Refueling Inspiration

Writers in search of inspiration need only look as far as a fellow writer or author’s words. A web of inspiration continually weaves its wisdom all around us, in books, on websites, in our memories of past readings. Maya Angelou once wrote, “Spirit is an invisible force made visible in all life.” It's always present, always there. This precious insight tells us that we're not alone. But how do we harness the ability to keep this in a constant perspective?

Unfortunately, life’s fast-paced, day-to-day challenges often block our view of the most important forces at work. If we’re feeling buried beneath a monstrous list of To Do’s, as a parent, spouse, writer, volunteer, professional, or more, then we’ve become nothing short of working drones. Like pushing a shopping cart of rocks up a steadily sloping hill, the cart might roll back and plow us over at any moment. When life's tasks build to this point, it’s mentally and physically draining, to say the least. It’s before this breaking point that we must let go of everything. Make the list wait. Sometimes we don’t realize that we can’t do it all, all the time. Our spirits, our minds, and our bodies need regular refueling.

This is easier said than done, but taking individual time to recharge every day should be the priority. When everything becomes a chore, I let my dogs take me for a walk. Other times I let my kids share their daily wisdom, before they defeat me in a game of hoops. Humility helps.

Maybe writing is about achieving our potential, evolving our souls, and defining our purpose while we’re here. To make the best of this ability we need to keep focus on the joys of life, not the tedious challenges we face everyday. I wonder how other writers keep perspective and feed the thoughts to keep the words flowing.

How do you fuel your Muse?