15 Little Ways to Find Creative Inspiration Today
Inspiration: It’s the birthplace of all creation. Whether you were awestruck by the striking beauty of nature while on a walk or you felt a spark of creativity after a chat with a friend, inspiration follows us everywhere. It’s all around — but whether you notice it is the difference. Becoming inspired doesn’t have to be focused purely on external stimuli either, you can find it within your heart, body and soul if you take a moment to go inward.
On some days, however, it can feel like inspiration has found the perfect hiding place that you can’t access. If you’re stuck in a rut, run into writer’s block or just need a new way to get your daily dose of inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 15 simple ways to get your creative juices flowing again:
15 Ways to Get Creatively Inspired
Step into nature: Mother Nature is one of our biggest teachers and muses. Lean on her beauty to help re-invigorate your work by taking a walk around the block or a hike in a local park.
Turn to your favorite works: Revisiting your favorite art, music, digital works and other artistic mediums is an easy fix for feeling uninspired. Review and take notes on what you love about the work and why you connect with it so deeply.
See things from a different perspective: Pull out your previous works and try to revise them. See what unfolds when you take a different angle on a piece you’ve created. Or ask a creative friend or colleague to comment what they love about you work in addition to what they think could improve it.
Dive into deep talks: Sit down with a friend, colleague, family member or even a stranger to learn something new and dive into deep conversations. Allow yourself to be fully present so you can be both an active talker and listener — you never know what you might walk away with.
Combine two things you love: Converge two of your mediums to birth a new creation. Think: art and poetry to make a multi-media poetry book or film and music to create a music video.
Put pen to paper: Just create! Don’t go in with any expectations or judgements on your work. Some of the best works are unplanned and purely out of relying on your intuition.
Switch up your routine: Add (or remove) something from your morning or night routine. Just one little shakeup to the same-old, same-old could ignite something within you.
Daydream: If anyone has told you that daydreaming is not productive, they’re lyingggg. Allowing your mind to drift while listening to music or in silence is good for the soul and your creativity, too.
Hop on a plane: Obviously a little pricier option, but traveling can open your mind to new ideas and ways of living and creating. If you can’t swing a destination getaway right now, jump in your car for a day trip to a nearby town you’ve been meaning to check out.
Go on do not disturb: Remove external distractions so you can go inward for inspiration. Hit that do not disturb and limit your screen time to create from the heart.
Embrace your inner child: What did you enjoy creating as a child? Bring back that innocent wonder with a nostalgic craft or allow space for playful creation where you create just to create.
Consume new (or old!) mediums: Ask your creative community for their favorite works — no matter if they’re from this year or the 1800s. Similarly, you could stroll through an art museum to gain inspiration.
Switch up your location: If you’re feeling stuck, getting up and walking to another room can get your wheels turning again. Or better yet, head to a local park or coffeeshop and allow yourself an hour or so to dedicate to your craft in a secondary location.
Turn on some music: Music can bring forth emotions, thoughts and ideas we didn’t even know we had within us. Try switching things up by listening to a new genre or playlist so you can get into creative flow without getting distracted by the lyrics.
Lean on rest: Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to take a step back. Honor yourself and your energy when feel yourself getting irritated or tired. It’s better to walk away and come back than putting your piece down for good out of resentment.
Learn more about finding inspiration within and with the world around you by listening to my podcast episode with Ashlie Johnson Coggins, a fine art photographer who creates abstract nature imagery. Listen to her episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!
