How To Find Inspiration Without Travelling the World

I am one of the most stubborn people in the world when it comes to getting myself out of a rut. 

Once I’m in there, there isn’t a lot that can get me out. And even when I am, it takes just one tiny push to get right down to the bottom again.

Call it hormones, call it depression, call it laziness, whatever works. But it happens. So, over the years of negativity and slumming it at the bottom of the pit, watching everyone else swan about with their “amazing” lives, I’ve learnt a few things.

One of the things I struggle with most, not even just when I’m depressed, but on a general-freaking-basis, is writing.

I have always wanted to write. Ask my mum. Ask my dad. Ask my steady stream of impressed English teachers and rolling-eyed peers over years of education. It just came easy to me from the very beginning. But when I became sad, which led to laziness, which led to lack of motivation, which led to lack of inspiration and yadda, yadda, yadda… the thing I loved suddenly became very hard.

So I want to put into action some of the tips I’ve learned over years of inaction, and possibly help some of you lot get back your mojo after a tough time. Sound good? Let’s go…

1. Look at what you made when you were inspired

Look through your laptop, notebooks, YouTube channel, blog, sketchbooks, whatever it is. Look at how far you’ve already come, find your favourite piece of work so far, and revel in it. You made that. How cool is that? Super cool, I hear you say. You’re a freaking bad ass. And you can do it again.

2. Look at what other people are making while they’re inspired

Go on Twitter and follow a load of cool bloggers you like. Watch tonnes of YouTube videos about motivation, life-changing experiences and happiness. Go to an art gallery, or listen to the most genius piece of music. Hell, you could even look online at other people’s best cross-stitch. Whatever you’re into, there’s someone out there that loves it the same as you, and if they can do it, so can you.

3. Watch some really fucking inspiring people living their lives

Failing the last point, something that always manages to get me off my arse is just watching people I admire do every day things. Mainly through YouTube. I love watching people whose lives I would normally be envious of just go about their business. Vloggers like Kalyn Nicholson, Zoella, Alfie Deyes, Naomi Smart and Lavendaire just doing normal shit like going out for groceries, tidying the house and getting on with stuff. It makes me see that the people I wish I was are so normal, and that I don’t have to be a superhero or some kind of super-motivated weirdo to get where they are. I just have to be me. (CRINGE)

4. Clean out your “junk drawer”

And I don’t mean your actual man-drawer. You know, the one by your bed or in the kitchen with all the wires and bits of paper and random crap that has existed since the day you moved in? Yeah, not that one. I mean your metaphorical junk drawer (oo-er). And to do this, all you need to do is get everything out of your brain. Whether you do this by journalling, scribbling, drawing random shapes, writing random words, yelling into a pillow or crushing some play-doe in your hands (I would suggest playing with play-doe to anyone at any time though, really. That shit is brilliant). Just get the bad stuff out. You might not even realise there is any bad stuff until you see it on a piece of paper and think “shit. there it is”.

Trust me.

5. Go somewhere on public transport

I told you in the title that you didn’t need to travel the world to find your inspiration again, and I stand by this. But something that’s always managed to get me thinking is by being on a shitty, hot, humid, sticky, smelly bus, surrounded by gross members of the general public. You’re welcome.

6. Make note of what works, and do it again

This isn’t so much for when you’re in a slump, but is very relevant for the next time you’re in a slump. If you suddenly find yourself feeling super motivated, ideas buzzing around you like fireworks on Bonfire Night (was about to say the Fourth of July but promptly realised I’m British so fuck you), then make note of it. Write that shit down. Put it on your phone, in a text draft, send it to a friend, write it on a Post-It Note, whatever works. You’re gonna feel crap again one day (sorry), and when that happens, you might not remember what it was that made you jump up like someone stuck a pin up your bum, so remind yourself in any way you can. You can (and will) thank me later.

7. Do something you’ve never done before

(Above pictures me visiting a Cat Cafe. And yes, it was incredible.) Not always easy to do when you’re feeling a bit crap, but a necessity. There’s one of those inspirational quotes somewhere, you know the one. It says something like “If you do the same as you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” or something. I don’t know. Open Pinterest and see for yourself. But its statement rings true.

How can we expect to create new things, or even think new things if we’ve always done the same stuff? Steve Jobs would never have come up with Apple products had he not researched new technology, probably. Galileo would never have discovered that thing about the Sun had he not like… gone outside. Or something.

8. Give yourself a break

Finally… the tip you’ve always been waiting for so you can validate your laziness same as me. Just give yourself a little break. You work hard. You get stuff done. You’re doing well. I promise. It’s okay to not give 110% one hundred per cent of the time. Take some time for you, because if you keep going and churning it out, chances are you’ll fall out of love with what you do, and then you’ll have to find something else. Which sucks, to be honest.

Thank you for reading this post, and I hope I was able to help those of you going through some stuff find your mojo again, I know how hard it is. Got any other tips on finding inspo? Let me know in a comment, or comment with a link to your own post or YouTube video!

Thanks again, stay amazing,

Jess x

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