We don't know what the shades of autumn or the stillness of winter will bring, but the moments we're trapped in can always find us. So you may find yourself losing your inspiration again and again. As this has happened to me, I wanted to write a recent article about where I find inspiration. It will be a reminder for me as I think about it. There may be some things I have mentioned in my previous articles, but I will note the ones that are good for me these days without reading them.
Photo by Kinga Howard on Unsplash
1. Reading randomly
This is nothing new, I do this all the time. However, I can say that I pay more attention to it these days. I usually find it interesting to look at some information or articles during the day, even if they are nonsense. I think a digital encyclopaedia like Wikipedia is the best example of this. I wish I could create a similar project for my personal writings and jump to my articles from related words. But that's not the point of this article.
These serendipitous links are very valuable. Because they allow you to read about unexpected topics at a moment's notice. You may never come across that title again in your life, or you may not feel the need to research it, but there was a moment when you skimmed through it quickly, or dove in for a while and couldn't get out.
I think those are the most enjoyable moments of reading and research. Because instead of doing a compulsory reading on a particular subject, you run to the information, you can jump between subjects as if you are having fun.
2. Analysing relevant references and studies
It is always inspiring to observe what others are doing. I was going to talk about this in detail today, but I thought it would be better to talk about it in general terms, so I turned it into this form.
I think this is exactly what the whole world is doing with social media. Everyone becomes an anonymous digital witness to whatever useless or fascinating endeavour someone else is doing. We watch someone's dance moves and marvel at how flexible and elastic their body is. We experience the pleasure of watching the bits and pieces produced by the skilful use of digital manipulation tools. We prefer to follow some of them and analyse their new ideas that we think stand out from the rest.
Of course, we design a digital account according to our own style and taste. On the other hand, when we stop and think about how strange these choices can be, we have some insights. The interesting thing is that even in this content that we normally find strange, we can “sometimes” get ideas that can inspire us. And if we consider that we do this by looking at people in our favourite fields, it is even more possible to get ideas.
What I do most these days is watch my favourite philosophical videos. Sentences pop into my head that sometimes have nothing to do with the video at all. I stop and write down what comes to me, which is what I have to do to get something to come to me.
3. Exploring beginnings
Sometimes it is necessary to go back to the beginning in order to have an idea and dream about it. Researching how the theme was found, by whom, how it was practised, what difficulties and stages it went through, what it influenced or inspired others to do, can offer more than one might think.
It can also show how, given the difficulty of the theme, it is common to get stuck from time to time. It can also encourage us to recognise its real value when we see the areas or people it inspires. If the subject we are thinking about has touched people who have done really good work, we are likely to find it successful and of high quality, aren't we? Also, everyone has a story, and first experiences can be home to a unique narrative.
Photo by Bekah Russom on Unsplash
4. Breaking simple habits
This may sound a bit strange. It even seems simple. But it's not simple at all. In fact, it is perhaps the most difficult because I am talking about a daily intervention in a part of your personality.
The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is make my bed. In the dishwasher, every dirty item has its own place and I always put them in the same way. When I prepare my breakfast, I do a routine preparation, eat it and put it away. What I do afterwards during the day is also similar to my daily habits.
No, I am not obsessive or very disciplined. It only looks that way because I list my behaviours one by one, which have an order.
Today I didn't do any of those things in the same way and my balance was a bit off. For example, when I went into my room I found it strange that my bed was messy, I thought I had made it tidy. I put everything in the dishwasher, I didn't care where things were. It annoyed me, but I'll let it be this time.
When I did this, I felt that I was having a reverse effect on the knot that was blocking my brain. I was gradually strangling it and tightening it by doing the same thing every day, but this helped me to loosen it a little. This is not something I do often, if I did it might have become my new routine. I just do it once in a while and try to soften my behaviour, which I think causes my brain to relax a little and let go.
My brain, out of its usual flow, can be a little more active as it tries to understand what is happening. For example, today, out of the blue, I thought of a chapter to add to one of my next books and I was able to take notes. I can't even remember the last time I looked at my finished book. It's like taking something out that's been stuck in there for a long time.
I chose the title simple habits deliberately. I suppose taking a break from more serious routines is not something I would dare to do. But if you see it in yourself, you can give it a try.
5. Being exposured to absurdity
I don't know how I managed to increase the absurdity, but I did.
The lack of inspiration is annoying. I mean in a really depressing, sighing, suffocating way. Sometimes we desperately need a change of mood to shake off the dead air. This can also be achieved physically, for example by going for a jog and putting the body into a state of motion, which has a similar effect. Of course, if you are a person who is not very active, this may be one of the absurdities.
What comes to my mind is to laugh more, even to burst out laughing. Maybe I think of that because I don't laugh much during the day. That is what comedy programmes or stage shows provide. Also, people who perform on stage are usually smart, quick thinking and creative people. It is even harder to improvise.
I watch all the programmes that show this to me. Especially the instant performances of people who have to present something within certain rules are great. Because to create something in the moment and present it in the funniest way possible requires mastery. I'm actually jealous.
Depending on the words or rules they are given, I immediately get into a thinking position and start thinking about what I would do or say if I were in their shoes. Inevitably, my mind works and I start to generate ideas and visualise them in my mind, perhaps on logical or illogical issues that I have never heard of before. Since I am not going to be a winner or a loser, I can do this even more freely than they can. This can definitely provide inspiration on some issues while exercising my imagination.
I have deliberately not covered the topics of what you can achieve in terms of socialising. I just wanted to write an article as a reminder of what you can do when you are alone. I also got my latest inspiration from my mate when we were sitting in the cafe talking about the fiction story I wanted to write. However, this is not something I do often and I think this is one of those things that anyone can come up with.
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