I’ve been an inspiration seeker my entire life.

This incessant burning need to understand and interpret the world around me became an obsession. As a writer, it seemed impossible to separate my ability to capture any of these understandings without the inspiration to fuel it.

The media artist, philosopher and television personality, Jason Silva demonstrates the very same relentless passion I feel when he describes the artist’s compulsion as an attempt to “clothe inspiration” in his series “Shots of Awe.”

But, what happens when we face that blank page or canvas and nothing comes out?

Most of us assume it’s because we lost that muse and we must find it if we’re ever to create anything again. And so, we search for the spark to ignite our fire once more.

But, this seeking isn’t just limited to writers and painters—it’s a search we all set out on when we perceive passion in any area of our life is lost. So many wonder what to do if they are unsure of what their passion even is anymore, or perhaps never knew what it was in the first place.

We’re so caught up in this palpable pressure to produce something the world will deem valuable, that we’re not entirely conscious that we’ve been looking outside of ourselves to achieve this the whole time.

What I find most ironic is that this is especially true in the spiritual and self-help community, a realm that I am very much a part of myself.

There’s no shortage of motivational speakers all trying to inspire us to become our greatest selves. I see so many well-intentioned souls getting caught up in this insatiable need to be an inspiration at all times, that they harshly judge and punish themselves if they’re not perpetually producing content that’s making some enormous impact on the world.

It’s as if we’ve become addicted to having a positive influence over others.

I’m not saying this is wrong, or that I haven’t been there myself, but I am inviting us all to check our intentions and examine this cycle a little more deeply.

Of course it feels great to positively influence another, but this should not be sought as the reward. Rather, let it be the pleasant side effect of merely living authentically in our skin.

Inspiration is defined as an urge to create and inhale.

We don’t need to do anything to become inspired—or inspire another—except simply breathe in this moment. We don’t have to seek this. We just need to become conscious of it.

We create this life every time we draw oxygen into our being. How we choose to use this creative force is up to us.

We can use it to try and become something, or we can use it to embody the truth in our soul right now, as we are, knowing that this truth will constantly shift and evolve as we do in this life.

When we give ourselves permission to flow with this constant shifting, we are living the inspired life.

All art aims to point us to the truth, which is why it’s a subjective experience to view it. What that truth is for me, may not be for you.

We are all artists in this life and our only job is to create from the space of our subjective truth, in our soul. If that means we’re sad, angry, happy or confused—drink it in and wear it proudly so it can move through you and flow.

We cut off our creative flow the moment we think we should be anyone, or anywhere else, other than what and where we are. This is when we feel as if we’ve lost something. But, nothing is lost—it’s only waiting to be found in our connection to the truth of this moment (which might mean we are an absolute, glorious mess).

We don’t need to seek anything on the outside to be ourselves. It doesn’t even make sense.

So, let’s consider dropping the search, standing still and allowing the breath of this now moment to fuel our being—without our need to judge or manipulate it into anything else.
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Relephant:

Inspirational Feel-Good Lists Have it all Wrong: Here’s the Truth.

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Author: Jamie Rautenberg

Assistant Editor: Hilda Carroll/Editor: Travis May

Photo: Luis Dávila/Unsplash