The Importance of an Inspiring Space and Improving Yours

The picture doesn't do it justice but I found this space on a cruise ship to be quite wonderful... Especially in the evening and morning.   The small shimmering mosaic tile heated seats, and the captains chair view of the expansive ocean was a perfect romantic spot to ponder or accept any sort of magic, I tell you.  

The relationship between inspiration and atmosphere has been a hot topic for me as of late, and I have been feeling desperate for a change of scenery.  The always dry desert, the plain and uniform houses... The white walls and gray floor in my office...  Granted there are many beautiful things around Las Vegas, but they aren't readily visible in my everyday life.  Look around you right now...  At this very moment.  What do you see?  Are you in your workplace? Home?  Out and about?  Now... How does what you see make you feel?  Let's consider how we can improve our space, so as to keep our hearts smiling and creative juices a-flowin'.

First, let's acknowledge the truth, which is that no matter how tough and fierce we are, every human is susceptible to influence, as we are empathetic creatures by design.  Not only does this benefit us by aiding in survival and allowing us to be a part of a community, we have the fortunate pleasure of feeling, and these feelings influence how we create.  There is an obvious downside to this- Do you get the grumps when you look around?  Because I do, quite often.

I'm sure you can relate, and if not, humor me.  Having a full time job, two busy kids, a husband and being a part time student (oh and three dogs) doesn't allow me much time for tending to my house.  So when things get unorganized, I've noticed that it gives me a feeling of chaos and frustration.  These feelings are not conducive to anything creative or otherwise, so in order to focus and control my energy, I have to change my space.  This could be the case with over organization- does your significant other or roommate sanitize and label everything?  Does that cause you to feel confined?  The trick is knowing that there isn't a right or wrong as to how something is SUPPOSED to be, it's all in how it affects you at important times.  Some people may do their best work when frustrated, but as for me, I just hate everything and get overly critical.  

Also, changing a space isn't all about things bothering us, we need inspiration- things to spark our soul.  As I said in the beginning, look around and consider all that you see.  Once you have, identify what space that you have available to you makes you feel most comfortable.  If you're at home, which room is your favorite?  Do you prefer the safety and peace of privacy or the hustle and bustle of your home when you're thinking/ creating?  Once you've determined your setting or technical locus, consider visual cues. What do you feel about the colors around you?  And the fabrics?  Do you have other art there?  My suggestion is that you think about the things that inspire you the most, the things that really make your heart smile, and bring mementos of this into your space; while removing things that may trigger you in the opposite manner.  For example, the ocean seems to free my mind and make me feel like anything can happen.  So, I keep things around me that remind me of the gray gloom of morning fog, the moist and salty smell in the air, the sand...   I have a lovely shade of gray-blue on my walls, paintings of the ocean (that I painted which reminds me that I can create) and try to find little things of beauty to contribute to my atmosphere.  While I have a long way to go, the important thing is that it's in progress. 

If you don't feel inspired indoors or at home, and you've probably already done this, changing up the scenery is great.  As I mentioned, I'm kind of done with the desert, and I crave watching snowflakes fall from a window by the fire, watching the sun burn off a morning fog, hearing thunder, seeing trees and flowers, beautiful architecture, and people.  I could go on and on.  But here, if I had the time, I could find many places from coffee shops and art studios, the beautiful homes of friends, the mountains and many other places to change my energy.  So mix it up, and try different things in different places.  You may find a new voice in a place you'd never taken the time to consider how it impacted your energy.

The last point I'd like to leave you with on considering an inspiring space is that if you can't find anything that improves your space, or any locale that is an improvement, really consult with yourself about your energy.  The problem with traveling or moving things around is that we bring who we are with us everywhere that we go, and if we are not feeling the influence of our surroundings, than perhaps we are not open to it at that time.  Find things that make you feel capable, interested, motivated, loving, beautiful, and whatever else makes you come alive, and see how they help you tap into the most foreign, intense, and flowing parts of yourself. 

PS) Please post links or tell me about your favorite inspiring spaces in the comment section, I'd love to see them!

Alice