In the last two blogs, Part One and Part Two, I gave examples of following inspiration in order to find what feels good and accomplish the things you want to achieve!
What it actually comes down to, though, is practicing following inspiration on a day-to-day basis, sometimes minute-to-minute. Overtime, it is a practice that can be cultivated and cherished as you start feeling and seeing the benefits in real time!
I wanted to share with you some ways that I practice following inspiration (outside of making art). Some may work for you, some may not. Maybe you have some ideas of your own that you would like to share? Please do in the comments!
Morning Moments
Yes, we have all seen the videos where people talk about their extensive morning routines! If/when I have time, I do like a nice loooong morning routine. Many mornings, though, are about taking some moments. Even 5 minutes helps - 5 minutes to connect with myself and do something that feeds me. Often this looks like smudging my space to make it smell and feel good, doing a little doodle, and writing a few things down. Starting in an inspiring way helps me to recognize inspiration throughout my day so I can follow it.
Padding
I have learned to put time and space around things. This could be giving myself extra time between meetings/events, extra time to get somewhere, extra time to eat. My fears and worries want me to rush and when I rush, I miss what is inspiring.
Rest and Relax
I’m admittedly still pretty bad at this one. I am working on it! Rest can be hard in our hyper-productive society that quickly labels people as lazy when they aren’t being productive. Relaxing for me means lounging on the couch watching a good show, sitting outside for a few minutes between tasks, puttering around with things, enjoying my kitties, looking out of a window… We have to let the inspiration catch up with us sometimes!
Do Be Feel List
I love this tool. So much. When I figure out what I want/need to do in a day, I also identify who I want to be while I am doing those things and how I want to feel! It infuses my to-do list with purpose, intention, and inspiration!
Get Silly
Some days, I really keep my partner entertained! If I feel like talking in a weird voice, singing a silly song from my childhood, or making up a wacky dance move, I tend to embrace it. We tend to be so “serious” and inspiration is often not very serious. It is usually found in more playful and fun places!
Change the Question
Often we ask ourselves, “What do I need to do?” I practice asking it a bit differently: “What do I feel inspired to do?” And starting there whenever possible. A word of warning: What you are inspired to do doesn’t always seem the most “important” or “logical.” Following it anyway can take practice and it can eventually surprise you with its hidden wisdom :)
Which of these feels INSPIRING for you to try?