Currently, I am sitting at my desk at work, contemplating what I am going to write about today. Now if you read my last post, I made the daunting statement that I would be writing every day as long as I could. I do not know why I made such a statement, because that would mean I am bothering you guys not every 6 months, or more recently every month, but every day! Speaking from a personal perspective, there is only so much I can handle of me on a constant basis. That being said, I am finding that I have a voracious appetite for blogging and I love being able to connect with other people through my words so here we are:)

Staying inspired.

The hardest thing for me is following through on my goals and things that I start, because my mind jumps from project to person to thing all of the time and I just can't seem to slow down. There is nothing wrong with being driven and passionate and full of ideas. I 100% value that in myself and I am very grateful to be that way, but I know that it makes it even harder on the days when I just can't seem to find something to be excited about. Those days come all of the time, and they will continue to happen to us all! However, I want to drop some helpful pointers that have helped me to keep on keepin' on when I'm low on my inspiration and drive.

1. Read a children's book

Hey, that is not as childish as it sounds! ha Get it? Anyways. I am being serious in saying that reading a children's book can recharge your imagination! I was having a pretty sluggish week a few months ago, and I could feel myself sinking towards "the hole'. All my other comrades who have to deal with mental illnesses, such as depression, know what hole I am talking about. It's the hole where everything becomes really hard to do, like getting out of bed and really putting yourself together for the day. I was starting to live in sweats and low key clothes and I was starting to hide myself away in my room all of the time. That is when I knew that I had to change up my routine. So I wandered into my local library (Provo city at the time, it is a great library and I highly recommend it) and I had to hide my face a little as I nonchalantly walked into the children's section and began looking for a book. It did not take me long to find one of my beloved series that I would read and re-read growing up, Peter and the Starcatchers! The books are written by Dave Barry and illustrated by Ridley Pearson, and I can seriously say that those books took my mind away through some very difficult times growing up, and they did the same by inspiring me out of my slump! Fantasy is not for everyone, and I totally get that! If you are more on the analytic scale of things and need something inspiring within that realm., try to think back to what you loved as a child and dive back in. Due to time and aging, the books were a wicked quick read this time around and I almost wish I could have read slower to take everything all in again. It was a great way to get my mind going, and it helped me to start thinking about ways I could add some "magic" to my own life, and especially magic that did not require a made up substance from unknown galaxies.

2. Write out every idea that seems impossible

Different people will take to this idea with varying responses. It is a bit amusing to me because I have been so into personality and studying the behavior of people, that I start to picture how people can react to things. It makes it a lot harder for me when I write my posts because now I am thinking of ways that I can relate to everyone! Which is never going to be the case because there are just too many people and so many experiences that make us all unique...so clearly I easily get off on tangents so let me bring it back.

WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS?? I can't think of a better way to try and rediscover what drives you then to take things that you believe are too hard or off your radar in your life, and make them happen. It does not have to be something huge, it can be as simple as learning a complicated music piece that you do not think you'll ever be able to play. Or putting together some sort of engineering project that seems too complicated. It all depends on you and what you think you can't do. This might just be me, but I find immense pleasure in proving my depressive and anxious alter-ego that I can do things that I didn't think I could do!

3. Go somewhere new by yourself

I have found that some of the best times are when I take a break from people and my life, put on something I feel good in, put a little gas in Fergie (my focus), and drive somewhere new while listening to my comfort jams. Just the other night I decided to defy societal norms of "coolness" and I went to a cute street of shops near downtown Salt Lake City. I didn't end up doing anything super out of this world, but I just wandered around till I found a cute gelato shop and ordered a piping hot latte, and people watched. For a second I felt a little embarrassed that everyone else seemed to be there with someone and were laughing with friends, but I gradually realized that it did not matter what everyone else was doing and chances were high that they did not care that I was there by myself either. It was almost a moment of clarity on a personal level that I could be perfectly happy being by myself, and that I can still accomplish my goals and be happy even if my circle is small right now. Then I left and had a good laugh right out in public over this completely ridiculous video I found on Facebook that can be found right here:

4. Watch a video of someone performing in a way you admire

This one might sound a little strange, and I know not everyone finds joy in cinema or watching videos, but personally I have found that seeing other people do what I dream of doing is inspiring! Here's another "the other day" story, but really, the other day I spent a good hour or so after work watching my favorite dance videos from So You Think You Can Dance. Sometimes I can't help but just put a hand to my heart as I watch those incredibly talented people. I have always had a passion for dance and it helped me to remember that I can really do things that I want to IF I PUT IN THE TIME AND EFFORT. Those two points are the most important while also being the hardest concepts for me to tackle. I live in a perpetual dream world of possibilities that is a great thing, when I learn to follow through on my ideas. I also want to add that there is a big difference between admiring and aspiring to do something you see someone else doing, and coveting and getting down on yourself for not being that person. Not to sound like I am a master at that, but I really do know the effects of living a life where I spend too much time wanting to be someone else or having what they have. What a terrible life it would be if we were all the same person and doing the same things! Personalities and individualism are what defines us and what I value in people. So I highly recommend that you (whomever is reading this) take 5 minutes out of your day to watch something that inspires you. As a side note, if all goes well and I take the time, hopefully I'll have some new content that I will be providing for my reader's viewing pleasures! ha That line was going well until the last few words which sounds so strange to me. Anyways.

5. Take 5 steps in your Inspirational Direction

It is easy to talk a big game and say that you want something great to happen in your life (I would know, I do it often), but it is another thing entirely to act on your ideas and do what sets your soul on fire. I find that the moments of my biggest fear is when I have to take a jump into the deep end of a decision. For this point, it may seem fearful at first attempting to make something a reality, but imagine the regret you can feel knowing that you went through the steps to think things out in your mind and then stopped right before you could do something about it. Despite the way it may seem thinking takes a lot of mental work, and our brains are these beautiful parts of our bodies that have this miraculous ability to imagine and decipher and decide on how to live. Do not rob yourself of that moment of success when you take a step to sign up for an art class, apply for that job you have been thinking about and wanting to go for but never found the courage, pick up that mic in the karaoke bar, or even say hi to that cute coworker who always walks by your desk! I am a firm believer in good karma and good vibes, and when you put in the time and you follow what inspires you through the steps, growth and purpose will come.

Now I am not guaranteeing that everything will work in your favor or that everything will go right when we try and do what inspires us. But I can guarantee that the learning process can only help us all in our journey to keep going and finding a purpose and inspiration. How do I always get back to this point? Probably because I know that real difficult things can happen in life and I have had my fair share of rejection and hurt after following what inspires me. Still, I try not to live in what appears to be rejection, and instead cling to the hope that at least now I know, right? If maybe illustration turned out not to be your thing, it is alright! You are here and you are living and you are a human being who is capable of many talents so go out and follow another passion! Before you know it, your life is moving and you are focused less on the worries of your future and more on the happiness and glory of each day. When I started focusing less on what I don't have or the endings in my life, and instead looked towards something I was good at, something that made me smile thinking about it, and that got my leg bouncing up and down and my cheeks flushing, then I found my inspiration. I no longer was counting the minutes till the end of my workday or just wishing for the night to be over. My days started flying by, and I realized that I was excited just to be by myself creating something new and letting my inspiration take over, and that I did not need events, or people, or even certain status' to feel like I was doing something with my life.

A healthy dose of perspective and effort. That is some hard medicine to swallow for me sometimes, but ultimately much better for my health.

Thanks for reading friends!

Sincerely,

Jessi Hope

Photocred: the beautiful Marisa Tafoya