“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” – Jack London
We all have days when we’re just not very inspired, when we need passion and creativity breathed into us.
I know I do.
For anyone who needs a little shove, whose creativity has dried up, who needs to be moved … I humbly offer this simple guide.
While I never claim to have all the answers, nor that my way is the only way, I share here some things I’ve learned about inspiration, some tricks I’ve learned that work for me.
I’m often in need of inspiration, but in all cases I’ve found it. And it’s a wonderful thing.
What Is Inspiration?
Many people think of it as an elusive quality that can’t be forced, and yet it can be found if you look for it.
Others think it’s a way to find ideas, but it’s more than ideas … it’s being moved to put those ideas into action.
Inspiration is finding something else that is divinely inspired (people, nature, amazing ideas), having that inspiration breathed into you (“breath” is the root of “inspiration”), and then taking action on it. Creating, doing, inspiring others.
How to Find Inspiration
Inspiration is just about everywhere you can look, if you’re looking for it. That’s the key: to keep your eyes open. Too often we miss beautiful sources of inspiration, because we’re too busy thinking about other things.
Be observant. See everything around you as a possible source of inspiration.
Just keep your eyes open, at all times, staying present whenever possible, and allow yourself to breathe in that inspiration.
How to Stay Inspired
Inspiration isn’t just a one-time thing. You’ll need it on a regular basis.
When you practice the above method — keeping your eyes open, staying present, and breathing in inspiration — you get better at it. It becomes a skill you can use at any time, and you’ll use it often.
Some tips for keeping the inspiration coming:
Work with inspired people – one of the best ways to stay inspired is to work with creative, energetic, positive people.
Read daily – varied things, from blogs to magazines to books of all kinds.
Get outside – nature is one of the biggest inspirations, and you’ll miss it if you’re inside all day.
Talk with new people – they’ll always expose you to new and interesting things, if you’re open to it.
Break out of your routine – see things from a different perspective. Take a new route home. Go to a new restaurant. Visit someplace new in your area.
Find time for silence – it’s more inspiring than you might think. Unfortunately, not enough of us do it.
Exercise – or at least get moving. It helps the blood to circulate, and gets ideas moving around. My most inspired thoughts come during runs.
Now Take Action
Don’t just feel inspired. Take this inspiration and use it, be moved, and do something. Channel that inspiration into creating something amazing.
Put that something out into the world, and in turn, you will inspire others.
Having trouble taking action? Read, The Little Rules of Action post here on my blog.
“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” ~Vincent van Gogh
Happy Monday, Friends! Here’s a video to get you all revved up for an awesome week!!
Who says Mondays are ho hum!!??? Every day should be amazing.. not boring. Get it together, watch the President and let me know what you plan to do today that is different from any other Moan-day.
Hey Friends, Here are some tips to help you on your Journey to gaining Clarity.
Here are 11 tips for infusing your life with more clarity:
1. Assume 100% responsibility for your own level of clarity.
Many people assume that clarity is something that will arrive in good time if they simply wait patiently. Others feel stunted that they aren’t gifted with the same degree of clarity as others. The common pattern is that clarity is seen as something that is bestowed from the outside in, that it’s something God, the universe, or the world at large has the power to grant you — or that it’s an accident in some way. Some people get lucky; others don’t.
Clarity isn’t something that arrives from outside of you. Clarity isn’t a matter of luck either.
Clarity Comes when you FOCUS
Clarity is what you create for yourself.
Clarity is a decision.
If you want more clarity, then it’s time to treat the generation of clarity as a serious undertaking that’s entirely 100% your responsibility. It’s not going to happen unless you make it happen.
2. Stop creating the opposite of clarity.
Some thoughts and actions lead to increased clarity. Other thoughts and actions have the opposite effect.
Clarity-reducing patterns include:
Hanging out with fuzzy, unfocused people who are drifting aimlessly with no direction
Living with people whose goals and values are in conflict with yours
Distracting yourself with excessive TV, web surfing, video games, or other time-wasting habits
Numbing your mind and emotions with junk food, alcohol, or other addictions
Overstimulating yourself with caffeine (which for many people leads to racing thoughts)
Whining about your lack of certainty or complaining that you don’t know what to do
If you find yourself surrounded by people and circumstances that leave you feeling dizzy and confused, drop those elements from your life, and give yourself the space to create and enjoy the clarity you seek. Spinning in circles is unproductive.
3. Harvest and apply the clarity lessons from your past.
Notice that your level of clarity isn’t the same at all times. At some points in your life, you’ve been very clear. At other times you’ve been extremely uncertain.
Take a moment to review those times when you’ve been at one extreme vs. the other. See if you can identify some of the causal factors on both sides.
Notice which factors lead to reduced clarity, and do less of them. Also notice which factors lead to increased clarity, and do more of them. This sounds childishly simple, and it is, but chances are that you aren’t applying this idea as well as you could. Humor me, and give it a try. You’ll be amazed as the a-ha moments that can be gotten from a quick review of your past patterns of clarity vs. fuzziness.
For example, do you feel clearer and more certain after taking the time to write down your goals? Do you feel fuzzier after having a conversation with someone who’s always nagging you to change in ways you disagree with? If so, then do the former more often, and do the latter less often.
4. Use visualization to create the vibe of clarity.
Either you feel clear and focused right now, or you don’t.
You may assume that your external reality has to be a certain way in order for you to feel clear and focused. Having all your ducks in a row may make it easier to feel clear, but you can also use your imagination to create the feeling of clarity.
Clarity is more than just a feeling. There’s an emotional state associated with it, but it’s more than that. Clarity is a certain vibe. When you’re really clear, you can sense that vibe through every cell of your being. Your mind and emotions are centered. Every part of you is on the same page. There’s no doubt or uncertainty. This is a powerful state of being to experience.
Sit quietly for a few moments and imagine what it’s like to hold the vibe of total clarity. Imagine what your surroundings would look like if you were really clear about your direction in life right now. Imagine the people and circumstances that would be in your reality. Imagine how you’d dress, how you’d move, and how you’d communicate with others. Paint a vivid picture of a reality — any reality — in which you feel crystal clear about your direction in life.
What matters isn’t the specific visualization you create. What matters is the vibe you experience. You can imagine yourself as an ancient Roman conqueror as long as it helps you hold the vibe of clarity. Do this for at least 10-20 minutes per day until the clarity vibe feels normal and natural to you. The more you practice holding this vibe, the more clarity you’ll bring to the rest of your life and to all the decisions you make.
5. Ask for help.
Help is available when you need it, so take advantage of it. Ask someone who’s clear about their path to assist you.
The quality of help you receive will vary depending on the source. Bear in mind that you’re still 100% responsible for your level of clarity. Use counselors, coaches, and advice givers as a resource to help you see the big picture, but don’t give your power away to them. If you try to give your power away to such people, hoping they’ll tell you what to do, it will backfire. A good counselor can help draw out and validate a path that’s right for you, but s/he cannot create a path for you. Creating the path is your responsibility.
6. Put your goals in writing, and review them daily.
This is a well-known habit of success, yet its practice remains inconsistent for most people.
As soon as you write down your goals, you’ll experience a boost in clarity. And each time you review your goals, you’ll gain more clarity.
Writing down your goals pushes you to make them clearer and more precise. It’s easy for a goal to remain fuzzy when it’s only in your mind, but if it’s stuck in your head and you can’t even write it down, it’s more of a fantasy than a goal. Putting your goal in writing is the first key action step toward making it real.
How many times have you imagined a sexual fantasy for instance? And how many of those did you commit to writing as an actual goal or intention? Which ones are more likely to manifest? Whatever you’d like to keep as fantasy, leave it in your imagination. But whatever you’d like to experience in physical reality, put it down in writing.
Keep drilling your goals into your subconscious mind by reviewing them daily. Imagine your written goals as physically real — not fantasy — and soon your internal resources will be aligned with making those goals come to fruition. It takes a while to condition the subconscious through repetition, but if you persist with this habit, you’ll begin to notice subtle shifts that bring your goals ever closer.
Jack Canfield recommends the practice of writing your goals on index cards, one goal per card. Then flip through the cards and imagine each goal as real when you first wake up in the morning and again before you go to bed. This is an excellent habit to install.
7. Accept that any goal is better than no goal.
When asked to take a few minutes to write down some goals, certain people love to whine, “But I don’t know what to write down. I don’t know what my goals are.” In that case you can write down, “I want nothing!” If all you have is a blank page — or no page at all — then your goal is nothing. That’s what you’re asking for, so that’s what you’ll receive.
The people who whine that they don’t know what to ask for are really saying, “I want nothing. I can’t think of any single thing I want. So I’m asking for precisely nothing.”
Sounds pretty foolish, doesn’t it? It is foolish!
Surely you can come up with something to ask for that’s better than nothing. Ask for a nice dinner. Ask for an extra $100. Ask for a new friend. Ask for a nicer phone. Anything is better than nothing.
Imagine asking a child, “What do you want for Christmas?” and hearing the response, “I’m content with what I have. Please don’t trouble yourself on my behalf.” Now that would be a rare child indeed. Some might say that such a child is enlightened. I’d say that such a child was drugged. Even a dog is capable of expressing what s/he wants, including a neutered dog.
Don’t pressure yourself into trying to come up with the perfect list of goals. You’ll never get there. Just write down some items that appeal to you, such as new experiences you’d like to have. Start with the goals that are easy for you to desire. Is there someplace you’d like to visit? Some activity you’d like to try? Someone you’d like to meet?
As you get into the habit of setting and achieving goals, better goals will come to you. Don’t worry so much about changing the world if you’re still new to goal setting. Focus on some appealing but smaller achievements first, and as you get good at achieving those goals, continue to expand your goals in new directions.
8. Crystalize your goals.
At first you may write down a goal like, “I have a job I enjoy.” That’s an okay place to start, but it’s not a very powerful goal because it’s so fuzzy. Your mind will have a hard time locking onto it and taking action.
As you review your goals, try to lock them down and make them more specific.
For example, instead of asking for a job you enjoy, you could say, “I make a living creating movies.” That’s a positive step towards greater specificity.
This may all sound confusing but stick with it
Then as you think about that goal, you may progress to, “I enthusiastically earn $100,000 per year writing, producing, directing, and distributing independent short films that uplift, motivate, and inspire people to find their passion.” That goal is much clearer still.
Clear written goals help you stay focused. Fuzzy goals leave you feeling uncertain.
There’s no need to add superfluous details that are irrelevant to you, but if you can be more specific about what you truly want, it will help you achieve your goals faster, partly because clearer goals are less prone to procrastination. It’s too easy to procrastinate on a goal when you can’t figure out what the next step may be.
9. Pay attention to the path, not just the end result.
Sometimes the way you achieve a particular goal is more important than the goal itself.
Would your goal be more inspiring to you if you found a way to achieve it faster? With a partner or a small team? While traveling? Without spending a dime?
When a goal is too straightforward, it can become demotivating because the action steps may get tedious and repetitive after a while. But if you can spice up the process used to achieve the goal, you may discover some newfound excitement.
Sometimes it’s fun to take the scenic route.
10. Stick with one primary goal at a time.
If you have a lot of goals, it’s easy to fall into the trap of jumping around between different goals and making little progress on any of them. If you want to actually achieve a goal, focus on one key goal single-mindedly until it’s achieved. Then move on to another goal. This is what top achievers do. Having too many competing goals will simply scatter your energies.
It’s great to have a big list of goals, but which of those goals is most important to you right now? Which one do you want to achieve first? Make that goal your primary aim, and focus on its achievement. When you can work on that goal, do so. Work on other goals while you’re waiting for responses from others or if you simply need a break from the first goal.
What if you have a really huge goal that will take many years to achieve? Same rule applies. If that goal is truly important to you, then center your life around it. Otherwise you’re unlikely to sustain the kind of momentum needed to make it a reality. If that’s too much for you though, you can scale back your goal to something more manageable. Set a subgoal to achieve, but realize that if you do other things between those subgoals, you’re delaying the end result of your primary goal. That’s perfectly fine if you’re still making good progress and enjoying the process. The final result isn’t the only thing that matters.
When you look back on the previous year, do you see a track record of massive progress toward your primary goal? If you aren’t satisfied with your current rate of progress, then you’ll need to make some changes to avoid repeating the same pattern next year. There’s no honor in having a big goal on your list if you aren’t making serious progress towards its achievement. Don’t delude yourself into thinking that setting a big goal is the same thing as achieving a big goal.
11. Explore and experiment.
Sometimes it’s tough to set a clear goal because you don’t know what you’re getting into. In that case you can experiment in order to gain clarity about the goal space you’re exploring.
Doing what you’re already doing won’t give you more clarity. Thinking about what to do next and writing down some goals can certainly help, but that isn’t always enough. Sometimes you have to get moving first before clarity can be achieved. You’ll enjoy more clarity when you’re in motion than when you’re standing still. A pilot has better visibility from the air than from the ground..
When you’re stuck in a state of ambivalence, do whatever it takes to break the impasse. Do something radically different than what you’ve been doing. For example, if you know your current job is unfulfilling, but you don’t know what kind of work you’d enjoy, then quit the unfulfilling job immediately, and do something completely different for a while. Don’t expect to get it perfect on the first try. Go out and rack up a string of failed experiments, and you’ll be much closer to figuring out what you truly love.
Some people will judge you harshly for undertaking such an exploration, but their reactions have little to do with you. They may be upset because you’re reminding them that they haven’t been learning and growing as much as they could be. Or they may be upset because you’re interfering with their sense of certainty; they thought they had you all figured out, and then you throw them for a loop. Or they may just be having a bad day. Regardless of the reason, don’t let fears about other people’s reactions hold you back from conducting your own growth experiments. If I can handle the ridicule I receive for vlogging/blogging, then surely you can handle your friends and family thinking you’ve gone off the deep end for a while. Just remember that every person who takes issue with what you’re doing is really saying, “I care about you enough to invest my time in you.”
Don’t wait for clarity to come to you. You’re responsible for creating your own clarity from within. If you lack clarity, then get busy creating it. If you can achieve clarity by doing written exercises from the comfort of your home, great. If not, then leave your comfort zone behind, go outside, and explore what’s out there!
I’m back!! Not only blogging but VLOGGING.. sharing my passion to inspire and uplift AND talk about girly stuff.. Hair, makeup, etc… Total well-being. yaaayyy More goodies coming every week on Thursdays.. …
Check out this uplifting video of Stephanie Johnson – Founder & CEO, Bed Rest Concierge, as she shares her story with Bethenny Frankel. Stephanie gives some words of wisdom of how she turned a tragedy into a triumph.
You are overcome with laziness and procrastination, feeling unmotivated, stuck, can’t get started.
You are not alone. This is a commonality in the human condition, and the solution is elusive, never standing still and not wanting to be easily caught.
You are not alone, but in this union with your brothers and sisters, there is hope. I’m among you, and I have found a few meager solutions. And if I can solve this problem, so can you. If others have beaten it, you can.
These are ways I’ve found inspiration.
one: This morning as I sat down to write I had some ideas for posts but wasn’t excited about any of them. So I asked around, “What are you having problems with that I can help with?” A few people responded with things like laziness, motivation, procrastination, getting started. Having something to help with inspired me to write.
lesson: Inspiration can come from finding a way to help others.
two: My daughter was looking bored, and I asked about a (short) novel she’s been reading. She showed me the book and I challenged her to read three chapters today. Her face lit up and she got to reading.
lesson: Creating a challenge can be an inspiration.
three: I have problems with procrastination, just like anyone else. I usually solve it when 1) I crystalize in my mind what I most want to be doing right now and what is most important; 2) I clear away all other distractions; and 3) I get started. As I began writing this post, I closed all other browser tabs (bookmarked ones I want to read later) and opened only the “new post” page in WordPress. Now it’s just me and these words.
lesson: Clear away everything else and just create.
four: In the morning I sometimes feel lazy when I’ve told myself I want to exercise, stretch, or meditate. I don’t feel motivated. So instead of motivating myself to do something that might take 10, 20 or 30 minutes, I just focus on the smallest action: starting. To meditate or stretch, I just need to put my butt on the pillow (on the floor). To exercise, I just need to lace up my shoes and get out the door. Once I start, the rest is easy, and I’m always glad I did.
lesson: Get your butt on the pillow. Don’t wait for motivation, just start. Motivation will come.
five: As I began to write, I heard what sounded like old school r&b music streaming through the walls from my oldest daughters room. What a lovely sound to write to! I immediately began playing some music of my own, and the uplifting beauty infused my act of creation.
lesson: Surround yourself by inspiration. Music, art, great books, fascinating people.
six: When I feel lazy and don’t want to do anything, I remind myself of the gift I’ve been given. I live an amazing life, and to be given the joy of this world and the people around me, is a complete and utter miracle. Then I ask myself, “Is this how I want to use this miracle?” What a complete waste of something so perfect, so profound, to spend the little time I have in this life on pointlessness and laziness. I don’t mind doing nothing, if it is a nothing that makes me happy. But I also want to create, to help people, to be compassionate towards others, to do something fulfilling and joyous. And so I do.
lesson: Be grateful for the miracle of your life, and ask yourself how you want to spend it. Then get to creating, to making lives better.
seven: I read blogs by fascinating people doing inspired things. Often they will write about something they’re working on, and it sparks an idea in me, makes me want to do something really cool too. Yesterday this happened and I’ve spent hours now dreaming up something big. It might never happen, but that’s not the important thing. Because I surround myself (virtually) with inspired people, I’m more likely to be hit by inspiration.
lesson: Don’t wait for inspiration to strike — you have to meet it halfway. If you want to be hit by lightning, go out in a thunderstorm with a metal rod. Scream at the thundering gods, daring them to strike you.
Once a week: Heat olive oil and honey to a boil. Cool, then comb or brush through your hair. (rinse the concoction out and follow your normal conditioning regimen) This should help your hair stay moisturized which will help reduce breakage and make it super smooth!
I received this question from a reader and wanted to address it here just in case some of you have the same concerns about keeping your hair moisturized.
Hi Kristie, do you have any suggestions regarding what shampoos and conditioners to use to help put back in your natural curl pattern if you’ve been natural. I’ve lost a lot of my curl pattern because I wasn’t big on having the look of natural hair so I still had mine rollerset/blowdry/wrapped. Because of this most recent “heat wave” my hair doesn’t hold up as long now when I where it straight/blowdry. Now I am looking to wear it natural slightly wet because of the heat. Can you please recommend an inexpensive product that will put back some or a lot of the curl pattern. My hair is soft and somewhat fine.
Hi Jae! First off, thanks for visiting!
Unfortunately, there is no way to reverse hair that has been heat damaged. Your hair has been permanently straightened similar to it being chemically relaxed. I’ve not yet found a remedy to this other than cutting the damaged hair off. The two options are to either do a big chop or transition your hair back to its “natural” state. If cutting your hair is not something you’d like to do right now, start deep conditioning your tresses and really focus on the new growth.
image source: CurlyNikki.com (not the ETJ reader)
Eventually, the hair that was damaged will need to be cut off or you will have two different textures to try to manage. To say the least, styling can be more challenging. as your hair grows, trim the damaged ends and eventually you will be all natural with your curl pattern in tact. You can begin to “transition” immediately by doing no-heat styles and really pampering your hair on a consistent basis.
To keep my hair moist, I deep condition every 7- 10 days and always, always use a moisturizing conditioner and always, always use a leave in conditioner. ( my staples: Kinky Curly Come Clean shampoo, Aussie Moist Conditioner/Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, ( conditioner that is moisturizing is key) , Kinky Curly Knot today for a leave-in. I also limit the number of times I use heat on my hair, usually no more than 3 – 4 times a year.
I hope I answered your questions and from this point on you will be on your way to a head full of healthy all natural hair.
“Because of the routines we follow, we often forget that life is an ongoing adventure. We leave our homes for work, acting and even believing that we will reach our destinations with no unusual event startling us out of our set expectations. The truth is we know nothing, not where our cars will fail or when our buses will stall, whether our places of employment will be there when we arrive, or whether, in fact, we ourselves will arrive whole and alive at the end of our journeys.
Life is pure adventure and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art: to bring all our energies to each encounter, to remain flexible enough to notice and admit when what we expected to happen did not happen. We need to remember that we are created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed.” ~ Maya Angelou |Excerpt from Wouldn’t take nothing for my Journey Now
More goodies coming every week on Thursdays.. …
