What are those two words, again? Oh yes: Inspiration and Creativity.

I feel that inspiration is like finding your way somewhere without the aid of a map.  It could be anywhere but without any knowledge of direction, how the heck do you get there?  This is probably the age-old question for us writers.  I used to think it was just me, until a previous college professor griped about giving her students writing exercises when she, herself, was always wondering what to write. 

It has been many years in the making, but I've discovered a few of my own tricks to find creativity and inspiration, those two masters of illusivity (that's a word, right)?  If I am recalling correctly, I have my blessed aunt to thank, as she told me that to find creativity, be creative.  No, you don't have to just write several different poems or short stories.  Actually, for me, I get away from writing altogether.  I do something creative.  This includes crafts, playing an instrument, photography, making movies, the list goes on. 

When you want to find inspiration, you need to discover that which inspires you.  I love to go to the art museum or the zoo and wander around and really look at everything.  At the art museum, I imagine being the artist and what they saw when that canvas was originally blank.  I imagine myself taking those steps that they took, until the piece was complete. 

When I go to the zoo, I imagine myself as all of the animals I see.  How nice would it really be to swim in that cool, crisp water when the ninety degree sun is beating down relentlessly on my thick white polar bear coat?  What are all these creatures doing staring at me?  Even further, I envision their lives from newborn animals to now and what events are unfolding in their lives to make them their specific personality.  This is what inspires me.

But looking and imagining only go so far.  I need to be creative.  To actively take part in something creative, opens your mind to a level that is subconsciously allowing you to become creative in other venues, besides in what you are currently doing.  You don't have to be great at it.  You just need to allow your mind to be creative in it.  Whether this is photography, building a birdhouse, or sculpting, or all of that, it's up to you.

If I am able, I like to take part in several different types of fine arts.  Not all at once, but sometimes when I am really trying to put myself in a contemplative mindset (like now), I like to try creative things that I haven't done in a while.  I'm trying to leave the box I'm in and explore in a neutral environment.  I also like to keep a creative hobby going while I'm writing, if I feel I want or need it.  Sometimes, there just isn't time to do this, but anything creative and inspiring helps.

The more I do this, the more I can physically see myself enjoying the process of inspiration and creativity.  When I do this, I am more apt to write, more apt to continue writing, and more able to find that creativity and keep it going as long as I need it.

Today, I spent the day setting up this blog.  Strange enough as it sounds, this was inspiring and writing these blogs is being creative.  However, yesterday, I pulled out some old crayola tempera paint (that was still good, amazingly enough), got out some paint brushes and painted a picture.  Now I'm still not finished with the picture, and I will pick it up tomorrow as a creative facet to get into the mindset I am looking for.  If I finish it, I may paint another picture, or I may choose something different to open those gates. 

The point is, I am actively putting myself in a vein to use my brain to output creative information.  This makes it so that when I put pen to paper, the thoughts won't be as locked down as they were beforehand.  And let's face it, at the end of the day, you had fun doing something creative.  And if it didn't turn out all the great, you have a new memory to laugh at.