5 Ways to Spark Inspiration

Inspiration is pretty important to our everyday lives. If no one was ever inspired, there would be no artwork, inventions, music, new recipes, structures, improved ways for saving lives, books, movies, historical records. However, it's sometimes a challenge finding inspiration in our everyday lives. Here is a very general list of ways to spark your interests and be inspired:

1) Change your surroundings

Changing your surroundings can be a huge factor when it comes to being inspired. Essentially, inspiration comes from new experiences, breaks from routines, and thinking about things differently. If you're stuck in the same spot for too long, it can sometimes put you into a bit of a rut. This doesnt mean anyone expects you to jet off to Mexico (though wouldnt that be the life!), but changing the room youre sitting in can sometimes do wonders. If you're at the office take a little walk around the building. If you're at home, spend a little time outside. I've even found that repositioning my desk to face a different location has helped my flow of thoughts. Give it a try!

2) Don't overthink it

This one is pretty obvious, but sometimes difficult for us to execute. If things are getting cloudly, take a break and clear you're head.

3)Bring Inspiration to the plam of your hand

Days can be pretty busy, so why not take advantage of technology and bring the inspiration right to you. There are many apps that will give you access to inspiring quotes or short activities to spark ideas. The best part is, it takes under a minute which can be found while waiting for the train, powering down computers etc (though not while driving!!). For ex: Life Altering Quotes, Be Positive Daily, InspireMe-Inspiration Generator

4) Talk it out

Once, while writing a chapter of my book, I got unbelievably stuck on one of the main underlying concepts. After a lot of thought, I decided to bring it up to a friend. In a matter of words he seemed to unclog the mental block I had had for days. Aha! The answer! Don't be afraid to discuss ideas with those you are close with. They may not agree with your ideas or see your exact vision (which can be scary), but the feedback provided may open up a copious amount of possibilities.

5) Get ideas out of your head and into a physical space

Sometimes we have so many ideas in our heads that it gets a little clouded up there. One of my favourite things to do is create a pin board of things that I find interesting. Sort of a collage of inspiration. Items can include news paper articles, magizine clippings, fabric, photos, ticket stubs, menues, dried plants, maps, wrappers, perfume samples, numbers, doodles, recipes, the list is endless! Depending on your preferences you can also chose to do this activity with a book (like a scrap book) or even keep a box and simply toss things in.

Promt: Write a list of things that inspire you. Can you organize the list into categories or spot patterns? Take it a step further and create an inspiration collage (see #5)