Creative: 3 places to find inspiration
“If you want more energy, more inspiration, more creativity, more aliveness, more joy, you have to connect. First connect with yourself. Next, connect with others.” — Dr. Robert Holden, director of The Happiness Project.
Everyone gets stuck in a creative rut every once in a while. Whether you’re an artist, a writer, a photographer or a businessperson trying to find the next big breakthrough, it’s time to get unstuck and discover your Big Idea.
1. Plug into a new community. As Dr. Holden says in the quote above, connecting with others can unleash your creative energy. Within a community of people are a wealth of stories, experiences and ideas that you can plug into for energy, inspiration and rejuvenation. This is especially true for freelancers stuck in their living room or home office; being physically walled in into the same place, day in and day out, can create mental walls, too. Get out there, meet new people (preferably people outside your comfort zone) and discover new waves of untouched creativity.
2. Look up. When was the last time you gazed into the sky? Not to look for the source of a noise or to check the weather, but just to gaze in wonder and remind yourself of the infinity that surrounds us? Find a bench or put a blanket on the ground. Lie on your back and stare at the immense expanse above you. Let your surroundings fade and feel as if you’re falling into the expanse. It’s the perfect mental break to liberate your brain neurons.
3. Touch nature. Humans can go for days or even months without touching a single natural thing, thanks to our climate-controlled cars, double-paned windows, air conditioning systems and cement cul-de-sac. Sometimes, the closest you’ll come to nature is via your fake office plant and your ocean-themed computer screensaver! You weren’t made for this. You were made to be immersed in nature, to feel its rhythms and to live by the cycles of the rising and setting sun (not the artificial cycles of a halogen lamp). Reconnect with nature by creating a potted garden or spending an afternoon in a local state park. The further you are from humanity, the better. The ideal space: a spot in nature where nothing around you reminds you of mankind, not even a rural gravel path.
