Inspiration (noun) -- the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.

I don't know about you, but one of my favourite feelings in the world is being so full of inspiration I'm buzzing at the chance to start knocking off tasks and accomplishing new things that I've suddenly set out to do.  The only problem with this, the sudden restraint you feel when a few days or weeks in the inspiration has drained and you're left with work to still be completed.  Here's the thing about inspiration, we want more of it, we crave it, we get a high off of it but when it disappears we sit around waiting for it to come back.  In one week we can go from itching to get at the plan we set out for ourselves to dreading the thought of even trying.  So how do we fix it, how do we keep the buzz of inspiration around for an extended period of time?
Over the past few weeks I set out to accomplish multiple new goals and tasks surrounding work before the end of the year.  I practically tripled my work load in a state of buzzing inspiration and then yesterday morning woke up completely dumbfounded at how I was going to get anything done when my creative tank was near empty.  I decided before starting any of my work that day I would brainstorm a few different ways to rejuvenate that inspiring feeling in order to reconnect with that indestructible energy that kept me going the first few weeks and surprisingly, they worked.  So for today's blog post, I'm going to share them with you.  This is for anyone who has a goal, wants to get there but the creative tank is feeling completely empty.  

 1. Stream of consciousness.
Grab a piece of paper, a notebook, a journal whatever you have.  Sit down and set a 15 minute timer.  For those 15 minutes fill the pages with all of the thoughts clouding your mind.  Sometimes it's hard to stay motivated and inspired because as the days go on, daily wear and tear have their way with our moods, emotions and hope.  Something as simple as sleeping in, a negative comment from someone close to you, a sad event happening on the news, these things can have their way with our subconscious and create a deflating effect in our energy and perspective.  Taking 15 minutes to write absolutely anything that pops into our minds unfiltered gives us a good sense of where we are at subconsciously.  The trick to this is not to filter anything that pops up at all.  Try not to stop the pen from moving unless it's to shake your hand out (because lets be real, 15 minutes it a long time).  When the time signals, take a look at what you wrote.  Sift through the thoughts clouding your mind and see if any possible thoughts connect to the damper on your motivation.
Next, set a five minute timer.  For five more minutes write out all of the things you're wanting to achieve, are excited for and can't wait to have one day.  This can be anything from the tasks you can't wait to knock out today to the dreams you hope to have manifested in years time.  For this, don't allow any maybe's, kind-of's or try to's.  Only will's, want's and can't-wait-for's.
Read it over and I can promise you, the decluttering of your mind combined with the sudden pep talk will have you feeling all pumped to get back to your life and get progressing again.

2. Switch it up.
Have you been completing similar tasks over the span of days or weeks? Are your surroundings the same.  Is your lunch the same? Is your coffee order the same? Do you workout the same time and place each day?  Sometimes we need to switch things up, even if it's unrelated to the work we're trying to accomplish in order to shift our perspectives and feel motivated again.  This can be anything from trying a new coffee order on the way to work, going to a yoga class in the morning instead of a run at night, painting our nails a new colour, buying a new mug, trying a new recipe for dinner or picking up our laptops and heading to a picnic table or library to get some work done instead.  When we change our environment, we change our surrounding energy.  Changing things up, whether they be small or big, creates a whole new atmosphere and thus creates a whole new buzz of inspiration.  I type this as I sit on the patio of a new cafe I haven't been to before having felt I couldn't write this blog post in the quiet corners of my apartment.  I needed some inspiration, so I packed my things up and came here.  This shit works I swear.

3. Establish your why.
Why are you doing what you have set in your planner everyday.  Why did you originally set out to complete this goal or plan? Sometimes we get so caught up in the dull task at hand we forget what it may lead us to.  When we reconnect with why we wanted to do something in the first place or the goal it may be bringing us to we can reset the motion of inspiration that pulled us to do these things in the first place.  You don't just have to reconnect with your why and be on your way either.  Put your why everywhere.  Make a dream board, change the background on your laptop or phone, talk about it with people around you, write down the end result you're looking to get from completing all of these tasks.  Make it impossible to forget why you were inspired and excited in the first place.  You can even change or shift your why if the initial reason you were inspired no longer connects with you.  I remember when I first set out to start a Youtube channel, I just wanted an online outlet to keep me busy.  Now I continue to do it because I love being able to create something start to finish or see ideas come to life.  That subtle shift in why is the way we can make the same things we do can become inspiring in a whole new way.


Hopefully one if not more of these options will recharge your batteries and get you buzzing about your life and goals again.  If not, it may be time to ask if a change in your goals or game plan is needed.  If you have no why, no inspiration by your end game or joy from the way you're living your life there is nothing wrong with completely changing plans and setting out for a new and improved life and dream.  We only get one life on this earth that we know of, there is no rule saying we can't change our minds or our paths at any given time.  Make the most of the time you have and follow your bliss so that you can wake up bolting out of bed in the morning excited for what's to come.