THE 3 ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF INSPIRATION
Article by Sophie Mihalko
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #30
In her 2009 TED Talk's, Elisabeth Gilbert describes how inspiration is often something outside of ourselves that we somehow need to invite in.
We often get our best ideas in the shower, while driving a car, or even washing dishes, which is very frustrating since we don’t have anything to record or write with.
So, let’s use the example of the shower and investigate what the conditions are that allows inspiration to strike so often!
1 :: We are not thinking
Most of us know how to take a shower, drive a car, and do the dishes without thinking about it. NO THINKING allows inspiration to come faster than if we are. Why? It’s simple- A thought is the repetition of something we know or have experienced. Inspiration is something that does not exist yet, so it just cannot be in the same environment as a repetition of something that already exists.
Meditation or Access The Bars® are a great way to have a blank mind. Find your way to clear your thoughts.
2 :: We are relaxed
The hot water, the repetitive movements, the condition of the shower itself is relaxing. When the body does not make strenuous movements (but still moves), inspiration is much more likely to strike. We are now in full mode of “receiving”, like a blank slate. The body is open to the information. Ruth Stone, the famous American poet often described how she felt poems “passing” through her body.
Taking a walk in nature, stretching, receiving a massage, or eating the foods that nurture our bodies are perfect ways to relax as well.
3 :: We are not judging ourselves or others
Usually we do not judge ourselves for the way we take a shower. We also do not judge the shower. In this space of non-judgement, where nothing is wrong, bad, big or small, inspiration can come. It will find a fertile ground where a seed can be planted without the risk to be modified or pushed away.
Judging ourselves not only creates stress, but it also prevents our creativity to blossom. Therefore, even if you are your “worst critic”, adopting a technique to stop self-judgement as soon as it is noticed is critical in developing new ideas.
If you apply these three components and recreate them at any time, you will eventually be able to get inspired any time you choose to be.
