Inspiration is everywhere around you. However, inspiration only becomes evident and useful when you choose to let anything be a source of inspiration. When you allow for the stimulus from your surroundings to translate into useful observations, then you will be able to find authentic inspiration for creativity.
Whether you choose to believe me or not, everything you see, hear, touch, taste, and smell can be used as inspiration for your creative endeavors. Inspiration is easy to find because it’s everywhere and in everything. I used to always search for inspiration in a literal sense of what was apparent and obvious to the eye; however, I realized that inspiration can be found in any form.
Recently, I have started to take more time to observe my surroundings. With this active lens on the world, I can use my awareness of my surroundings to take note of intangible or tangible things that stick out to me. I then can choose to reflect on my observations at the moment, later in the day, week, or sometimes even months after the original observation. By writing down my observations, this allows for me to have the freedom to “pick and choose” from a list of seemingly random words, feelings, and ideas that can be used for whatever I want later on. These observations may not turn into anything immensely “creative”, but they serve a purpose in broadening my senses and allowing for potential opportunities for future creativity.
Although most observations are elementary by means of them being what is most evident to the viewer; nevertheless, there is always a way in which these simple observations can transform. There is no endpoint in creativity. Inspiration from observations allows room for new discoveries, relationships between new and old ideas, and the middle grounds of creativity that welcomes betweenness and uncertainties in the exploration of new concepts. The ideas I write down often become broken down into different pieces, turn into processes, or connect to other ideas that I use to mold into an entirely new concept for investigation.
You may be confused about what I mean by using these inspirations for creativity and how you can do the same, but creativity can be found in many forms in everyone’s lives. For me, most of my inspiration goes towards creativity in dance. However, I have begun to think of the artistry that I associate with dance being carried over to all aspects of my life.
Is there truly ever a separation between your artistic life and your “normal” life if you consider yourself an artist? After reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic” novel on creative living, I realized that creativity and art will always be connected to an artist’s life. We are all creators, but the difference between those who are viewed as real artists in society are the ones who choose to take advantage of their inspiration to create something new.
Creativity sometimes comes when you least expect it. After grappling with the concept of what it means to be an artist, I have found that I am able to discover more inspiration when I take the time to actively observe my surroundings. Even if these random observations do not turn into anything of great use, they are still valuable to my long-term endeavor of being a creator.