Losing (And Finding) My “Inspiration”

Losing (And Finding) My "Inspiration"

Generally speaking, I enjoy working from home. I’ve had a long commute for about a decade, so gaining at least 12 hours per week back into my life is actually life changing. I didn’t feel like there were too many negatives to staying home for months. And overall, the positives win out. But there was one thing I feel like I lost. And I’m sorry to use the word, but it was my inspiration that I lost. Spoiler alert: I also found my inspiration again.

 

Losing (And Finding) My “Inspiration”

 

Losing (And Finding) My "Inspiration"

 

As much as I’d like to say I’m a highly inspired person, saying that would just be a lie. I work in batches – one month I do a ton of writing, another a heap of blogging… I go in circles. I spend a bunch of energy on a topic and then need a break. But I produce this way and that’s just how it is.

 

(Side note, I wish tracking and stats and gamification and so on would catch up to my way of working, they all seem obsessed with daily.)

 

I didn’t realise that I was missing using a bunch of my senses from being at home most of the time, both due to covid and injuries that limited my mobility and ability to drive far. I was missing visual stimulation in particular. The first actual trip (aka more than 10min in the car on my own) that I took gave me a massive kick up the inspirational wazoo. It turns out I need to see outside my proverbial four walls in order to get ideas.

 

The second part of finding my inspiration was actually to get back to consuming. Primarily, this was about getting back to podcasts. Not even inspirational ones, not business ones… just external stimulation for the brain. I usually listen to podcasts on my commute so with that gone, so was a source of external mental stimulation. I looked for a half-measure to help me and bought a small bluetooth speaker so that on days when I had work tasks that meant I could listen to things, I could increase my podcast listening again. 

 

Have you had a “blank” period? How do you find or re-discover your “inspiration”? 

 

18 Replies to “Losing (And Finding) My “Inspiration””

  1. I so hear you. I find isolation doesn’t work with me either from a creativity point of view and have to get out and listen and see things. I also like to watch great writing – if that makes sense. You’ve given me an idea for a blog post though so thanks!

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      For 99% of it I was good – but I didn’t realise I wasn’t really creating or consuming until I had that change to be able to get out again. Still mostly prefer being at home vs going into work for the other benefits but now I know I need to include other things to stimulate my brain as well.

  2. Getting out and about and trying new things give me new ideas and inspiration. Glad you found yours. #lifethisweek

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      It was a mix of covid restrictions and my broken/not broken foot that limited me for a few months 🙂

  3. I’m often ‘house bound’ so to speak – even before Covid19 reared its ugly head. Pottering around outside is often my saving grace. Listening, noticing, digging out weeds – being outside at some point during the day lifts my mood, in turn it often lifts my motivation and inspiration. Not always to dizzying heights but enough to get me through the day. Xx

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      I’m never one to underestimate what helps you get through a single day.

  4. Definitely getting out, being around people, being in nature, attending events – all contribute to ‘inspiration’. And currently, I’m struggling! I have also stopped listening to podcasts due to no commute and at home or while working out, I prefer listening to music.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      It’s funny how the little changes, like not listening to podcasts, are things we feel more than expected. You do look like you make a great effort to get out though.

  5. I too can relate to this and have missed the inspiration of being out and about doing different things. Not working anymore has been both good and bad but I’ve managed to maintain a somewhat ‘normal’ blog presence during this whole time. I like your thoughts on creating and consuming. I also try to broaden my outlook by listening to podcasts when out walking, it can help lift me out of my own narrow world. #lifethisweek

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      At the moment I can only walk for short distances (if at all) so it takes me ages to get through even one podcast.

  6. Someone described covid as feeling like a heavy grey blanket over everything – and that summed it up perfectly for me. I didn’t think it had impacted me much, but it’s definitely dampened my mojo significantly. I feel somewhat out of sorts because of it.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      I think that’s a pretty good description of this year!

  7. I miss conversing with a range of people now that I’m not working. But I’m not stressed and exhausted so that evens the score. Being out in nature and pottering around the house gets me in the writing mood

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      The lack of commute has been my biggest upside this year – for the first time in my life, I’ve somehow taught myself to sleep in!

  8. Oh boy, I’ve found this as well. I even resorted to looking up the current opening times of a couple of cafes in town that I know have outdoor, no contact seating. Got to shake off these cobwebs, I have work to do.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      I’m sure the cafes appreciate the business too. Win-win.

  9. I so get a lot of this. I miss car trips because they are when I listen to Audible books. I miss going out of the house more because of fear of COVID. Right now, I am having to be at home in recovery mode (again) and I am over that too. However, if I do not ‘get this wound thing right’ then it will have been a waste.
    Sigh.

    Take care, hope you get out with the cameraS more too!

    Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek and next week the optional prompt is 35/51 Share Your Snaps #7 31.8.2020 and I hope to see you there too. Denyse.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      I think I’d feel better about it all if I hadn’t had mobility taken away from me as well as covid – there are plenty of places I can go and feel safe because no one is around. But I can’t get to them or do anything when I get there…

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