10 Ways To Get Inspired As A Creative When You Are Uninspired

As creatives, we seek to inspire others through our work, hence the reason why it is important to us that we are inspired. If not, how else can we inspire others when we are uninspired? But are we always inspired? This is a phase we are all too familiar with and one we creatives face at some point.

Great songwriters, artists, and cinematographers are not excluded from this phase. One minute you can write an award winning song the next minute you can,t seem to harmoniously bring together two words. It used to be easy doing what you do but now you find it difficult. Don’t be alarmed, we have all experienced the uninspired phase and in no time, you will get over it. What matters is how you choose to get over it.

Heck! I don’t feel inspired every time. So, what do I do at such times? Read on, as I share 10 tips from how I get over feeling uninspired and how I have been able to stay creative at such times.

If it works for me, it just may do the magic for you!

1. Pray

There were times I felt like quitting shalomtruthsmag, the inspiration just wasn’t there. All I had to do was pray about it. The greatest inspiration I know comes from God. Spending time with God in the place of prayer can fix every down time you may be having.

2. Listen To Music

I listen to uplifting music from my favourite artists when I feel uninspired – this happens when I am trying to write a post or a research paper. You can create a playlist called inspire. Whenever you are in a similar position, listen to the songs from this playlist. Tell fellow creatives and friends to suggest songs that you can listen. I once gave a friend my iPod (I know right? Who still uses iPods? They were a thing back then) to load with music some years back and the songs were my go to during my undergrad, and I still have them. Also, I heard that music is therapeutic, so why not?

3. Read A Book

It is not just about reading a book, it is about experiencing another person’s creativity. Pick a book that will propel your creative juices. I suggest books like Girl Boss or Climbing the Ladder In Stilettos (these books are written for women, so guys suggest books that you would recommend). In this case, I would also recommend reading biographies.

4. Go Outdoors

In the words of Strayer, “nature restores depleted attention circuits, which can then help us be more open to creativity and problem-solving”. I totally agree with him. Take a walk when you feel like you are uninspired, also take along a notepad in case you have to take down an idea that comes to mind. As creatives, we often get comfortable indoors, at times we get so soaked up in our work that we forget we have been at it all day, and we forget to stop. One quote I like so much is by Walter Hagen, “Don’t hurry, don’t worry, you’re only here for a short visit, so be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”

Read Also: 15 Indoor & Outdoor Activities To Do With Your Friends

5. Exercise

What has exercise got to do with this? I don’t even exercise! Well, I count dancing as exercise and I love to dance. On separate occasions, I have spontaneously sprung to a dance. A healthier body is necessary for a healthy mind. Our mind has a lot to do with us feeling uninspired. Ensure the body, soul, and spirit is in excellent condition. Creativity requires a lot of mental work and as such you must be physically fit.

6. Travel

Take a trip. Experience a different culture. Some years back I got tired of where I was and just packed my bags and left for a couple of days. I needed a quiet serene environment. That trip was good for me, I took evening walks, met with friends…When it was time to come back I didn’t want to return. Another time was when I took a trip to a different country for the weekend, it was a much-needed trip as I had spent time planning my magazine launch and I was getting stressed out.

7. Take on A Do It Yourself (DIY) Project

A DIY project is a fantastic way to release your creative juices. An example is a DIY tab case which I did to rehabilitate my tab case. This is not a DIY project I am proud of but you get the idea. There are numerous projects online that you can try out. It can range from techie DIYs to beauty/fashion DIYs.

See Also

Four Things To Note When On A Journey Of Personal Growth

8. Brainstorm with Friends/Fellow Creatives

Brainstorm projects/ideas with your friend(s). Meet with fellow creatives, join in a discussion, even if you don’t contribute much, hearing people who have similar projects that they have worked on may strike a chord with you. Also, seeing what others are doing in their respective fields as creatives may just be all the inspiration you need.

9. Do What You Love

The easiest way to stay creative is to do what you love to do. Not that you would always be inspired but doing what you love inspires others which in turn reminds you of why you do what you do. Doing what you love keeps you going even when there are no financial gains. Like I mentioned earlier there were times I felt like quitting but remembering readers who slide into my inbox to say thank you for what I do, inspires me to keep creating.

10. Laugh! It Isn’t That Serious

For a few of us, it is as easy as loosening up. Everything must not always be about work! Relax! When you do not feel inspired to create use that as an opportunity to do something else. I highly recommend doing things that make you laugh! Remember, laughter they say is a good medicine.

Conclusion

It all about what works for you as a creative. I have met creatives who can only function in silent places, I for one may not really care if a place is silent or noisy when I write. Sometimes I may be picky about my environment. At other times I can totally change how my environment looks like. It could also be as easy as listening to a podcast, eating food or taking a nap…As Socrates said – Man Know Thyself.