Inspiration

What’s inspiration? According to Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition, “inspiration” is:

1. stimulation or arousal of the mind, feelings, etc, to special or unusual activity or creativity
2. the state or quality of being so stimulated or aroused
3. someone or something that causes this state
4. an idea or action resulting from such a state
5. the act or process of inhaling; breathing in

So basically, inspiration is something that gets your mind excited, your feelings onboard and gets you to do something creative or out of the ordinary (my jumbled interpretation of the above). That sounds pretty exciting to me!

Yet I often feel “uninspired”. I don’t want to take on a task because I don’t feel inspired to do so, I feel like it’s a chore. Or I’m “just not in the right mindset”. So I wait around and hope that, somehow, inspiration will “happen to me”. Well, most of the time, it doesn’t. So I end up making myself do that thing I really needed to do several days ago, feeling equally as uninspired about it now, only with the twist that now it’s urgent. So I get to add a level of stress as well.

Nothing like a bit of a deadline to motivate me, and lots of other people.

And I know this problem isn’t just for me, I hear people say this all the time: “I don’t feel inspired”.

And I want to change that, for me, for you, for anyone who’s open to some new ideas!

Let’s look at this for a moment. According to Collins English Dictionary, inspiration can be someone or something that causes the state of inspiration. It doesn’t say anywhere that I have to be the one to inspire myself. That’s great. That takes the pressure off. In fact, it even points to the solution right there.

When I don’t feel inspired, someone or something else can get me there. So it seems quite easy then, doesn’t it? If I feel uninspired, and I wish I was inspired instead, go find someone or something to put me in that inspired state.

So here’s an idea. Why not set up your own “Inspiration Kit” (or insert other cool term here that works for you)?!

What inspires you? What gets you in that space of feeling creative, in the flow, ready to go? What leaves a smile on your face and makes you bubble with energy? Is it inspiring quotes? Pictures, books, music, people, movies, websites, places, activities??? What floats your boat? What makes you feel like taking action?

I’m sure if you think about it, there’s a lot more that inspires you than you were originally aware of. So my suggestion is to collect it all in one place where you can easily access it when you “need inspiration”.

You could do a vision board. Or an Evernote note. Or a bookmarks category in your browser. Or an excel sheet. Or a file in your filing cabinet. Or a drawer in your credenza. Or a board on Pinterest. Or start a Facebook group and invite your friends to play.

I’m sure you’re getting the picture here!

So this is what I’m going to do:

• create a play list with music that lifts my energy and makes me want to dance
• set up a separate shelf in my book shelf with inspiring books (Eckhart Tolle “A new world”, “Rework” by the guys from 37 Signals, “Become a key person of influence” by Daniel Priestley, among a bunch of others will go there)
• continue to pin great quotes to my Pinterest board
• and remember to take a break and go outside and sit in nature when all else fails!

What will you do? I’d love to know.

Have an inspired weekend!

Cheers,
Sara