10 ways to help you get inspired so that you can create

I never truly realized I was an artist or creative until I recognized that my mood & motivation swayed depending on whether I felt inspired to create. It took me a long time to see that if I felt no inspiration in my life, then I felt dull & down, & therefore I had no energy to work or tackle the tasks at hand. Yep, that’s a creative for ya! I come alive & I feel alive whenever I am truly inspired. And when I am fully charged because of it, then I can maneuver & do what I was made to do: create.

Have you ever felt like this before? That’s because you’re a creative & you truly feel your best when you’re creating! So today I’ve put together 10 ways to help you get inspired so that you can create. If you’re feeling low & have no energy to complete your to-do list today, then check out these small tricks that have helped me get over that horrible hump!

10 Ways To Help You Get Inspired So That You Can Create

1. Rearrange your office/area/room – I am a very visual person. So whenever I am lacking creativity I will move decor & furniture around & it definitely starts a creative spark in me. It helps the space feel new & fresh even if it’s still the same old things. Give it a try!

2. Read a hipster magazine – I absolutely love magazines like Darling, Conscious, & Kinfolk. They are filled with inspiring photos & articles about entrepreneurs, leading ladies, recipes, brands, & more. Sometimes I’ll just grab a cup of coffee or some iced tea, head to my back yard, & look at a few pages to motivate me.

3. Walk around Target – Silly I know. But it is actually possible to go to Target & not buy anything! They have such great decor & home pieces of different colors & textures that often stretch my eyes to see beyond my normal aesthetic.

4. Do something that you love – I  have mentioned this before, but I absolutely love doing creative photoshoots. They seriously make my heart sing! Whenever the photoshoot is done I leave feeling so refreshed, motivated, & joyful! Think about the one thing you love that you know will give you instant joy, then go do that thing! Instant fix, I swear.

5. Read a quick blog post or article- I’ve been consistently reading blog posts for the past 6 years now. The first one that really triggered something in me was A Beautiful Mess. Their posts were & still are so full of color, DIY’s, recipes, tips, & life! I loved sitting down weekly to catch up on their posts that always helped to make the wheels in my head turn. So find a blog that you love, or search an article topic that interests you, & go read! Some of my go to sources are The Everygirl, & Hunker.

6. Browse an online store – Fashion has always been a source of creativity to me so it would make sense that looking up the latest fashion trends would be inspiring. Even if you’re not going to buy, I feel that the colors, patterns, & designs of pieces of clothing can spin new ideas in your head. My favorite sites to window shop are Zara & Madewell.

7. Meet another creative for coffee – Have you ever walked away from a conversation with someone who you feel just totally gets you & your creative field? Doesn’t it just make your heart burst with excitement?! Then my advice is to create moments like that for yourself by meeting up with other creatives! Inspiration can come from the words & encouragement from others, so go out into the real world & experience it!

8. Only follow inspiring Instagram accounts – Instagram has always been my main muse. I tend to only follow accounts that post pretty feeds, ones that a tell a story, or ones that are inspiring. Why? Because if I’m going to be looking at the app all day, then I might as well make my time on their beneficial. Follow accounts that encourage your steps toward creativity.

9. Create for yourself & not for work/a client – If you do something you love for a living, but also have clients you have to do it for & “deliver”, then I suggest doing that same thing for yourself every once in awhile. Examples… I take photos for clients, but I have to remember to capture the creative shots I want to take that inspire me or else I won’t love doing it anymore. Push yourself in your creative field & just create something for yourself, or for fun!

10. Rest & take a “me” day – Sometimes lack of creativity comes because we’re starting to feel exhausted or burnt out. Rest is a good thing & is so needed & necessary. Take some time to yourself & then come back & hit the ground running. You can’t force creativity, that’s why we need to nurture & take care of the bits of it we have.

Hope these tips help! What are some things you do to inspire yourself to create?

Always know that inspiration is all around us, but creativity lives within!

– abbey kay

*brought to you by a girl who is inspired to creatively write & encourage