Find Inspo Everyday
Fueling Your Creativity
Something I have personally never struggled with is finding inspiration. I find it can come from anywhere; in fact, it often comes when you least expect it. But you have to pay attention. Inspiration doesn’t just come from big, loud, glorious things, sometimes the best ideas come from the quiet moments. That’s why I find so much inspiration in everyday life: Creativity breathes in the mundane. Here are some of my habits that keep my eyes open to new ideas.
Negative Inpiration
Have you ever seen something and thought, “why did they do it like that?", It doesn’t make sense”, or “that looks horrible!” As a designer, I find that the world around me is often a lesson in what NOT to do (*cough cough* modern sugar cube mega mansions in Miami). It is a different type of inspiration altogether. Rather than a positive reaction like “I want to try applying that technique!”, you have a negative response to what you see. You think about something you would have done differently. Sometimes, what you dislike about something can inspire you to do better. Believe me, when you’re surrounded by things made by people who didn’t even seem to attempt, that’s a new fuel to your creativity. There is no excuse for not finding inspiration. Even if you say there’s nothing unique or beautiful (which I have a hard time believing,) there are always those things that you don’t like to feed your mind on how to improve things, and that’s what we are all about at the end of the day, isn’t it?
The Power of Online Inspiration
As much as I still love flipping through pages of printed books and magazines, let’s be real, archives are now at our fingertips, and they’re mostly digital. Websites like Pinterest are heaven-sent for us, not just for meal ideas or home decor (although I do use it for both). If I need something, I’ll design it. If I hate something, I design it better. The internet is an entire digital realm of new ideas, waiting to be discovered, dissected, and applied. You can plan everything from art techniques to try, long-term design ideas you’d like to implement or improve upon, to the plants you want in your client’s garden. Any digital archive is a good place to discover someone else’s life and explorations. It makes your scroll feel more intentional when you look at it that way.
I know online platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are packed with inspiration, but it's how you use them that counts. I’ve created dedicated folders for everything from places I want to visit, materials I want to use, and tutorials for new computer programs I am exploring. To someone else, they may seem like random ideas, but when I’m feeling stuck, it can be a kick in the right direction.
Learning from Other Cultures
Traveling is a huge part of what keeps me inspired. There’s something invaluable about learning from other people’s cultures. I understand traveling isn’t in the cards for everyone, whether it be physically or financially. But that’s not an excuse if you have even one of two things: access to the internet, or you live in an urban area. I seek out the things that connect me to other cultures. From local shops and small businesses to very niche events and festivals, there are plenty of ways to learn without hopping on a plane. Sure, I might not travel as much as I’d like, but when I do, I notice. Noticing is everything. Whether it’s a simple paving detail in a driveway I walk past in Mexico City or a small detail of molding above a door in Italy. Things new to me, things I’ve never seen, are things I like to notice. It all informs my work.
Here’s the thing: inspiration isn’t just about seeing beautiful things. It’s about learning, growing, and having the freedom to create what’s missing in the world around you. You can fuel your creativity, express your personality, and find authenticity in everything. Inspiration is everywhere, you just have to know where and how to look. Whether you’re getting it from your afternoon walk, daily grind, or online platforms, your creativity is just waiting to burst.
Stay inspired, stay true to yourself, and embrace your unique journey.