Rec
take a walk, sit in the sun, talk to my friends - idk SOMETHING that is not looking at my phone screen. however, even though i try this, i still fall victim to it oftenš. i love my phone; i am not perfect.
anyways, if i will just surround myself with real tangible things (the people i love, grass under my feet, a good meal i cooked) i tend to find myself inspired in some way. if you let it, life will constantly inspire you in some shape or form. allow all the ideas to flow! even if they sound silly/cliche! an idea is an idea and no one can take it from you!
finding beauty in the mundane is a real life saver for a photographer/writer like myself.
anyways, if i will just surround myself with real tangible things (the people i love, grass under my feet, a good meal i cooked) i tend to find myself inspired in some way. if you let it, life will constantly inspire you in some shape or form. allow all the ideas to flow! even if they sound silly/cliche! an idea is an idea and no one can take it from you!
finding beauty in the mundane is a real life saver for a photographer/writer like myself.
Oct 16, 2024
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šØFirst things first: it doesn't matter the quality, the quantity, or the end result. If you create, you're a creative, full stop! Don't tell yourself you're a copier, think of it as adopting little pieces of the things you love and using them as inspiration to drive you. As long as you're not straight-up plagiarizing, there's nothing wrong with using something you love as a stepping stool to grow your own abilities, or as a palette with which you paint your own world.
Also, it's totally normal to feel stuck in a rut, or unoriginal, or to fall out of love with something you've made, or to feel doubt start seeping in. And it sucks! I'm often stricken with the realization that I'm one voice in a sea of millions, and I feel insecure that people will see me as lesser. Or worse: overlook my creations entirely. It makes me lose momentum in my creative process, and makes me feel more disheartened and nervous to put my stuff out there in the first place. "What if I put my heart and soul into this and nobody sees it?" "What if I bleed onto the pages and the consensus is "it's mid"???" "What if I'm wasting my time, and come back in two weeks and think this is utter garbage?" "What if people think it's too close to <other person's work>?"
But then I remember... we're kind of ALL out here, putting our hearts into stuff, trying new things, throwing around ideas, and hoping something sticks. And that's how pretty much EVERY work of art is made! And while it's awesome to get outpourings of support on the things you make, and recognition makes your work feel worthwhile... nothing is going to make you feel more fulfilled than putting your heart and soul into something you're passionate about, and seeing it through to YOUR satisfaction. Ultimately it's not about what other people think, it's about keeping that passion alive in you, and cultivating it so that it never dies.
So what can we do about burnout? Or lack of inspiration? Or when the hope levels are too low? Unfortunately all my "tips" are more abstract than practical step-by-step fixes.
Personally, I recommend steadily and eagerly engaging in the things that you tend to "copy" in the first place. Stop for a moment, and picture the word "enthusiasm." What comes to your mind? What makes you feel that way? Chase that feeling down like it's your most treasured keepsake floating away in wild rapids! Watch shows with artstyles you aspire to. Listen to songs that get you daydreaming. Get out in nature during the sunrise/sunset. Go see animals in a zoo/aquarium, or go people-watching in a mall/park. All the while, don't stop THINKING and MAKING THINGS. Doesn't have to be cute, or fleshed-out, because the beauty is in the moment. Snap candid photos, sketch freehand vignettes of what you see, jot down prose inspired by your surroundings, do whatever you can to keep your momentum without losing the joy associated with it.
The more you let yourself create freely, the more comfortable you'll be in the future when faced with the dreaded Block, the bumps, the discouragement, or anything else that may try to slow you down. And honestly? If you still find yourself stuck, good news: you're still a creative! And that will hold true as long as you desire to be.
TLDR: Don't stop making beautiful things, and if you get to a point where you feel you can no longer make beautiful things, make "ugly" things and surround yourself with things you see as beautiful.
Also, it's totally normal to feel stuck in a rut, or unoriginal, or to fall out of love with something you've made, or to feel doubt start seeping in. And it sucks! I'm often stricken with the realization that I'm one voice in a sea of millions, and I feel insecure that people will see me as lesser. Or worse: overlook my creations entirely. It makes me lose momentum in my creative process, and makes me feel more disheartened and nervous to put my stuff out there in the first place. "What if I put my heart and soul into this and nobody sees it?" "What if I bleed onto the pages and the consensus is "it's mid"???" "What if I'm wasting my time, and come back in two weeks and think this is utter garbage?" "What if people think it's too close to <other person's work>?"
But then I remember... we're kind of ALL out here, putting our hearts into stuff, trying new things, throwing around ideas, and hoping something sticks. And that's how pretty much EVERY work of art is made! And while it's awesome to get outpourings of support on the things you make, and recognition makes your work feel worthwhile... nothing is going to make you feel more fulfilled than putting your heart and soul into something you're passionate about, and seeing it through to YOUR satisfaction. Ultimately it's not about what other people think, it's about keeping that passion alive in you, and cultivating it so that it never dies.
So what can we do about burnout? Or lack of inspiration? Or when the hope levels are too low? Unfortunately all my "tips" are more abstract than practical step-by-step fixes.
Personally, I recommend steadily and eagerly engaging in the things that you tend to "copy" in the first place. Stop for a moment, and picture the word "enthusiasm." What comes to your mind? What makes you feel that way? Chase that feeling down like it's your most treasured keepsake floating away in wild rapids! Watch shows with artstyles you aspire to. Listen to songs that get you daydreaming. Get out in nature during the sunrise/sunset. Go see animals in a zoo/aquarium, or go people-watching in a mall/park. All the while, don't stop THINKING and MAKING THINGS. Doesn't have to be cute, or fleshed-out, because the beauty is in the moment. Snap candid photos, sketch freehand vignettes of what you see, jot down prose inspired by your surroundings, do whatever you can to keep your momentum without losing the joy associated with it.
The more you let yourself create freely, the more comfortable you'll be in the future when faced with the dreaded Block, the bumps, the discouragement, or anything else that may try to slow you down. And honestly? If you still find yourself stuck, good news: you're still a creative! And that will hold true as long as you desire to be.
TLDR: Don't stop making beautiful things, and if you get to a point where you feel you can no longer make beautiful things, make "ugly" things and surround yourself with things you see as beautiful.
Jul 19, 2025
Rec
āļøi guess this applies to anything artsy but i think if you're actively creating something, it's easier to look at the world around you and take it not just for what it is, but as inspiration, too. i've found that when i go outside, i pay more attention to the sights, smells, sounds (basically all my senses) (excluding taste) (unless i'm eating) and try to put words to it and come up with new ideas. for example, one of my favorite not-that-bad lines i've written for a song was, "the misty air made drops in her hair like pearls on a string," and that's literally just because i saw it happen and worked with that visual info in my mind lol. so i think looking back on memories that inspired lines like that does make life a lot more whimsical :D
May 5, 2025
Rec
š
Basically, that ācathedrals are everywhereā thingā see a rec from Baby from a few days ago haha
To be receptive to this, I just have to work at creating things all the time whether I feel inspired or not. Inspiration wonāt strike, itāll seep in from everywhere as long as the practice doesnāt stop. Thereās so much to take from the seemingly mundane world that it can actually feel impossible to keep up with all the things I want to try to create.Ā
What excites me is the stuff I canāt explain, but could attempt to convey with art. Inspiration comes as a fragment of an idea that I canāt place or a feeling thatās too wide to grasp all at once. If I understand it instantly, if the idea is complete and I can name it, it might be nice but it is not interesting. If the feeling is open ended, then I can try to recreate that little mystery, like an experiment, or to complete it, and see where that brings me.Ā I donāt think of the things and people I love as muses, but I guess Iām bound to notice more of what inspires me in the places I frequent the most and people I surround myself with. This is all really vague and rambling, but basically itās usually little things like the way light hits the branches of a favorite tree or the way someone just picked up a cup.
What excites me is the stuff I canāt explain, but could attempt to convey with art. Inspiration comes as a fragment of an idea that I canāt place or a feeling thatās too wide to grasp all at once. If I understand it instantly, if the idea is complete and I can name it, it might be nice but it is not interesting. If the feeling is open ended, then I can try to recreate that little mystery, like an experiment, or to complete it, and see where that brings me.Ā I donāt think of the things and people I love as muses, but I guess Iām bound to notice more of what inspires me in the places I frequent the most and people I surround myself with. This is all really vague and rambling, but basically itās usually little things like the way light hits the branches of a favorite tree or the way someone just picked up a cup.
May 6, 2024
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took off more than six inches of my hair this weekend and i couldnāt be happier about it! summer shed!!!
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currently floating around with the wind of life. who will i know, what will i find, what places will i see? time will tellā¦
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