Finding Inspiration
What we think of as ‘the muse’ is our own inspiration as it dances on the fringes of our mind. Throughout our lives, we become the sum total of our collective experiences. The things we do, the choices we make (and even the choices we choose not to) collectively contribute to our ideas.
Inspiration comes from personal Discovery (with a capital D). A unique experience can fire the parts of our brain that energize our imagination. Inspiration arises when we see new places, meet new and awesome people, and experience the unfamiliar.
Diversity is essential here, if you only look at the same people and places, it will be harder to see what is new or different (although not impossible). If an adventure is not an option right now, there are other ways to jump-start your creative engine.
First, change your perspective. When you find yourself mired, find a different viewpoint. Leave your desk. Abandon the favorite coffee shop. Hang out with new people, especially children or older folks. Engage them, but don’t talk too much. It’s hard to listen when your mouth is moving.
Another idea is to physically change your viewpoint. Try to sit on the floor or stand on a table and just look around at how things change. Yes, that may sound silly — doing some silly things is another idea worth trying.
When muse hunting, you may want to break your emotional routine, too. Explore compassion as a way to think differently. Volunteer for a community event or cause you believe in, but haven’t tried before. For me, I discovered a local bicycle collective that was cleaning and rebuilding kids bikes to give to students at a local school. The experience was educational and rewarding.
Action begets inspiration. Go do things! To inspire yourself, say yes to new opportunities and new experiences, even if they may be a little risky or frightening. These can trigger your mind to think differently, and break through your funk. A word of caution, you shouldn’t expect immediate results. In some cases, the new experience needs time to merge with other ‘stuff’ in your brain. Those connections may take days or months. Evidence of this lag are those stray thoughts that pop into your head months or years later. Perhaps it was an interesting lecture, an old friend, or a stunning European cathedral that flows back unbidden as a relevant touch point which triggers a new thought or direction.
Whatever of these ideas you choose to try, don’t delay. It’s best to seek inspirational experiences before you need them. Stockpile them in photos, notes and memories. Don’t wait until the well is dry before you search for water.
