Keeping relevant … getting inspired … finding your bliss …
How long has it been since you’ve experienced something that really made you smile? It is so easy to get into a routine, which isn’t always so bad, until that routine turns into a comfort zone that squelches all of your ambition and creativity.
Sitting at the computer, living your life through the eyes of others is a safe and easy rut to fall into. Finding inspiration on Instagram or Pinterest can be a quick way to get the job done, but you can miss out on a lot of emotional impact by actually experiencing something in real life.
Small Steps or Giant Leaps
Changing your mindset can be very easy with a small step or you can get very daring with a giant leap which could lead your whole life in a new direction. It all depends on your emotional need or your life goals. Sometimes you may be only looking for a way to break a creative block in which a simple walk may do the trick. But sometimes life events put you into a new situation that might need a more drastic change to your normal routine in order to get you to that next level of success.
Small Steps:
- Take a walk in nature – there is nothing more visually inspiring while emotionally peaceful
- Go somewhere alone – get to know yourself inside and learn to rely on your own instincts
- Unplug your digital media – some people might call this a giant leap!
- Join a social group – people you can relate to can give you moral support
- Take a class – learning something new can give you a new perspective while also meeting new people
- Start working out – getting your blood flowing is always a good way to get your brain working
- Volunteer – focusing on someone else other than yourself can lead you to very emotional contentment
- Start a blog – sharing yourself and putting your thoughts out there can give you new insight to yourself
- Get a fun side job – don’t do it for the money, but rather for the experience (or the employee discount!)
- Publish your work – this could be as easy as posting it on Instagram or actually getting it in a magazine or a gallery
Giant Leaps:
- Take a trip to a foreign country – immerse yourself in a different culture
- Teach a class or mentor a young person – sharing your skills can revitalize your creativity
- Change your career – it is never too late to get a new degree
- Sign up for a conference or a workshop in a different city – you get to travel, meet people, and learn something new!
- Quit a job that is holding you back – this one is tricky and many considerations need to be well thought out
- Show your work at a craft/art show or trade show – this forces you to take yourself seriously
Whatever you decide to do, the most important thing is actually DOING something. Disrupting your normal routine can lead to so many unexpected smiles. Small steps can get you inspired by the simplest things or a giant leap might give you an epiphany. You never know until you try.