Inspired! is the name of a column here on Real Words. Each post in this column points out something that has inspired me in my writing or just in the course of my daily life. It’s a daily post which I always write Monday-Friday and sometimes include on Saturdays as well. (On Sundays, instead of Inspired!, I post links to the numerous articles and blog posts that I’m reading on the web because those are always inspiring.)
When thinking about what inspired me today, I realized that the writing of Inspired! is itself something that is inspiring for my work. That’s because it forces me to pay closer attention to the things in life that are inspiring me. I take photographs of things that I might not have looked twice at before because I realize as I see the image that it should be captured for Inspired! I dog-ear great quotes in books that I might have just skimmed over because something resonates in them for me and I think, “that belongs on Inspired!”
In other words, writing this daily column has allowed me to be more present in my own life. And it has allowed me to approach each day with a more creative eye. I pay more attention to my natural response to things and I notice immediately when something can be a source of inspiration for me. Through Inspired!, I delve into that inspiration more deeply and get a better sense of why I am inspired by different things.
Not everyone has a blog or will write a daily post about what inspires them. But I would encourage other people to start keeping a daily journal of inspiration or collecting a file folder of inspiring images and ideas. The act of paying attention to what inspires you can cause significant changes in your creative work … and it can give you a different outlook on your life. It’s a magical experience.
Question of the Day: What inspires you as you read this?
[Tags] inspiration, writing, journal, creativity, art [/Tags]
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