Panning for Gold

I looked for inspiration in a spider’s web.  And I found it.

I looked for inspiration in a cup of coffee.  And I found it.

I looked for inspiration in a history book.  And I found it.

I looked for inspiration in a victory for women.  And I found it.

I looked for inspiration in a wedding toast.  And I found it.

I looked for inspiration in a bump in the road.  And I found it.

What will you find when you start looking?

You never know.

But here’s what I would do…..

Pay attention to your surroundings.  Anything from a blowing leaf, a chirping bird, a snail, to even a piece of garbage might inspire you.

Are you up for amateur psychoanalysis?  Why not? If I did it with Starbucks coffee - you can do it, too. Maybe with “What Your Disney Ride Says About You”. Or “What Your Car Says About You“.  Or What Your Taste in Shoes Says About You”. Give it a try.

History is filled with interesting characters and events.  My forays online led me to Diogenes and the “The Man in the Bath-tub”.  Your historical treasure hunt may turn up even more exciting people, places or stories readers would love to hear about.

Personal and Public Events.  This is a no-brainer.  Almost every personal or public event contains a story.  When the Santa Teresa Girls Golf Team was created and Coach Don Yellum told me how he had worked six long years with the district to get approval to create this team, I was moved to write about the victory (a new victory for women in a long line of hard-won victories).

Pay attention to what people say.   Little things might jump out at you. At my niece’s wedding, our family’s propensity to call people by invented names was brought up in a wedding toast - prompting me to write The Porki and Bonkers Tradition.

Finally, your best writing will come from reaching deep into yourself and daring to share your most private experiences and feelings  - even ones you may be nervous to go public with.  My posts about my experience with clinical depression and learning to deal with anger (How Often Do You Visit Ireland?) are examples.

These are just some ways to get inspired and get creating. If you’ve been suffering from creative insecurity or creative block, I do hope this helps a little.

Happy Creating and looking forward to seeing your creations!

Acknowledgements:

For “My Spider's Web Inspiration”, I would like to thank Parasteatoda tepidariorum (or the common House Spider).

For “My Cup of Coffee Inspiration”, I would like to thank Howard Shultz and the students of Santa Teresa High.

For “My History Book Inspiration”, I would like to thank Diogenes and the historians who keep the past alive for us.

For “My Victory for Women Inspiration”, I would like to thank Coach Yellum and everyone on the Santa Teresa Girls Golf team.

For “My Wedding Toast Inspiration”, I would like to thank Rushmi B and my family for their propensity to invent names.

And finally, for “My Daring to Share Inspiration”, I would like to thank all the self-help authors, all the pop psychologists and anyone else who has encouraged, promoted or lived an authentic life.

P.S. The Roald Dahl quote featured above was taken from the Insert Inspiration Here Board on Pinterest which you can link to here.

P.S. 2: As always, dear reader, thanks for reading and I do hope you will visit again soon.