This is such a broad topic today. If I look at it in the creative sense, inspiration is the very lifeblood of the writer. When we are without it we sometimes call it writer’s block, though this is about as legitimate as the stonewalling done by addicts to avoid interface with others.

As a writer, we have little ‘tricks’ to break the block. Those of us who are of a professional pursuation know it is vital to keep writing so the pace of our production will not be severely impeded. When a publisher is expecting a manuscript, being blocked is just not an excuse. The quality of the work we might produce may be questionable, but as it has been said, “you can not edit a blank page.”

Likewise, in any worthwhile human endeavor, one can not always wait for inspiration to move forward. Not if you are serious about the outcome.

Writer’s do things like go for a walk, visit a beautiful local, have a coffee in a shop and listen in or observe others, sort out descriptions of items in the environment. Really anything to get the words flowing will do.

When recovering from trauma the answers are not so very different. A change of scenery, fresh air, focus on the environment surrounds—all this can be helpful in bringing one’s feet back down to earth and therefor disallowing circling the drain of depression and grief. Inspiration has been the bedrock of my recovery to date. As I have mentioned many a time, I have no help from my UH and my friends live far away, so I have had to rely on me to light my path. 

It actually has not been at all dissimilar to writer’s block. Emotional blocks or perseverations are just as harmful to forward progress. It is ultimately up to each of us to break through our own blocks. We are all capable of self care, kindness and gentle grace toward ourselves. The result is so much better than self condemnation and negativity.

Much like all of self care and healing, it is incumbent on the individual to open eyes and heart to all the wonders, positives, beauty and good there is in the here and now. And the search can be fun if you allow yourself to live. Breathe in the world. Go on a goodness and beauty scavenger hunt. There will be inspiration just around the corner.

I am so grateful for this past week’s inspiration of my 15 month old granddaughter. She who has not suffered the wages of damage the world can inflict. She the rightfully innocent and sweet. She the future living and breathing before me. From the wee small coos of her awakening to her offering to share her fingerfood, to the giggles of delight as I toss her about, to her swaying to the music of Bubble Guppies on TV—she inspires in me the truth of the world. We keep on renewing ourselves, and in our issue is born new possibilities, fresh outlooks and joy. My granddaughter’s clear gaze and wonder.

There’s not much more inspirational than that.