The Power of Inspiration: How to Tap into Your Creative Flow

Often, I get so inspired that all I want to do is capture the vision or execute my idea. At this moment, I don’t care what other people think about it or how much time and effort it might take. Inspiration ignites from within, overtakes me entirely, and I become It. 

In this video, I explore the nature of inspiration and share my personal journey of understanding the creative process, including tips and tricks for staying inspired and tapping into your own creative flow.

Often, I get so inspired that all I want to do is capture the vision or execute my idea. At this moment, I don’t care what other people think about it or how much time and effort it might take. Inspiration ignites from within, overtakes me entirely, and I become It. 

And then the phone rings, my friend needs to talk, I have to answer (that is what friends are for, right?); I have a dental appointment in an hour… and the fridge is empty (I have people to feed, you know), things have to happen. “Oh well,” I say, “I’ll get to it right after…” And then by the end of the day… it is gone. The inspiration is gone. I still have a creative idea, but inspiration is gone. So what exactly is inspiration? Are ideas and inspiration not the same thing? How come? And where does the inspiration goes?  

Have you ever watched a TV commercial, a fashion show, a YouTube video, or walked into an art gallery and saw your idea perfectly executed staring right back at you? It has happened to me numerous times. I could swear it was my unique idea! I never shared it with anybody, for sure. I even remember the moment of inspiration and excitement when it sprung from within me. Oh, well… It left me. Is it possible that it went to someone else? Or can numerous people get inspired in the precisely same way? 

Well, here is how I see it from my experience.

I’ve always had a lot of creative ideas. They just pour out of me naturally. 

But to me, having a creative idea and being inspired are not the same things. The way I look at it is – a creative idea is like a seed, and inspiration is the energy behind it that powers it to expand and grow. This divine energy can’t be forced on anyone but has to spring spontaneously from within. At the same time inspiration is contagious; those who don’t have it can catch it from those who do. Inspiration is irresistible, and it goes on gathering momentum and spreading itself, igniting everyone it touches.

On the one hand, inspiration is this expression of energy inside of me that is so intense and vivid that I have to capture it. I have to capture it right away or lose touch with it. I know it; that’s how it goes for me anyway.

It has happened so many times that I had to figure out how to get back in touch with it and stay inspired.

So, here are the things that work for me:

1. Meditation. I love to start my day with meditation. It sets my day. I love to do it outside if I can. Feeling the first rays of the sun on my skin brings me joy, makes me feel so alive and connected to the magnificent creation that is beyond my comprehension.  

(It helps me to create this little distance between me, my body, and my mind).

2. Living Food. Approaching food as a life-giving source helps me stay in tune with my body. The life we call food moves me to get in touch with my senses, get creative, improvise, mix flavors, create something unique, inevitably igniting creativity.

3. Changing Environment. Just stepping outside and moving my body can ignite the process of inspiration. It doesn’t have to be an unfamiliar environment or something exotic. Once I step outside, there is always something new to see and something amazing to marvel at. 

When outside, I never search for inspiration; I just am. Allowing myself just to Be, relaxed but present, intensely involved, and connected with everything around me is a treat I owe to myself. 

It doesn’t matter what it is, walk in the neighborhood, visit the local bakery or coffee shop, people watching… I love people watching; I find it quite fascinating. Just the thought that each of us carries an absolutely unique set of life experiences is mind-boggling to me. How we can all be so different and unique and so similar at the same time. People-watching makes me feel strangely connected to humanity, and I love it. 

On the other hand, it reminds me that nobody, nobody knows me better than I know myself. Who I am, what I desire, what I want to communicate to the world. And only if I trust myself can I do it, and I’m on the right track.  

Remember I said that inspiration is contagious? And there is evidence of inspiration left everywhere. Just look around and see; you might catch it—murals and graffiti on the walls, well-decorated storefronts, not to mention art galleries and antique shops. The fact is manifestations of inspiration surround us. We just have to be there to see.

4. Pushing boundaries. It is easy to fall into the trap of daily habits. My brain loves it. It is a very comfortable and safe place to be. Familiar actions, safe interactions, my body is set on autopilot… the perfect way to run the same loop every day and miss out on the taste of life.  

Instead, I’m aspiring to get through the day consciously attending to my daily routines and pushing my boundaries by trying new things and venturing out into unfamiliar environments. It helps me switch my brain and see things from a different perspective. 

5. Let Mother nature do its magic. No matter which physical or emotional turbulence I’m going through, just placing myself out in nature always does magic for me. It doesn’t matter whether it is a walk in a park, hike in the mountains, dip in the ocean, lake, streaming river, or just laying in the grass under the tree. Mother nature has its way to nourish, rejuvenate and unlock my potential. 

I have a secret space I go to when I need to tap into the source of inspiration. In the middle of the tropical forest, I have this tree. It is magnificent, enormous, and was uprooted by a hurricane. The tree fell flat on the ground, with its ginormous root system entirely out of the soil. Unfortunately, these things happen to beautiful trees, you know. But it didn’t die. Instead, it sprung all new roots along its whole body, reconnecting it with the soil, and began reaching upwards to the sun from its sides, turning into a mighty marvel of creation.

I love this tree. It is always there; it doesn’t ask questions; it doesn’t care how I look and what I wear. It’s just there, generously sharing powerful energy with anyone who comes and rests in its welcoming coved crevices. You don’t need to do anything, neither ask for it nor even be aware of the unfolding magic. It will happen either way. 

Sometimes I sit quietly under the tree with my eyes closed; sometimes, I keep them open. Often I lay in on one of the tree-coves and gaze at the sky. But, no matter what I do, really, I always leave uplifted, refreshed, feeling nourished and inspired. And the fascinating thing to me is, the tree just gives. It gives unconditionally; it doesn’t care what you’re going to do with the energy it transmits or how you will express the inspiration ignited within. It just gives. 

No one owns an inspiration. It is free for all, and it is there always, you can’t lose it, you can’t find it, you can only get in touch with it, and then, just like a surfer catches the wave, or a sail catches the wind, you can catch it to ride it; feel it, capture it and share it in a tangible form with the rest of the world. You are the vessel, the transmitter of something amazing and beautiful. 

You just have to flip the switch within you, get in touch. 

Be Alive🌱,
❤ Love, Julia