2008 - The Year of Inspiration

​I recently read an article by Scientific American about how the brain becomes more creative as it relaxes. It explains why inspiration comes to me in moments such as these.

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​I have more time to explore these moments now, but back in 2008, I wrote during small time-outs of being a mom, teacher, and wife. It was more difficult back then, and my writing started to slow.

I required a half an hour to shift from thinking about laundry, lesson plans, and major life changes to writing stories about an elephant with big problems, poetry inspired by A.A. Milne and preparing my short silent film for an LA film festival. That doesn't leave many minutes of the day for creative time.

I spent a large part of my time traveling in my car, traveling from one student's home to the next. Piles of notes with scribbled ideas accumulated, which eventually made their way into a lengthy google document. And while 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there wasn't ideal. It was what I could do at the time.

Inspiration kept me moving forward. It helped me handle a full-time job, my four-year-old daughter, the want of a second child, and pressing pause on my marriage. (This last part is not a recommendation, but it is what happened!)


TAKE AWAY

Recognize the ebb and flow.

Keep scratch paper everywhere!

Find small moments to press pause and let inspiration happen!

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NEXT ISSUE: 2009 - The Year of Break-ups.

How are you inspired? Please leave a comment.

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