As a writer, you know how hard it can be to get inspired and write something you’re happy with. You’re constantly running into mental blocks, and things keep popping up that break your flow. It’s hard, yes, but it can be made a lot easier with a few tweaks.
Ever since I was 7 years old, I’ve loved writing. I started with short stories and worked my way to longer ones. I even won a few t-shirts in children’s writing contests. I thought it was awesome.
What I’ve found is that writing is closely related to what’s going on in my life. If my life is boring, and I feel stuck, my writing will reflect this. If, on the other hand, I’m enjoying life, traveling, meeting people and feeling good, my writing flows effortlessly, and I’m bursting with ideas.
I do a lot of things to get inspired, but to keep things simple, here are 7 of my favorites:
- Nature
Is there anything better than going out in nature and taking a break from society? Sometimes we get so caught up in our lives that we forget to go out and enjoy the planet. Whenever I feel blocked, I grab a notebook, and go to whatever nature I have close to me. It may be a park, the beach or whatever. I lie down, relax, and if I get ideas, I get ideas. - Music
- For the longest time, I enjoyed writing in complete silence but lately I’ve started listening to music. It has made a huge difference. I listen to whatever I am in the mood for. It could be anything from Bob Marley or Bach to Iron Maiden or an unknown Finnish band.
The rhythm, the melody and the lyrics help me get in the flow of writing, and depending on what kind of music I listen to, my writing becomes different. It’s also an excellent way to listen to something completely new and see what happens.
- Pets
I’ve been allergic to almost all kinds of pets for my whole life, but luckily there are still a few I can live with. My girlfriend has a miniature schnauzer and I’ve found that hanging out with animals really calms me down.
They’re constantly in the now, and studies have proven that just having a cat or a dog around relaxes you.
- Happiness
If your life sucks, you probably won’t feel inspired to write anything of significance. I’ve noticed that the more I take care of my own life, the better my writing flows.
It’s almost as if the more blocks I clear from my own life, the more blocks I clear from my writing. If you’re worried, afraid, frustrated or overwhelmed, there are many things you can do.
You can take action and solve the problem, if there is one, or you can take your power back from your mind and center yourself in the now. Breathe, relax and feel your whole body.
- Put Yourself Out There
One of my biggest obstacles in putting myself out there has always been about how I will look. What if people don’t like my writing? What if I make a fool of myself?
The more I’ve written and the more I’ve put myself out there, the more I’ve realized that all of these things exist in my mind. Sure, someone could hate my writing, but what do I really want to do? Do I want something like this stop me from following my passion?
- Help
It’s interesting how doing something nice for someone gets you out of your mindset. It can be as simple as helping someone across the street or buying someone dinner.
Helping someone else is really helping yourself, and it again gets you out of your mind. It gets you feeling good, and very inspired.
- Experience
Whenever I’ve been inactive for a long time, I become inactive in my writing. It’s amazing to see how many ideas I get when I make a short trip or go on an adventure somewhere.
It could be anything really. Going out and meeting new people. Learning a new language, or even going bungee jumping (which I’ve never done). As long as it is something new, something out of your normal routine, it will have an impact.
Last, But Not Least
Bring a small notepad with you everywhere you go, or at least something where you can jot down your ideas.
I’ve noticed that I get inspired at the weirdest times. It’s hard to get inspired when sitting in front of a computer, so act on your inspiration when it pops up. Don’t let it go to waste!