I have been in a creative slump. You've probably noticed it because I haven't been proactive or productive about posting anything anywhere. My Instagram has been as my 7 year old cousin would say "off-key" and I have about 4 posts for this blog in drafts loaded with images and no word to accompany them.
Today, January 26th at 3:11am GMT is when a spark of inspiration hit me and enabled me to sit infront of my laptop to pen this post. This is my new year's greeting in a sort of open letter to myself and hopefully my reader on what happens when you find yourself not creating content that you are happy with.
Developing as a creative, I've always been surrounded by vibrance, colour, and dynamic landscapes. I have had many places to draw inspiration from, particularly nature, and many muses to call on at short notice to realize the visions swirling around in my head. Well, what happens when the things that inspire you are nowhere to be found and you have muses who bail on short notice... you get stuck.
I have made many a plan, drawn up many a concept, and have come up with so many amazing ideas in beautiful spaces in which i wish to work, but timing and distance and cancellations always seem to plague my plans.
I then realized something... as a creative who thrives on making art with other people you are sometimes at a disadvantage as great ideas often fail to come to fruition. I decided when i came to that realization, that 2018 would be a year to learn how to find the muse within myself and become part of the expression of my art, not just behind the lens but maybe infront of it.
I feel like this can be applied to so many situations outside of my own. Think of it as an exercise in self discovery and realizing your full potential. Think of it as a way to expand your horizons and push yourself past the boundaries and creative blocks that you have in essence put up infront of yourself. Looking back at the entire thing in hindsight, i understand that as a creative in order to grow you must first explore the concepts you visualize with others within yourself. Your art, your work, whatever you set out to do should be a reflection of yourself and how can you expect others to fully understand it if you don't explore it for yourself.
I have been re-energized. I have found inspiration to draw from and have learned over the past month to fully explore and expand how i find and draw inspiration. I feel as if i have learned now to fully adapt as a creative to being pulled from your source. Before, my inspiration was sand, salt, sea island living and that is no longer my reality and my work will no longer be reflective of that... as your environment changes so too should you.
Twenty 18 is the year to adapt to change and to learn how to shape the changes into the reality/vision that you wish to see for yourself.
Reflect - You are already equipped with the solutions to your problems
Share - little interactions with people in your life are sources of light and inspiration
Understand - Come to understand who you are and what you want to achieve
Grow - Take each day in stride. don't rush. you might feel stunted, but it takes a while for a seedling to become a Tree
Pray - Root yourself daily in your spirituality. Ask for guidance and clarity and inspiration will come.
You will find happiness and inspiration in the simplest of things... Imagine I was drawn to write this entire post whilst staring at a container of tiramisu!
- Peace & Power #DoBetter2018