There I am!
Finding inspiration in the every day, even when the world feels like this.
Now more than ever, it is important to stay inspired. I’ve been thinking a lot about routine lately, and I’m also thinking a lot about resistance and how both need quiet, deep roots in our every day lives. It feels silly to be sharing little ways I stay inspired, but history shows us that when we are inspired, collectively and individually, we are hopeful, we are loving, we are kind, and we are brave.
As a creative director, I’m particularly invested in inspiration. Getting inspired is a critical part of how I show up to my work. For me, the first flashes of inspiration show up as butterflies in my stomach, a visceral optimism that feels like hope taking root in my solar plexus. As those little wings begin to flutter inside of me, I find myself thinking things like – There I am! I do have ideas! This world is beautiful! I have something I can share! Everything is connected!
Sometimes I feel this when I’m at my computer writing, but mostly it’s a feeling I catch when I’m out in the world being very much alive. Here are some ways that I’ve managed to keep inspiration close no matter where I am or how busy I feel.
First, turn off the drip. I’ve started checking my emails just 2x a day, and it’s really opened up a lot of headspace. Getting updates about messages across platforms, all day, and in real time is such a drag– it makes me feel like I have everything to do. The satisfaction of progress eludes me. Don’t even look at the previews– they’re the gateway drug to distraction.
Find the view. In this order: waterfront, mountains, a grove of redwoods, an empty mid-Western sky, a nice bench in a park. Views offer a perspective shift that helps me access awe– reminding me that I’m a small piece of something bigger, that the bigger thing is beautiful and energizing. Awe collapses into nostalgia which moves me into gratitude. This is how I like to feel before I begin to write.
Pause to notice nature in transition. I’m not talking about getting light in your eyes at the right time every day. I’m talking about seasons, sunrises, and sunsets. This isn’t a hack, it’s an integration. I will plan my days around the sunset, and I couldn’t recommend it more. It’s such an important, fulfilling moment to witness, and, if you’re in a public place, it’s heartwarming to see that you’re not alone as you admire the setting sun. Sunsets are universally beloved by humans. It’s so cute how we all pause to watch this moment together.
Move your body. I know. So simple. The algorithm has really been wanting me to know that humans think best at 3mph. (I’ve seen this over a dozen times in my feed, so I can’t properly attribute it.) Walking meetings are one place where I’ll lean on AI for notekeeping. So handy, and I’m definitely smarter + more inspired on those calls. Walking to and from work has also gotten me through stressful seasons.
Take a field trip to see what other artists are making. I tend to make a solid half-day of it, and I love to make a schedule, especially if it’s on the weekend. With no agenda at all, I'm a real bed rot queen and that makes for a gnarly Monday.
Here’s what Nathan and I got up to this past weekend:
Find a low stakes outlet for creativity. For me, that’s water coloring. I am here for the pigment blooming in water, for the satisfaction of layering one color over another, for the unwieldy nature of the medium. Not because I want to be good at it. I just love it. I started assembling color palettes to take it all the way down to the stubs– forget painting a likeness of something, what do colors look like together? Water color gives me quick access to creative flow so it’s easier for inspiration to find me.
Eat something. Stay hydrated. Sleep. Whenever I’m feeling uninspired, I’m often neglecting at least one of the basics.
Read books. I’m a person who will reread the same books over and over. Since I’m in NYC this summer, I’m doing Open Book Club, which takes the decision fatigue out of what to read next. I’m also warming up for Erika Veurink’s romance novel by catching up on the other books out from the “Romance Fiction Company” 831 Stories. (Exit Lane comes out in September–preorder here!) . I always have more serious books running alongside the fun ones– I just finished Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit and I’m rolling into Black Women Writers at Work. (Other small acts of meaningful resistance: support human authors and get your books locally or from Bookshop.)
Be kind to yourself. Like, actually. And no matter what. Everyone has days that feel flat or sad. That’s okay. Try not to future-project– it won’t always feel like this. And, remember all the times you’ve made it through low seasons. When I feel low, I like to watch IG videos from Tabitha Brown and Drew Barrymore. Doing what we need to do to take good care is not procrastination or laziness, it’s vital.
We are all tuning forks. The work you do to stay inspired will inspire everyone you connect with today. I love that about us.
Love and co-sign everything about this! I always have to have a view when I write. Have a field outside my office window and a park across from my living room window. Went outside and took pictures of the sunset last night. (We have a whole series of sunset photos.) Texas is muy fucked up in so many ways, but the sunsets are really gorgeous.
I love all these suggestions, but especially “get a view” 👀