HOW TO GET INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION- WHEN YOU'RE FEELING STUCK

As a visual artist, there have been PLENTY of times where I have felt stagnated and stuck when attempting to create. The best piece of advice that I can give to any artist who is feeling stagnant and void of fuel for ideas in their creative process is to STOP, take a break, and do something that you enjoy! Your break may be minutes or a few days. But do not forget to return back. Also, remember that we're all students of the greats. So, study the greats and become greater (Michael Jackson said that).

It sounds simple, but those steps are detailed. The key is to allow your mind to relax, to wonder, and to dream. When you do the thing that you like to do, (i.e. reading, exercise, listening to music, writing) allow room for play, dreaming, and new possibilities. After all creativity is intelligence having fun. Be cognizant of the beauty you find in yourself as an artist and other artists of the works that you love. When you daydream in this manner, you activate a network in the brain called the DMN (Default Mode Network). It's an area that is responsible for self-reflection and creating self-narrative. When this area is activated, the happy chemicals really flow.

The thing about inspiration is that it can come from both the outside and the inside. We live in a shared world full of shared ideas; which were put together by the hearts and passions of others that exist with us- or that have come before us. So we must be mindful that we share in creativity. One thing that I needed to understand as a creative was that no idea is original and that everything was not about me. The rawest essence of inspiration comes from a desire to make an impact. Questions that I can ask myself are: "For what cause are you creating?" "What ignites you?" "What is the very thing that makes you want to make a change?

Inspiration is intrinsic motivation that manifests itself through the processing and the carrying out of tasks. So when one sees a need to help, to influence, or to collaborate to make a change, inspiration can really be found. When one is inspired, one can make use of the energy and thought produced by the motive.

Grounding in emotion is next. It's a part of returning back from your break. How do you feel after the activity? If it was enjoyable, that's a good thing. The key is to harness to potential and power behind the enjoyment. Happy chemicals and signals have been released, and we need to take advantage of the enjoyment. One of the happy chemicals that we look to take advantage of is dopamine. You may have heard about this molecule, but many are unaware of it's true function. It's a facilitator for joy and it acts as a catalyst to experience joy. When dopamine begins to flow, we need to pay attention. Dopamine is directly related to motivation. When we experience a dopamine rush, we often feel ambition and inspiration. It's the chemical that can helps us to achieve things because it allows us to reflect on the reward of the achievement. Dopamine isn't happiness, it's anticipation of success, reward and accomplishment. If you feel negative after the activity, identify how you feel and utilize the "Opposite Action" technique. Opposite Action is a skill that you can utilize to pull you out of a funk. It's doing the opposite of the negative emotion by choice. After a while, your mind will line up with your actions and you'll feel better.

So, my biggest piece of advice that I would give to any photographer who has felt like me, finding themselves in a time of creative stagnation, is to stop, dream, and find how you would best make an influence in your group or society. Oh, and also to remember what Michael Jackson said - "Study the greats, and become greater."