Concrete Ideas for Getting Inspired

Every once in a while I'll be caught. Something, an image, a colour, an idea or a way of being strikes me and I can't get it out of my brain. I'm driven to paint it, knit a likeness of it, learn all the lyrics or stay up all night thinking about it.

Now, I'm not overly into mumbo-jumbo advice with fluffy Bambi ideas like Follow your Heart. I am, rather, a huge fan of practical ideas for kicking ass in everyday life, and, specifically, creating something you're so excited about you just shake.

There are beautiful, wondrous and simple sources of inspiration around us, everywhere, it's just a matter of excavating memories that resonated with you which you may have forgotten, or discovering the new incentive to create.

• Make lists. I am constantly making lists of things to do, hobbies to pick up, movies to watch, books I've read reviews about that I want to check out. Expand the sources of your daily stimulus. Try new things. A phrase in a book or a song lyric might inspire the beginning of a painting, a scene in a movie might be the catalyst for casting on a new knitting design. I find that most of the time all I need is to start something - that's really half the trouble - once you really get going, it can be hard to stop!
• Keep your eyes, ears, and attention on finding the beauty in things, the exciting passages and interesting visuals wherever you go. Another great perk of keeping your mind on your art is a greater appreciation for simple pleasures. Not only is it a way to encourage your craft, it's a great way to feel good about your day-to-day life. Taking pleasure in the way a spoonful of rice feels in your mouth, the way the clouds look early in the morning, or the particular colour your cheeks flush after walking home from work - these are all full of images you can manipulate and use for your personal creation.
• Collaborate with, or study the methods of someone who is better than you at what you want to be good at. It's humbling, and frankly put, one of the best ways to get better! Chatting with another artist, writer, or other creator is one of the most productive things you can do - there's no one better to bounce your ideas off of, and have them reflected back to you in a new way, with a new twist or with constructive suggestions.
  
  And, finally,
• Learn some new technical aspects of your particular creative process. Try out a new painting medium, a different writing format or presentation, try spinning yarn rather than knitting with it, or give natural dyes, rather than acid fibre dyes a shot! Maybe a fresh new way of looking at what you love doing most is enough to kick start your next masterpiece :)

 Be bold, my dears. Every wonderful idea was once conceived in a brain made of the exact same stuff as yours!