While going through my list of questions asked by our Adventurers (I write down every question and these help me create courses, blog posts, emails and posts for you) I realised that one repeats VERY often. And that's...
Here's my answer, but please remember this is my personal point of view and things I've learnt from my own experience.
We often feel as though we need external inspiration. And it's easy to believe that once we find it it will suddenly burst in our heart with a huge explosion of fireworks and glitter and everything sparkly.
We may feel that we need to travel to some far away places, meet with exquisite individuals and immerse ourselves in the beauty of astonishing architecture and breathtaking views in order to attract this inspired state.
So we wait for that and in the meantime we create endless boards on Pinterest, save reels on Instagram and promise ourselves we'll do these projects, that we'll feel inspired enough at some point to actually start them. I've done this a LOT in the past (and truth be told I still sometimes get sucked in!)
And yes, all that traveling, conversations and nature would be great and I wish all of us an abundance of such experiences, but I think we can uncover even more inspiration doing something else, something that's much more accessible to each one of us.
I believe that we have everything within us already. I like to think that we've been created to create, so why would we need to depend on external sources of inspiration exclusively?
Sometimes all we need is to look inward.
Here are some ways in which you could start uncovering your creativity. I'm writing my handwritten letter all about it too, so this is just a start:
The most direct way of uncovering inspiration within you is by looking at how you are feeling or how you have felt. What excites you? What have you overcome? What feelings do you think deserve time, and to be processed, celebrated, acknowledged?
Learn what beauty means to you. Instead of getting sucked into what's on "trend" on social media or what others are doing, learn to understand what makes you feel uplifted, moved and motivated. Because everything you find beautiful is inspiration. For instance, if you see a scarf in a shop that you love, slow down, and consider what is beautiful about it. Is it the colour? The pattern? The texture? Does it remind you of something that moves you?
It may feel more natural to come up with a concept before beginning your page. But what if we consider that the concept can come after the craft? Just creating for the sake of creating is always worth it, and you can surprise yourself with references your marks can bring up.
Spend time with yourself. We're constantly bombarded with stimuli, entertainment and news. Having a moment of quiet is one of the biggest luxuries of the modern day. Give yourself a moment to sit and do nothing, just tune into yourself. You could then do some free writing, sketching and meditation or prayer, and it can provide you with clarity and mental space which is a huge inspiration attractor. And it often turns out that our best ideas come when we're bored.
These are just a few things that help me ground myself and myself away from the stimulation of the online world. Inspiration that I find (or maybe it finds me?) in that way always feels deeper and more sustainable, but I'm sure that you too have some special ways of finding what works for your creativity. I'd love to hear about them, so please respond to this email with your ideas on finding true inspiration.
I can't wait to hear about your sources of inspiration.
And if you still haven't joined our Art Rituals please check it out. Uncover the habits, inspiration and techniques seven artists use to make their art routine meaningful, nourishing and sustainable.