People often tell me they aren’t creative but wish to be, my response is always “Everyone is creative. What are you doing to be inspired?” To be creative is to live an inspired life. Inspiration is everywhere. You need only to pay attention. To notice the boundless beauty in nature that surrounds us. To feel your emotions wholly and deeply. To watch life with eyes wide open and your heart on your sleeve. Not only beauty, but awe, pain, anger, lust, tenderness. Don’t just see, feel. Take it all in, mull it over, then break it down and pour it out into your life as creativity when the moment is right. Once you are filled with it, it can’t help but spill out into your day to day life. You will know the moment if you are looking for it. But don’t wait! When you feel the tug, when an idea hits, run after it with reckless abandon. Don’t think. Just act. It might feel crazy. It probably should feel crazy. The best ideas do. It’s why I’m awake at 1:00am writing this in the notes app on my phone in a pitch black room. I awoke with words in my head and knew I had to save them before I lost them to the night.

Where do you find inspiration?

Inspiration is everywhere. You need only notice.

In the sight and sound of children playing at a park. In the smell of fresh baked bread at a bakery or brewed coffee at your favorite local shop. In the pages of a book. On the walls of a museum. In the piles of junk at a thrift store. In the depths of your sadness, love, or wonder. Inspiration is everywhere. You need only notice. Did we lose the breadth of our creativity when we entered the digital age? When our phones took over our attention and we stopped taking in life as it emerged around us? Do you stop to notice the butterfly getting nectar from a nearby bush? The birds soaring overhead as the setting sun softly filters through the trees, making dappled light across the ground? The taste of a warm cup of coffee, the comforting feel of the mug in your hands and the soft blanket across your lap? The feeling you get as the rollercoaster slowly ticks its way above the horizon, just before it tips over the edge and careens down again- whether you’re at an amusement park or just trying to make it through parenthood- it’s an opportunity to feel, therefore an opportunity to be inspired.

I understand that the act of creation comes with its own set of challenges, but taking in as much inspiration as possible is the first step. Take a walk in nature. Consume quality, long form content. Eat a slow, leisurely meal. Stroll the aisles of an antique store. Visit the farmer’s market or a street festival. Take in culture, breathe in nature, experience life in real time using all five senses. Then document the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and most importantly the way it makes you FEEL. Hold it in your body, your mind, your soul. This isn’t a one off exercise, it’s a way of life. But one that’s worth living. I’d argue it’s crucial to live life this way.

Take a few minutes today to slow down today and notice the world around you. I’m not an expert at this by any means, turning off the noise of the world to be present is a challenge I take on daily as well. Some days I’m more successful than others but the difference it makes in my life is worth the effort. Share this post with a friend who you think would be interested in finding inspiration with you. Then, report back here if you feel lead- I love to connect with others about creativity and life. Everything is better in community.

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