Inspiration

After not participating in @galenkp's weekend commitment for a long time, I thought it was time to dive in again today. And this time I chose the third question because it made me think a little deeper. The other two questions too, but I finished talking about them very quickly. So then the question, "How do you inspire others, and why?". Not that this question is so easy to answer. My first instinct would be, "I don't inspire others!". But when I had to laugh about it myself and said it to my partner, I was taken aback. He thought I was doing a great disservice to myself by thinking this way. So that made me think a little deeper. Inspiration, I am driven by inspiration myself. And just as often I say that my inspiration is gone. When that inspiration is gone I feel down, but when I have inspiration there is always something I find to do, and I start on ten new projects simultaneously. Inspiration is what has driven me all my life.

Passion

I find inspiration in the most unexpected and the most ordinary places. But even though I can find inspiration everywhere, two things inspire me enormously, passion and beauty. When I see how people are completely absorbed in their hobbies or follow their hearts, it touches me. At such a moment I feel inspired by their passion. And often such a spark jumps out in me and it also encourages me to unleash my creativity.

My passion for creating things, keeping my hands busy, and making something beautiful from scratch is a constant source of inspiration for me. Whether I'm painting, doing pyrography, or capturing the world with my camera, being busy, discovering the beautiful, and creating something from nothing is my outlet. You often hear people say that it allows them to express thoughts and feelings in a way that words alone cannot, I honestly don't know if that's what draws me to it. For me it's more like becoming disconnected from the world, no longer realizing where I am, what's going on, and not thinking about anything else. Just busy making what I make. That's the nice thing about being busy for me. Being able to quiet my thoughts. I am also enormously inspired by my partner, he is incredibly creative and overflowing with ideas.

While I am inspired by colors, textures, and shapes, my partner finds inspiration in wood. He is a master in woodworking and his work is beautiful. I admire his ability to turn a rough piece of wood into something beautiful. His ability also inspires me, and that was actually what got me into Pyrography.

Inspiration Is Everywhere

But inspiration isn't just about finding beauty in art; it is also about finding meaning in the everyday. I can remember countless times walking down the street with my dogs, and suddenly I find myself admiring the rays of sunlight shining through the leaves on the farmland next to me. The corn gently bobbing up and down in the wind, or the colors of approaching autumn. Many things can touch and inspire me.

How Do You Inspire Others, And Why?

So when I come back to the question "How do you inspire others, and why?", I think sharing my passions is a very important part of that. It has happened before that friends, after being in my company a few times while taking photos, became so inspired by my passion for photography that they also bought a camera themselves and started taking photos. An old friend even went so far as to copy more. She bought a dog when I had a puppy when I went to the hairdresser and had my hair cut short, she went to the hairdresser the next day, and when I bought a station wagon she had one too a week later. I don't know whether this can still be called "inspiring others". But what I think is that I can inspire other people through my enthusiasm. But I'm not consciously doing that at all. I like the idea that my passion can encourage others to embrace their creativity.

Not Always Easy

Finding inspiration is not always easy. So in that respect, I think it can be nice to be inspired by someone else. It can help you move forward if you get stuck. And it can help you discover a new passion you never thought possible. And it's easy when someone else inspires you. At times when life challenges you, you can be quite uninspired. I've had plenty of moments when I felt overwhelmed by doubt and uncertainty, and it seemed like inspiration was hard to find. And in those moments I was happy that my partner, for example, was around to help me through those moments. To inspire me again. The reverse is also true. In his dark moments, I also try to inspire him to find his creativity again. Inspiration can be found all around us, even in the most difficult moments.

When it comes to inspiring others, I believe it all starts with passion and authenticity. Passionate people who stay true to themselves generally radiate an energy that attracts and inspires others.

^{All photos are my own, made of artworks created by me and/or my partner}

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