Motivation

Inspiration! Wherefore art thou?! I've been lacking inspiration these past few days. No, strike that. I've been lacking motivation. Inspiration is anywhere and everywhere around me yet I have no motivation to make something out of it. It's been a week since my last post, where I said that I had something to help me battle my lack of inspiration (which I now identify as motivation). I was so excited to start the challenge in that post but, alas, nothing. Birth (the first topic on the challenge list) came with so many ideas but none of them were solid and none of them seemed good enough to write about. I'm almost ready to tear my hair and put on sackcloth. Almost.

I don't want the pressures of blogging to overwhelm you as it sometimes (sometimes!) does to me, dear readers, which is why I'm making a small list of things to try when you are in need of inspiration and/or motivation.

1. Read others' blogs. Looking at other people's own blogs inspired me to get back to the world of blogging. What about you? Are there any blogs or websites that seem to encourage you to write or make something whenever you look at them? It sometimes helps to study the authors' writing styles and how their blogs work to find out what kind of blog you'd like to achieve. And don't forget to put what you've studied into practice!

2. Make a list. If you don't already, make a to-do list or a list of goals you'd want to finish, and put it somewhere you're likely to see it a lot. This will give you direction. Or if you're the type who likes throwing practicality and rules out the window, what the heck. Make a list of anything you want, and make it as random as possible. (How about "Colors That Are Pretty," or "Books I Have," or "Pencils"? Okay, I should probably stop now. I'm sorry for my corny-ness.)

3. Doodle. Just whip out some paper and a pen and draw whatever comes to mind, simple as that. It doesn't need to be pretty. (Again, if you're the creative type who makes his/her own rules, doodle on some wood. Or on the sidewalk. Or on a leaf. Or on a crayon. Or on your shirt.)

4. Read. This is like reading your favorite blogs but with good old-fashioned books (wow, I can't believe I said books are old-fashioned). Read and reread books by your favorite authors or books from a genre that you like. Study their writing styles and see how you can incorporate them into your own. Of course, remember that you shouldn't be too much like them. It's always better to write like yourself.

5. Get off the computer. Seriously. The computer, especially one with internet access, can lead to a lot of inspiration but no motivation. And when I say "get off the computer," I also mean "get off your phone/iPod/iPad/whatever-gadget."

I hope you'll find these small suggestions helpful. If you yourself have a few tips of your own, don't hesitate to share them. :D

Until next time! Au revoir!

{Images via We Heart It}