People who would self-describe themselves as “creative-types” are constantly searching for inspiration. These creative individuals-work can manifest itself in any number of ways, whether they happen to be a poet, a songwriter, a painter, or a sculptor. The convenient thing about this experience called life is that it continuously offers up sources of inspiration.
Creating is not something that has to exist in a space devoid of outside influences. The nature of life makes it so that we do not have to be bottomless wells of self-generating inspiration. People who feel that it is their personal mission to create something truly prolific often feel that in order to produce something of the highest caliber, there must be some earth-shattering event that results in the creator being inspired, and the result is nothing short of a magnum opus of creativity. But as extraordinary as life can be, it also has truly unapologetic, monotonous moments that do not seem to be good for much else other than putting us in situations where we’re sitting with arms crossed, contemplating why our day to day activities are not quite as extravagant as we might wish they were.
Although that mindset would probably be considered to be overly pessimistic by some, there is certainly validity to the thought process, even if it is a minuscule amount. We live in an era where the media is continuously exposing those who live notably more lavish lifestyles than the average person. How is it possible to not be envious of those who have the privilege to travel the world regularly, where they are exposed to new foods, people, and cultures from which they can easily find an abundance of inspiration? Or of those whose very careers are built on participating in dynamic experiences where nothing appears to play out too similarly to the point where it begins to feel repetitive.
Regardless of how commonly the ideology of “finding beauty in the little things” is expressed (perhaps overly-expressed in the eyes of some), there is a truth to that way of thinking that explains why the spirit of that sentiment has stood the test of time.
The other day I was sitting in a barbershop that I frequent, and upon sitting down to receive my haircut, something occurred to me that I have always been at least vaguely aware of, but apparently I was feeling especially reflective in that specific instance.
Barbershop culture is such a real thing. From the moment that you enter the shop, it as almost as if you are entering into this unique world with its own set of rules and expectations. It is consistently fascinating watching regular customers come into the shop and talk to a barber as if they were old friends that have known one another for their entire lives, even if that relationship does not really exist once they leave the barbershop and go their separate ways. But what I realized is that the bond does not have to exist outside of the barbershop, and in a sense, that is the whole point. The self-contained nature of many barbershop friendships that I’ve observed is what gives them their charm. The hyper-awareness in that particular moment of the culture that I was witnessing brought a smile to my face as I sat in the shop.
I took out my cellphone and made a note, as I have begun doing recently when inspiration for a potential subject to write about strikes me. The point of that story was that you never know where your inspiration may come from. There does not have to be a grandiose incident for the well of creativity to spring forth within you. If you’re paying attention, inspiration will find you in situations that you may not have anticipated, even if those situations feel completely average. Think more deeply about the activities that are part of your life routine. When you genuinely take a second to pause the automatic process of going through the motions, you might notice something that you hadn't before. Find the beauty in the average, and your sources of inspiration will be limitless.
