5 ways to get inspired when life feels mundane

18 May, 2023

As busy and often overwhelmed humans, we seek out simple comfort. We want certainty and security. And we work hard to acquire and to maintain it. But sometimes, having this comfortable level of certainty, stability, and stagnancy can be the thief of our inspiration. Because we get bored. And unexcited.

But we deserve more than ‘comfortable or ‘good enough’. So, although it takes a little extra effort to get this inspiration train moving again (especially with all its rusted and seized up gears), once we do put in that energy into getting it going it’s gonna be so worth it to wake up inspired every morning.

And no matter how busy or intense our life may be, there is a way to add a little bit of inspiration. And it is, without question worth the effort to get it flowing. So, without further ado, here is a list of of 5 ways to get inspired when life feels mundane….

1) Go on a trip

Now let me start by explaining that I am fully aware that we all can’t just pick up and take off on some lavish trip any ol’ time. And that’s perfectly fine. Because, although an actual trip can effectively start a spark of inspiration, it doesn’t need to be fancy, pricy or an actual ‘trip’ to be an effective ways to get inspired.

The important part of this particular step is the events ability to wake up our curiosity and our decision making skills… When we are somewhere that is unfamiliar, all of those tiny decisions that we don’t make when we’re just somewhere more familiar –that’s when our minds start to awaken.

When everything is something to figure out, then we get into that mode of curiosity. And this mode is so very integral to creativity and inspiration. And so, a trip can be one of the most amazing ways to wake ourselves up a bit, and to remind ourselves of what really matters in our life.

So, plan a trip to the museum. Take a walk on trail that you’ve never been down. An event in your town that you haven’t been to, or maybe a chance to visit family, or an adventure to another country. A trip somewhere that will give you the fresh feeling of uncertainty is powerful, because it takes us out of autopilot.

2) Clear out some crap

The thing about a lack of inspiration is, when we are without motivation or interest, it’s easy to just keep taking things into our physical space, unexamined. And not even seeing that they are there. Take for instance a spot in your home where you may have been creative in the past. Maybe you have a craft room, a music corner, or a writing desk. It’s easy, as time goes on, not to see what’s there, as you walk past it, or throw things on the pile. And that makes it so much easier to collect clutter.

But once we decide to get rid of some of that stuff, that’s when we can start seeing things again. It’s the actual physical stuff we decide to deal with. But it’s also inspirations, feelings, thoughts that we have gone blind to, and left for another day. Our perspective inspiration sparks are living in the excess stuff that we have stopped acknowledging, seeing.

When we force ourselves to see, and contend with the things that are around us, we’re also forcing ourselves to decide upon the thoughts and emotions that we have been looking away from. The things that are sharing their space with us. If we finally say to ourselves, “I don’t want this broken toaster in my home anymore”, we are also inadvertently asking ourselves what do I actually want in my space? And then maybe we can genuinely decide on the things that serve us. And the answer is the beginning of potential inspiration.

3) Read a book… let someone’s inspiration take you somewhere

A book, whatever type, is a chance to take a step out of your own life and to immerse yourself into someone else’s story, their perspectives, and their life experiences. In so doing, we can naturally see our own life and experiences from a slightly different angle as well. Not only can we gain inspiration from the story of someone else, but we can also perhaps gain inspiration from ourselves and from where our mind goes in the process of looking at the shared experience of life in different ways. So many amazing, inspired and inspiring humans have lived and created.

A book by someone is a glimpse into a life we likely would likely never know. I always find that when I am reading a good book, I am softly alerted to see things in the world, and in myself that I might not have ever seen so clearly. A book is a good way to get away from yourself in the order of coming back and seeing things with a new freshness.

4) Remind yourself daily of the things you are grateful for

It’s easy to forget, and it’s also easy to not feel very lucky at all. But the truth is, that the most fulfilled, productive and inspired people have a good grasp of the things worth appreciating in their life and they remind themselves often of what they are, and what they mean to them. We’re not selfish. But, it can be easy to forget to stay grateful. It can be hard to remember how lucky we are, especially when we’re feeling uninspired.

It wasn’t long ago when the basic luxuries that we take advantage of every single day, were a colossal and monumental time sapping effort. Indoor plumbing, predictable heating, a safe living space, laundry facilities. Food that we can grab from the grocery store on the way home from work. The things that we do without effort or thought were (and are) what made an entire life for the ones who didn’t (or don’t) have these luxuries. It can be easy to forget the things we have, but if we can take the time to remind ourselves, it might just help us to clean the sludge off and out of our inspiration. And to get us moving in the direction we’d like to go.

5) Do a detox from your addiction of choice

Do a detox from your addiction of choice. We all have them. And whatever our addiction is, it keeps us unhealthily ‘protected’ from dealing with thing that we probably need to. So things build up, and get looked past. Maybe our addition is our phone. It could be exercise, or incessant cleaning. And it could be rudeness. An addiction of choice doesn’t have to be heroine, or alcohol. But it could be.

And if it is a pharmaceutical addiction, please do this with the help of a professional. Frankly, the help of a professional, can always be a good idea when dealing with our addictions. Because an unhealthy coping mechanism is serious and multifaceted. And, the way we use this addiction, is often to keep ourselves away from our own life, and experiences, and whatever our own uncomfortable spots are.

We deserve to live in all our spots! And that’s why we need a detox. Because hiding away from the integral aspects of who we are is bound to be uninspiring. So look cleanly and genuinely at yourself. Take note of that crutch or protective coating of yours, and think about putting it to the side. To get a feel for who you are without your raging addiction. And then, how better can you feed your creativity and your soul? It’s gonna be uncomfortable, but what comes up when you put that down is likely something that needs to be acknowledged, and then figured out.

Sidenote:

Sometimes, in a world full of uninspired, and tired souls, it can feel a little lonely to be an inspired soul. So I will emphatically remind you that living and loving one’s life to it’s worthy capacity, is not something to apologize for, or something that is reserved for the youth. It’s also none of your concern if you’re being judged for working hard, feeling inspired, and doing things that make you feel fulfilled.

So, surround yourself with people who are inspired, or are seeking inspiration as well. Give your friends the appreciation that they deserve for their amazingness, and they will do the same for you.

Thanks so much for your support my friend,

Let’s meet again next Thursday,

-Lyndsay