If there’s something I have learned throughout my soon to be 30 years on this planet and close to 10 years as a freelancer, it is that inspiration comes and goes. But instead of looking for it, as the majority of us do, you should let it come to you. However, I do not mean that you should just sit around and wait for it to come — no — that’s not how it works. Instead you should go out for a walk, drive your car, listen to your music or read a favorite blog or book.

This not only refuels your energy from empty to full but it will also help you find your inner calm. With your energy refueld you can sit down, try to write an article or design/develop something, but it won’t work. You know why? Because you haven’t let the inspiration find you! You went looking for it.

Thing is that there is more than one way to do something. You can do what you love and you can do what you love, difference is that unless you avoid the pitfalls the inspiration won’t find you.

When it finds you, act, don’t wait, act!

As mentioned, there are a few pitfalls you need to consider before letting your inspiration find you.

Don’t sit down thinking about letting the inspiration find you, because if you do that you will push it away.

Don’t go out for a walk thinking about what to do when inspiration finds you, just look at everything around you while walking and embrace the life that surrounds you. It’s easy to lose contact with reality when working from home or when searching for inspiration.

When it finds you, act, don’t wait, act! No matter if it has nothing to do with what you’re working on at the moment, because if you act when it hits you you will refuel it automatically and in no time you will be working on the project you should be working on.

How watching movies can help

When watching a movie you relax your brain, most of the time anyway, and by doing so you automatically open yourself up for the inspiration to find you. There’s a few movies to avoid though, unless you don’t happen to love the type of movies that are depressing, hyper or just plain sad. I’ve learned that in order for the inspiration to find me I must watch comedies or action movies as these usually helps me relax enough without contemplating on my life or my work. Some Disney and Pixar movies tends to help as well, but that’s mostly because of the hard work that is clearly showing in every animation. A few favorites are Toy Story (all three of them), Tangled and most recently Frozen.

Not sure why, but these movies have always helped to refuel my energy levels and open me up enough for inspiration to find me. Though it can take a couple of hours for it to completely find me after the movie has ended, but during that time I’m usually relaxed enough to remain open to it.

But most importantly, when it does hit, I act. No matter if it’s inspiration to take a walk, write on my book or blog post, design something or work. Whatever type of inspiration that hits I act. The key is to always act! Pause the movie or turn off the TV, just act.

How reading can help

Just as with movies, reading a good book or your favorite blog can help refuel your energy levels to the point where you are open enough for inspiration to find you. Sit down on your porch, balcony or sit in the park, read a good book or listen to an audiobook while running. One thing to keep in mind though, if inspiration hits, write it down for you to remember it later. Because doing something as running or sitting in the park usually means you’re not at home by your computer or you’re not at work.

I have learned to always make a note of what type of inspiration hits me. If I have forgotten my moleskine at home I pick up my iPhone and add a note. Both my iPhone and moleskine are cluttered with random notes of different types of inspiration that has happened from time to time whether I’ve been at the gym or out for a walk. But the key is that I have always written it down or acted on it immediately.

Thank you for reading! Now be awesome and hit that recommend button and share this post with everyone you know ☺