In a Rut? 5 Ways to Find Inspiration

For the past year or so, I felt pretty uninspired. You may have noticed that I blogged less frequently (I still haven’t quite picked up the pace), and many of my posts weren’t exactly positive. I started to feel inspired again recently, and I could see how there was a direct relationship between my perspective and my productivity.

Whether there have been changes in your life you’re struggling with or you feel stuck, I hope these things help you get back on track, no matter what you’re doing.

1. Stop Being a Perfectionist

This is the most important tip of all. When you’re a perfectionist, it seems impossible to stop tormenting yourself over every last detail. I drove myself crazy with it until I realized that it’s all subjective. Remember that if you are a perfectionist, you are your own worst critic.

If you missed that one comma on your paper, or that Instagram picture is not perfectly aligned, it’s likely that no one will notice. Working hard is great. But letting go of the idea of perfection means that you have created space for learning, growth, and joy.

2. Be Positive

Perspective is everything. I don’t believe that you can – or should – detach yourself from all negativity in life. While experiencing the whole spectrum of emotions is part of being alive, the key is to focus on the positive as much as you can.

Pay attention to your inner dialogue. Whenever you engage in negative self-talk – which may be a lot more often then you think – start telling yourself the opposite. A positive mindset is the best weapon for dealing with everyday challenges, and will open your mind to new possibilities.

3. Accept Yourself || Challenge Yourself

These are two sides of the same coin. I am an advocate for acknowledging limits and boundaries; I sometimes think that living life at the end of your comfort zone can be overrated. If you ignore what you’re comfortable with and good at, you would be setting yourself up for unhappiness i.e. failure. But we have all created boundaries for ourselves at some point because it’s just easier to stay in our comfort zone.

Boundaries are often a figment of your imagination. If fear is the only thing that’s holding you back, then tell it to f— off. Stretch those boundaries!

Words of wisdom for the perfectionists: Challenge yourself where you can, and leave the rest.

4. Take Care of Yourself

No matter how busy you are, create the time to do the things you love. This includes anything, whether it’s taking a bubble bath or creating a masterpiece. Make yourself happy. Most of us may not spend the majority of our time doing what we really want to do. If that’s the case for you, use it to your advantage – you have something to rebel against.

5. Steal Like An Artist

Read this book: All Artists Steal.

Nothing is original. Explore as much as you can. Look to other artists, whether it’s your next-door-neighbor or Van Gogh, and imitate them. You heard me right – your own style will inevitably shine through.

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I hope you found at least some of this useful. How do you find inspiration?

*This post originally appeared on The Dream Beaver.

The post In a Rut? 5 Ways to Find Inspiration appeared first on Broke and Chic.