Motivation comes to me in a variety of ways.

I use music a LOT.  If I have a chore (or chores) to be done, I almost always put a CD on to motivate myself.  My husband even installed a radio/CD player under one of my kitchen cabinets so I could have music RIGHT THERE whenever I wash dishes or am cooking. (He was probably hoping the music would help me BE in the kitchen more often, which would result in MORE clean dishes on a regular basis and MORE home-cooked meals.  I could do better, but I think his plan worked!)

I use google to get motivated.  That sounds funny, I’m sure.  But whenever I am sitting at my computer and I’m “stuck”, not sure what direction to head (whether creating for myself personally or for my business) – I call up google.  I’ll do random searches.  Image searches.  And I’ll get an idea… or an inspiration… and then I’m off and running with a new project.

I use the success of others to get myself going.  Especially the success of people I admire.  I have some pretty smart and talented friends (and family), and their success encourages ME to keep trying.

As I was thinking about inspiration and motivation this morning, I had a couple of photos of Samuel pop into my mind.

Samuel learned to use the monkey bars this year at school.  They have two kinds on the playground, and he likes the hanging stationary hoop bars best.  It has been truly amazing to watch him go from NOT ABLE at ALL, to swinging like a.. well.. monkey!

On the last day of school, I had my camera (of course), and I was taking photos of him running around, playing with friends and posing by the playground equipment.  At one point he ran for the monkey bars, and I raised my camera to take a shot or two.  I had to blink through tears to get the shots, because Samuel didn’t just swing from hoop to hoop… he swang BACKWARDS from hoop to hoop. Now, that may not seem like a very amazing feat, but trust me – if you knew how difficult the learning process was for him with these monkey bars, you’d be amazed too.

I only got one GOOD shot of him going BACKWARDS on the hoops.  He was just too fast for me and my camera.  Before I knew it, he was down and smiling… and, oh so proud.

Yep, yep… this kiddo INSPIRES me to keep on trying.  Keep on going. Even when it’s HARD and you think you’ll never “get there”.  Keep on, keepin’ on, as the saying goes.

So, what motivates you?  What inspires you?  What GETS YOU GOING, when you need a push in the right direction?

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I have been struggling for a couple of weeks with creative blockage… (and for several months with writer’s block!)  Part of it is because I’ve been SO busy (which is a really good problem to have when you are in business); it means I don’t have as much time to be creative JUST for creative’s sake.  You know, I’ve turned my hobby into a business, so I have no more hobby!

I don’t know about you, but when I get the blockage thing happening, I also start to have a lot of self-doubt.  I’m a lot more critical of whatever I produce, and I begin to think things like, “why did I ever think I could do this for a living??!”

So… give me some ideas for getting out of the slump, the negative thought patterns, and back to clear-minded creativity again! Anyone have any new hobbies I should know about??

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So today, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, here are a few “love” layouts that inspire me.  I hope they inspire you too!  Be sure to check out the galleries linked below each layout for MORE inspiration.

This is a scraplift of Erica Webster’s * My World * layout, and I love what she did with it!

jorgies5’s gallery

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scrappinflo’s gallery

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immaculeah’s gallery

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sczos911’s gallery

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Be sure to leave some “love” for these layouts!

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