Last Updated on April 20, 2020
Many great artists from al times had a muse which served as source of inspiration and creativity. A lot of today’s artists still do. But is inspiration a need only for art creators? What about common people, you or me, or your next door neighbor? What inspired you when you cooked that great dinner that amazed your family? What was your source of inspiration when you decorated your home in such a tasteful and cosy way? What inspires you to keep writing your blog?
With this last phrase, you are invited to join a new group writing project: “Sources of Inspiration”, hosted by InspirationBit.
My inspiration sources are described below. I’m looking forward to read your entries, and get some more sources to keep the inspiration flow growing.
1. Internal dialogue
For a moment, just try to shut down your connections with the outside world: close your eyes and ears, and shift your attention towards your mind. Do you hear the dialogue you’re having with yourself? What are you saying? Take a snapshot of an idea, write it down and start thinking consciously about it. Now you see how important that thought was to you? Do you see how easy it is to write about things that really matter? This is why I sometimes write about love and friendship, or about places I’ve been, or about feelings and choices.
2. Surmounted challenges
Think backwards in time, and try to pick a moment, let’s say, from your teens. What comes to your mind? A common day or a milestone? The typical wake-up – go to school – play – eat – watch TV – sleep day, or that amazing moment when you … (please fill in the blanks and you’ll see my point). This is why I write about using macros in MS Excel, or about WordPress tricks.
3. Poetry
I’m sure you all have read books that made a difference in your life. Paragraphs that kept you awake and thinking for a whole night are now forgotten. All you are left with is the wisdom and the feeling that they contributed to changing your life, which is actually quite a big deal. Yet, poetry was invented for the human mind to be able to remember those bits of inspiration, across the wisdom of different ages.
4. Love
You may now say that this is a cliché. Maybe it is, but who cares about that, when being in love makes everything brighter?
5. Children
Watch children playing. Do you see how serious they are? How they just do things that cross their minds, without any sign of procrastination? At what moment in life do we learn to procrastinate so well? Can’t we just skip that lesson that’s so hard to unlearn afterwards?
6. Interaction
Be it that I read your blog, or I read the comments you leave here, interaction always ignites the inspiration spark.
What do you think? What are your inspiration sources? Tell us about your muse!
Bravo, Simonne! Another thought-provoking article from you that was a fascinating read.
You made me think now too – at what point in time did we learn to procrastinate? I better carefully watch my daughter now so she never gets to that “learning” point in her life.
Thanks for such a great entry, Simonne, and for inviting others to participate in my group project. The more inspiration sources we hear about the more inspired we get and that’s the idea of this project.
It was my pleasure to participate in this inspiring project. I just can’t wait to read the other entries.
interesting list Simonne.
I find it helps to go out walking to get away from distractions; that way you can focus on the internal dialogue without the need to do anything else for several hours.
Thank you Andrew, for your comment. Indeed, walking helps. I also do that pretty regularly.
hey thank you Simmone for stopping by my little place and also informing of this project.. I will definitely try and write something.. sounds fun.. looking forward to reading all the ncie entries and get loads of inspiration..
very nice points you have made here – I try and stay in touch with that internal dialogue but hardly ever get the time to jot those ideas down.. will be doing that this week 🙂
Welcome Pearl, we are all looking forward to see your entry. Until then… be inspired!
Another blogger with voices in their head! Your first paragraph describes my thoughts, always an internal (sometimes, infernal) conversation going on.
Your thoughts on poetry just got me thinking about a poem that I should write about soon in my blog.
I am enjoying the reading of everyone else’s inspirations.
Thank you Jenny, for stopping by. It surely was the most interesting group project I took part in so far. I’m enjoying it a lot.
I enjoyed reading your article, Simonne 🙂
I liked the 2nd point you made: “Think Backwards”. I do that sometimes.. thinking about what I did well in the past.. that motivates me
Thank you Shankar. Indeed, past successes make us more confident in ourselves.