not being in your comfort place that brings the creative juices back into your brain. When I get outside, I people watch or I observe nature, and that’s usually where the inspiration begins. The way people carry themselves, the location, the time of day, the way nature interacts with itself—everything just brings back a sense of life and my ball of inspiration begins to roll again.
READ
Reading is a way to get out of your own head and consume new ideas or stories. Reading always strikes a creative chord for me. I read novels, magazines, ads, devotions, old stories I wrote, memoirs—all these reading material stirs up inspiration within me because they put in new ideas or revive old ideas. I always find something interesting when I’m reading or after I finish reading and that little spark of interesting fact or information is where inspiration begins. So the next time you’re feeling stuck or you’re in a creative rut, go find something nearby to read—event if it’s simply flipping through a magazine at work.
PINTEREST/INSTAGRAM
Believe it or not, Pinterest and Instagram are two social platforms I get inspiration from. I can always find interesting or thought-provoking quotes or articles on Pinterest. Pinterest is a great place to find inspirational posts online (Yes, it’s more than just receipts and diy’s). On Instagram, I love looking at the photos of landscapes, natural, architecture, interior designs, fashion bloggers, food, cities—basically almost everything you can find on Instagram. I love studying the way people edit their photos and the perspective they chose to take their photos—all of that is extremely intriguing to me. That intriguing moment is what sparks inspiration in me. So, if you’re looking for that extra push—scroll through Pinterest and Instagram—they might just help.
TALK TO PEOPLE/CATCH UP WITH PEOPLE:
I’m an introvert so while I don’t prefer huge social events, I prefer sitting down with old friends to catch up or sitting down with new friends to get to know each other. I don’t meet up with people often, but when I do I always find a new sense of inspiration. I get inspired by other people’s journey and stories so meeting up with people gives me the opportunity to listen to them, to hear what they’ve been up to, and where they plan to go. All of that brings me joy and inspiration. I also find that through conversation, new ideas and thoughts sprout. If you’re ever feeling unsure or uninspired, go talk to someone, go listen to other people’s stories—more likely than not, you will feel inspired again.
SIT IN SILENCE
Sitting in silence can sound counterintuitive, but it really can help. I typically sit in silence when I need that final push or when I’m not motivated to do the other three things mentioned above. There’s something about just sitting in complete silence that clears the mind and at the same time revives it. I find that in the midst of sitting in silence, inspiration creeps back into me. An idea would come to my head or I would end up staring at something on me desk that brings my creative juices back. Sometimes we don’t feel inspired because we’re overwhelmed with so many things going through our own heads, sitting in silence helps you to break down all your thoughts and ideas and hone in on certain things—when you’re mind is focused and clear, inspirational is back.
Those are just a few ways or a few things you can do to stay inspired or a few things you can do to find inspiration. Do you have certain things you do when you need to get inspired? Let me know in the comments!!
Thank you for reading! As always, I wish you the best =)
~ Sincerely, MaiNou
CONNECT WITH ME: Instam - @daysbymc
(FTC: Not Sponsored. Some links used are affiliated links.)