Inspiration : the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
With all of the negativity in the media, on our Facebook news feed and even on the TVs at the gym (where we go to ESCAPE this madness.... AmIRight?!), it can be hard to stay inspired. We're constantly bombarded with negativity that the positive and beautiful things get buried. This is why it is so important to recognize what inspires you and make it a regular occurrence in your daily life.
1. Window shopping on the weekends: Nothing excites me quite like going on a shopping adventure on the weekend when I have nothing else to do. Whether I buy anything that day or not, I'm exposed to new things and ideas throughout different stores and I instantly feel inspired to start a new project or improve my life in some way. Some of my favorite places to go for inspiration are:
-Craft Stores (Michael's, JoAnn Fabrics, Blick): Just looking around these stores gets my wheels turning. "What could I paint on that canvas? An entire aisle of yarn? Maybe I should take up knitting. Jeez, look at all of these baskets... do I have a pile of stuff at home that I need to organize? A new, blank sketchbook?" I drool over these things...
-Book Stores (Barnes & Noble): I love walking around Barnes & Noble. There's something about the smell of that place that is so enticing...is it paper? Ink? Cardboard? Magic? The world may never know.
I love looking around at the coffee table books full of pictures, blank journals, romantic stories, magazines, and even games & puzzles. I especially enjoy the Self Growth/Help/Improvement (whatever you want to call it) section. I'm a sucker for books that encourage women to start up their own business, be financially independent, stay creative, or help to multitask and stay organized in this crazy world where we're expected to be wives, mothers, housekeepers, cooks, maids, chauffeurs, etc. etc.
-Home Decor Stores (Kirkland's, Pier 1, Home Goods): Because what's more inspiring than a cushy pillow paired with a plush throw blanket and bedside lamp? Not to mention the frames and wall decor filled with inspirational quotes, mirrors, and trinkets that I can just imagine all over my house (while my husband wonders how these things are multiplying and where I've moved HIS things)
-Coffee Shops or Cafes (Caribou, Starbuck's, Panera): The smell of the coffee, the people, the hustle and bustle of people rushing in from the frigid Minnesota weather outside. I just love everything about it. And since I'm from Minnesota, I'm a Caribou girl, ALL THE WAY. Ain't nobody got time for that Starbuck's line. Unless Caribou is out of reach. Then fine, I'll deal with it.
2. Pinterest: This is a given. It has everything. Home decor, clothing, art, photography, fashion sketches, travel information, inspirational quotes, links to gift ideas. Just about everything you need to stay inspired.
3. Connecting with people, in real life: My friends, my family, my nephew, my in-laws. People inspire me. I'm a huge people person and I often struggle if I've gone without human contact for more than 2 hours. Getting out in real life connecting with people and having conversations is thrilling to me. There are too many people in this world and too many ideas going around to be trapped in your own thoughts. If you need help, don't just rely on your own brain to get you through a sticky situation. Someone out there has a different perspective that you haven't thought of. Go talk to people rather than texting them. Personal contact, facial expressions and body language are worth so much more than a simple text.
4. Exercise: There's no doubt that exercise keeps people feeling energized, happy and confident. I've been making a routine of going to the gym before work in the morning as often as I can. Even if it's just 20 minutes on the elliptical machine, it gets me going in the morning and kick-starts my day. It also forces me to drink water right from the get-go in the morning. I sometimes forget to drink water throughout the day but when I start my day with a workout, I find myself needing it and remembering to drink throughout the day. Also, when I go to bed at night it doesn't take me nearly as long to fall asleep as it does on the days where I don't start the day with a trip to the gym. Plus, my quality of sleep feels so much better that when I wake up in the morning, I feel re-energized and ready to start my day! What's the opposite of a "viscious cycle"? Cause that's what this is.
5. Going to church: Something that I don't do nearly as often as I want to, but this weekend my husband and I went to church. Some days at church are better than others. Some days you feel like you've gotten the best message ever out of the sermon, other days you sit there thinking about what you're going to make for dinner that night, what's going on this week with work, etc. and suddenly the sermon is over and you're not even sure why you came because you weren't listening to a single word the entire time. Did I go up for communion? I did? When did we do that? I wasn't paying attention.
But the days where you are really invested in church, where you're actually listening to what's being said and thinking about how you can work it into your everyday life is what is inspiring. Sometimes you hear just the right thing and BOOM, inspiration. This week I heard something along these lines, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. - 1 Peter 4:10"
BOOM, Inspiration. I was thinking, "What are my gifts? How can I use them to serve others and provide inspiration to those around me?" This is what makes life worth living. God wants us to know we're here for a reason. We're not just wandering around aimlessly, waiting to die.
Take some time this week to think about what inspires you. Notice the patterns and similarities between these things and work these things into your life more. We must make an effort to carve out the time to do the things that make us happy. If we don't make the time, the world will drag us down into its boring, dumb ways. Don't be boring or dumb. Life is too short, so use your gifts to make yourself and those around you happy.
Your friend,
Meghan
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