How to Find Inspiration And Refuel Your Give a F** Meter. 8 Tips Without Having to Get Off Your Butt
Here I am with a pretty nice list of topics I'd like to write about and insert dick jokes within. However, I just can't seem to find the interest to start any of them. I simply don't feel inspired.
So, what do you do when you have a bunch of topics you want to write about, a website you've wrangled yourself into writing on, and a voice in your head that demands productivity? You cheat. That is what you do, you fucking cheat and write about not being able to find the inspiration to write and the journey towards finding it.
DeadeyeMouse And The Search For Giving A Shit.
Let us start with one of the most obvious answers I can think of when it comes to inspiring oneself to create. The "just do it" approach. So, lets fire up the old art thing and see what happens.
Really? My brain went to Shia, I actually drew Shia Labeouf and then I drew myself in the background expressing how I feel about my minds reliance on a meme. Also, I didn't mean for it to happen, but there is an area up there where it appears something is dangling between his legs. I should fix that, it wasn't meant to be there. Actually, you know what? No, it stays, sometimes art is imperfect and those imperfections make it work.
Anyhow, how to find inspiration. I suppose I'll stop looking within myself, where darkness lives, and go outwards to the always trustworthy Google.
And... that was a fun journey. Started the search with just a general "how to find inspiration" and most of the suggestions required me to get up, go somewhere, read a book, change my environment, and I don't want to do any of that. So I did a bit of editing and changed the search to "How to find inspiration from your desk" and found some stuff that works within my current level of fucks. Funny thing is, I found two completely duplicate articles, one from The Muse and the other from Forbes. Don't know who wrote it first, but Forbes can go fuck itself with its whole "you can't view our page unless you disable adblock and let us rape your computer with pop-ups and malware" stance.
1. Tidy Up, Tool Up:
This step pretty much asks that you take a look around your work space and tidy up a bit. Considering that I am surrounded by action figures, stuffed animals, and clutter, I think I'm fine here. Other than these bits of unnecessary paperwork. Bye bye paperwork! Nobody needs your shit anyway.
Though, seriously, I did clear my desk of much of the unnecessary clutter and did a better job of hiding some wires. It looks a lot better.
2. Enhance the View
In this step, it is suggested you surround yourself with things that make you happy based on their visuals. However, family or vacation photos are not good here, because those are reminders of past pleasures, or if your family is normal, past frustrations. Right now I have a whole lot of figures and stuffed animals staring at me... I didn't notice that until now. They are just staring right at me... with their lifeless, cold, dead eyes.
And.... now all of my desk toys are turned to look away from me. Much better. Glad I'm so mature and rational.
3. Start With Something Beautiful
It is suggested you go and explore your favorite website, blog, or video just to indulge in something you enjoy. While it is known that this may lead to a deadly and inspiration sucking rabbit hole, it says I should set a timer for 5 minutes and then get back to work. While I don't trust myself enough to do this, I'll give it a go anyhow.
For anyone who hasn't seen the video for Sia's Elastic Heart, I highly recommend that you do (picture is the link). It is pretty much Shia LaBeouf in a creepy cage fight with a little girl and getting his ass kicked, it is art. Plain and simple, that shit is art. Plus, the video is 5:07. So, I WIN!
4. Stretch Your Brain
This seems like fun, I do enjoy a good stretch, I just don't often bother to get up and do it. Even when I go to the gym, I don't stretch, I want to, but I don't. Bad choices are a part of life.
So, in this step, it asks that you engage with news outlets and resources that challenge your point of view. It is best to choose an outlet that you know you wont agree with to avoid confirmation bias.
I'll try and avoid politics for my own mental health (that is what this is about), I instead typed in "racism isn't real" (a point the entirety of the year 2016 has proven so very wrong) into the Youtube and got back a ton of videos about reverse racism not being real. I don't have a picture for this, I don't want to draw a picture about this, I don't know what reverse racism is. However, based on the white dude wearing sunglasses indoors, doing finger guns at the camera with a bunch of tattoos, I'm just going to say no to this and move on.
5. Connect With Your Stars
It is stated that you should find a few creators and folk that you look up to and find something to watch by them, read by them, or look at by them everyday.
If Shia can connect with the Anomolies during his own search for sanity, then I think we can all safely say that plagiarism is one path towards inspiration (it isn't). Though perhaps we should avoid that super redneck rat-tail thing he had going. I had one as a young child and if I could go back into the past and smack that ugly thing off my child like face, I would, and it would bring me joy.
6. Make Time For Humor Therapy
Laughter and comedy is a great way to lighten up your mood and feel more open to creation, so in honor of one of my favorite comedians, Louis C.K, I shall draw a picture for one of my favorite bits of his. (My 2023 self is looking back on this now and laughing pretty hard, because oh boy was my pick of Louis C.K. a bad one)
7. Pick a Theme Song
I like this one. Who hasn't wished that they had a song play when they walked into the room to announce their arrival? I suppose if I was going to have one, I should pick one both funny and appropriate to the current theme. So here it is!
8. Keep Your Goals Visible
It is important to know and understand your goals and while writing them down is a great practice, it is even better to display them in the open.
And there we are. I feel inspired, I started with nothing, not knowing where the direction of this whole post would go and now I feel like I stumbled across a tad bit of fun along the way. Hopefully we can all keep these ideas in mind and use them to push ourselves over a hurdle without ever having to leave the comfort of our chairs. Screw that go outside crap. Am I right?
