7 Ways to Spark Inspiration

Sometime I find myself just waiting for inspiration to hit me. As if I’m just going to wake up and feel some mysterious driving force guiding me to my life’s calling…meanwhile not actively doing anything different. Too often this year, I’ve found myself watching TV and the “Are you still watching?” message pops up on Netflix and I embarrassingly click yes and just keep on watching (please tell me I’m not the only one?), but end up feeling useless and unproductive at the end of the day. I sure wish a giant lightbulb would just turn on above my head and I would instantly know all the secrets to the universe while doing nothing, but I highly doubt thats going to happen (especially in the middle of my show binging). I think many of us find it easier to fill time doing random tasks, rather than doing the hard work to really discover what lights us up. So what should we do instead when we’re feeling particularly uninspired? Here are a few things that always help me:

1. Go outside. Take time to get out in nature (go for a walk, hike, bike, etc), be very mindful about your surroundings, be in the moment, and see if maybe a little inspiration trickles in. 

2. Go inside! Cultivate a practice of meditation or journaling. Instead of being passive about your thoughts (meaning you just let your thoughts control you and run rampant), get really intentional, introspective, choose what you give attention to, be active and brain dump your ideas down onto a page.

3. Change your surroundings. If you find you’re feeling run down being in the same room, physically go somewhere else (a coffee shop, a different room, outside, etc)! If you have to stay in the same place, instead try to surround yourself with energizing things (like music, flowers, or something new to make you smile).

4. Learn something new. Anytime you’re feeling stuck, learning something new or polishing up old skills can help get the gears turning. Set aside time to do some research, take an online class, or read a new book!

5. Listen or Watch. Find a great movie/Youtube video/TedTalk/podcast, simply exposing yourself to inspiring things can jump start your own mind.

6. Share with others. Other people can be the best source of inspiration. Surround yourself with likeminded people or ones that you look up to, meet up with friends to brainstorm, schedule a call with someone new, find someone who you can teach each other something, etc.  

7. Turn off technology. Most of us are addicted to technology (whether we like to believe it or not) and very rarely will we go a full day without checking a phone or computer. Maybe what you need is a technology cleanse to take sometime to reconnect to your inner thoughts/values. 

So when you really don’t feel like it and you’re having a particularly lazy, uninspired day, give a few of these things a try. I find that although it can be tough to get started, once you light the spark it’s much easier to get the fire burning and continue on to bigger and brighter things (yes, I’m aware I’m extremely cheesy and cliche and I love it!).