Where to Find Inspiration: Looking Back, Looking Around, and Looking Within
I have been looking for inspiration anywhere and everywhere I can find it. This can be from a soft whisper that shows up in familiar places. If I’m writing poetry, a lot of the times it comes from going back to the past, noticing the people around me, or just paying attention to the world in its many forms. Over time, I’ve learned that inspiration can be found almost anywhere — if you’re open to seeing it.
1. One of my favorite ways to get inspired is to look back. I like to remember where I've been. What did it feel like to be at that moment in time. What were my emotions and what were others up to. It's strange, the most random moments can stick with you. If it’s a childhood moment, a turning point, or even something small that made me laugh or cry, those memories can spark ideas that I can use in my artwork.
2. Another good inspiration moment is the people around me — friends, strangers, family, or even quick encounters with someone at a coffee shop. The way someone speaks, their expressions, how they move through the world — I can take that and run with it. Sometimes just watching someone live their life reminds me that everyone has a story, and those stories are worth paying attention to.
3. My life can be boring (just like I like it) so I need to step away from my shoes and see how other people live. TV shows, books, and visual art can often open up that world in my mind. They don’t even have to be related to what I’m working on. It’s more about how they make me feel or how I relate in some way. A good show might remind me of something I’ve forgotten about. For example, a character could be going through something and I can empathetically relate to it so I take that as inspiration. The aesthetic of the scene or artwork could be taken as well. Everyone has a perspective and I love seeing what we can come up with.
4. Ah nature. That's the biggest inspiration of all! It's so energizing and grounding. I might take the way the light hits the leaves the person with their dog, or the lemon tree on my walk and create a story about it. Being in nature helps me slow down and reconnect with myself. It reminds me that beauty and creativity don’t always need to be loud — sometimes the simplest things can inspire the most.
5. Social media is not all bad. I can get inspiration on there as well. Not just the fabricated or Ai stuff, but the authentic, unfiltered moments people share. The comments, a photo, a caption — sometimes they say something I’ve been feeling or make me see things in a different light. It’s a strange mix of the real and the curated, but there’s truth there if you’re paying attention.
Again, inspiration can come from any corner of the world, or corner of the internet. Sometimes, you just have to give space and attention to the little details. Remember your past, your conversations, the stories you consume, the trees outside your window, and the scroll of your feed. Take a deep breath and let it in slowly.
Where do you find inspiration?