As I write this, I am preparing to go a concert. I am seeing several of my favorite bands all together, and I am hyped (Citizen Soldier, Icon For Hire, and Sky Dxddy if you wanted to know). I went to another concert last month for another of my favorite bands (Smash Into Pieces with Versus Me). I also recently saw Martin Barre in concert, which was pretty phenomenal. In March I went to see VNV Nation live.
Normally I haven’t been going to a lot of concerts because they tended to be expensive (since I was looking at big bands rather than smaller shows), and going to them alone was terrifying. My husband has been having some health issues and hasn’t been able to do things like that with me, but I recently decided that I needed to go do things again. So I’ve been attending Society for Creative Anachronism events (Great Northeastern War recently) and doing other things either with friends or flying solo.
So what the hell does this have to do with inspiration, I hear you asking.
Well, until I started doing things again, I’d been struggling with a really awful dry spell in my writing. I’d been beating my head against the wall of a book that did not want to be written, and I was really frustrated. I had been for many months. It wasn’t until I started engaging with the things I enjoy doing again that I started finding the words showed up.
Now, I want to be very clear. I’m not saying you need to go to concerts or do anything you cannot do in order to find inspiration. What I am saying is that in order to find inspiration, and find that creativity, you need to feed it. Every individual will have different things that feed their creative side, and I am not going to attempt to dictate to you how you feed that creative side.
Another thing I want to give a nod to is that right now in the United States (and definitely in places abroad as well, but I live in the US, so…) the current political climate is… a lot. I’m not here to talk specific party politics, but what I will say is that engaging too deeply in the news cycle on any side right now is going to damage you. News outlets are on a 24/7 rage and fear binge heading into the election, and trying to keep up with all of it will wring your emotions dry.
Finding inspiration when we are in a time and place that wants us on edge and scared with every breath we take is not going to give your creativity room to bloom. While there is inspiration to be found in those emotions, I strongly suggest limiting your intake of the daily news to small chunks of information. Stay informed, but don’t do it in a way that will do you harm. Seriously.
So, with that said, where do we look for inspiration in this world as it is right now when everything feels like terror and chaos? Well…
Listen to music that makes you feel things strongly.
Spend some time engaging with art however you can (whether you go to museums/galleries/exhibitions or just scroll through art websites online).
Read things that make you imagine or feel things.
Spend time in natural spaces if you are able to, whether you’re walking or just sitting.
People watch when possible.
Try and find things of beauty in everyday life, whether it’s the slant of sun on the carpet, the sound of wind in leaves, the scent of some delicious food, whatever it is — actively look for beauty.
Talk to others about subjects you are passionate about that are not politics or negativity.
Engage with positive content online or in your world.
Spend time with people who raise your spirits. Doing this online is a perfectly reasonable option if you cannot do so in person.
These are not the only options, of course, but they are some of the things that I have experienced positive results with. There is, of course, no one-size-fits-all option for people due to different physical ability levels, income, availability and so on. However, many of these don’t require a financial investment. If you can read this post (or listen to the podcast) then you can find media that you can consume that you will find rewarding. Music, art, podcasts, stories (even if they’re on Wattpad or AO3!) are all available online without financial commitment.
Also, there is just the reality that things are hard right now. Particularly for AFAB (assigned female at birth) people, queer people, people of color, trans people, disabled people, and folks hit by the relentless inflation.
As someone who fits into multiple of those categories, I feel the pressure of the way the world is currently turning. I fear very much that the “X” under my gender on my driver’s license could be used to cause me serious harm in the very near future. I fear for the future of those around me who could end up pregnant. I am terrified at what could happen to my healthcare because there is a very real chance I could end up with none, and then I would just be expected to have the good graces to die.
However.
In the darkest of times and places, there is joy and beauty and peace. Even if it’s in things like my cats sleeping in a sunbeam or my bird being ridiculous. It might be a flower I saw growing in the yard. It might be a song that really caught my ear. Those things can provide us inspiration to drive forward and give us ways to feed our creative selves.
Finding Inspiration