"S" is for...
Sundays.
Stuffing your face with Mexican Food.
Sunbathing.
Sipping Wine.
Sitting on patios.
Spending time with your grandparent(s).
This is exactly what I did this past weekend, and I loved every second of it. When the weekend rolls around I try to do things I enjoy, not only to give myself a break from the grind of the work week, but also to inspire my creativity.
When I ask women what their No. 1 struggle is with digital marketing, more often than not they say it's creating content to share, whether it be content for their newsletter or content for their social pages. My content comes from my experiences, both personal and professional, as well as observations and activities. Sometimes, though, my weeks are just plain "vanilla". Nothing exciting happens. I leave the house only to run errands. My nights are filled with making dinner for my fiancé and I, then watching So You Think You Can Dance and Naked and Afraid.
So how do I stay inspired to create every week?
Go for walks. She not only helps me peel away from the computer, but also helps me get my daily dose of physical activity. Happy bodies create happy thoughts. Happy thoughts can lead to some pretty awesome things.
Read. Whether you like historical fiction (my fave!), religious books, or news articles, reading gets your creative juices flowing. Whenever I read, I always find my imagination kicking into overdrive. Sometimes I have to re-read lines because my imagination begins creating it's own story from the story I'm reading!
Pamper yourself. I do this whether I'm feeling uncreative or not, and honestly suggest you should, too. I love going for pedicures and massages, although the latter I don't do as often as I'd like. After a pedicure or massage, I feel rejuvenated, relaxed, and stress-free. Stress, I believe, is the number one crusher of creativity. It's definitely going to be hard for you to create coherent and impactful thoughts when all you can think about is how much work you have to do or that client deadline that's fast approaching.
Browse Pinterest. If you're like me, you can spend hours browsing the beautiful images on Pinterest. I like to look in the "travel" and "quotes" section for inspiration whenever I feel like my creative spark is going. The words of inspiration often snap my mind into a more positive outlook, and the beautiful images help me daydream of potential bucket list travel locations. Amalfi Coast, anyone?
Listen to music. I listen to music about 80 percent of my work day. I rotate between the Ed Sheeran, Florence and The Machine, and Taylor Swift stations on Pandora. So good. I LOVE listening to music as I tend to prefer background noise when I'm working, however, the second I have something to write, I have to pause whatever I am listening to so I can focus on what I need to say. The second I finish a blog post or newsletter, the music comes back on and I proceed to rock out, often times singing at the top of my longs as Luna gives me blank stares.
What are some things that help you find inspiration? I'd love to hear them