This inspiring article by artist, Vanessa Valencia, was originally published in Somerset Life Summer 2018: Available here.

Twelve years ago I found myself more inspired and excited to plunge into a journey than I had ever been. There was this magical place, vast and intriguing, filled with endless creativity and a platform to share it. I plunged head first into the proverbial rabbit hole of the blogosphere. A creative energy floated around that was so thick you could practically pluck it out of the air. Somehow the energy grew and grew and has burst into an incredible and diverse world beyond our wildest imaginations. There is only one phrase that swirls through my mind when thinking about how this internet space has grown to its enormity, and that is: Creativity is Contagious!

What better way to add authenticity to your life than getting to share it with like-minded people?  There is an inspiration to share your life that grows when another person takes an interest in what you are doing. It’s the best kind of support network a person could hope for. With a camera and laptop in hand, we are able to share our life experiences and magic grows with every tap of the keyboard and every click of the lens. Watching someone plant a garden, style a vintage photo shoot, or push paint around their canvas often inspires another person to plant seeds, buy paint brushes, and go treasure hunting at the local thrift store.

If you take any time away from the blogosphere you begin to realize the importance of it in your life. You will see it very clearly and realize how taking photos and sharing your ideas cause you to be more present in your own life. Most importantly, I have found it to be the most valuable exercise in mindfulness that I have ever known. To look through a lens and share your interpretation of your life in your own story is truly its own version of creative living. It inspires you to set the table prettier, to share your artistic process, and to even document the seedlings growing in your soil. To have a platform to share yourself in such a way is wondrous, but to then watch it inspire and grow as others join in is miraculous.

Inspiration is a gift that so many long for and search for. Many wait for it to come to them, wondering when and if it will make an appearance.

I have found that the best way to find inspiration is to stop looking and start doing.

Going out for a walk and taking photos just might lead you to an encounter with a hummingbird hanging out in the peach blossoms, and better yet, you might get the perfect shot. You may even find yourself eager to share the image on your blog — inspiration a la carte! Slowly but surely you are taking part in creative living without even noticing it. You are picking flowers, but then styling them in jars on your mantel. You are throwing tea parties and inviting anyone who would like to join in on their own blogs to do so as well. By living your true life and sharing it with others you become part of the inspiration. Inspiration comes by doing things, even just stepping away and living your authentic life while taking a few pictures is a perfect path to having something of your own to share with others.

I’ve never been one to ask myself, what is this doing for me? My nature has always been to enjoy giving gifts rather than receiving. But now I realize you are getting the best gift ever when you spread joy. The person’s reaction is better than any gift you could ever receive. And so, when people send me photos of their painted pinecones that look like zinnias, which was a fluke discovery I shared on my own blog, your heart skips a beat. Your creativity is contagious and others are joining in the wave of creativity with you.

Blogging encourages getting off the couch and going the extra mile, to go out and seek beauty to share.

The most important lesson I have learned is that creativity is bigger than making things; it is actually doing things.

Maybe this is a key to what causes people to say, “I have lost my mojo,” or “I am uninspired.” Waiting around for inspiration does not ever make a person feel inspired. In fact, I think it would only make a person feel discouraged. It’s about going out there and doing something in nature, or going to a museum, or anything you enjoy doing – it’s about actually living.

Someone might ask how could planting seeds inspire me to make a sculpture? Now that I am older and wiser I just smile, because I do know that separating yourself and refueling your soul with things that bring you joy are the only road maps to feeling inspired. It goes back to living your authentic life, because tales and photos and stories to share come from actually living.  They come from going outside and being a part of the world. From clinking tea cups to growing flowers and even flinging paint, it’s about doing things that bring you joy rather than waiting and wondering when the joy will find you.

The idea is to find the things you like to do and then do them. Documenting them is the real bonus for you and your readers. It’s a gift for all because you have the opportunity to share your joy and in turn people get to feel inspired to go live their own creative life. It’s the magic of realizing that creativity comes in many forms and when shared, it is truly and wonderfully contagious.

Vanessa Valencia is a mixed-media artist who lives in Tucson, Arizona. To see more of her work, visit afancifultwist.typepad.com, vanessavalencia.com, and afancifultwist.etsy.com. She can be reached by email at vanessavalencia@aol.com.