Introduction: Inspiration Comes and Goes

Staying inspired isn’t easy—and honestly, it’s unrealistic. As a creative juggling deadlines, clients waiting on "the next big idea," and endless content, some days ideas flow until 4 AM... and others, nothing. No spark, no motivation, just a creative block and wanting to curl up in a blanket and do absolutely nothing.

I’ll be straight upl: I’m a workaholic. I love being busy, and if you know me personally, you’ve definitely seen my Google Calendar... if not, just know it’s STACKED.

Balancing murals, sneakers, clothing designs, and whatever else gets thrown my way taught me one thing: waiting for inspiration isn’t enough. You have to create it. 

Well, let’s get into it! Here are 7 ways I keep myself inspired and avoid burning out.

 

1. Prioritize the Big Stuff

For the longest time, I had a habit of starting with the little tasks first: answering emails, organizing my workspace, updating my website….basically, doing everything except the big project I actually needed to work on. I’d avoid the big, important tasks because I wanted to do them perfectly or simply I am just intimidated by it. Instead, I’d trick myself into feeling productive by tackling the small, easy tasks first, just so I can check it off my to do list: 

REALITY CHECK: By the time I was done with those little things, I was mentally drained and had no energy left for the actual work that mattered. 

That’s when I realized that my perfectionism was just procrastination in disguise and I needed to flip my process:

• Start with the big, high-impact tasks (like painting murals or designing sneakers) when energy’s high.
  

• Save the small stuff for off-days or nighttime wind-downs.
  

• If you’re always “too tired” for big projects, ask yourself: are you actually tired, or just intimidated?
  

Takeaway: Your best energy should go toward what actually matters.

 

2. Go Where Inspiration Lives

One of the best ways to reignite your creative spark is to immerse yourself in art. Whenever I need inspiration, I make it a point to step outside my usual environment… AKA my basement (my dungeon) and go somewhere that gives my mind a break because I find that this is what fuels my creativity. I also like to make it a point to get off my phone and physically be present at these places. Or honestly just finding different people and simply talking to them. It’s crazy how having a random convo can give you an idea you didn’t even know you needed. 

Places I love locally and out of town:

• Detroit murals and street art (especially Eastern Market—bucket list to paint there, HINT HINT….)
  

• Wynwood, Miami (pure chaos, color, and creativity... bucket list to paint there too)

Takeaway: Changing your surroundings can change your mindset.

 

3. Social Media = A Goldmine (When Used Right)

I know I quite literally just said get off your phone, but the vast majority of the time I find my greatest inspiration on my social media. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Youtube expose you to artists from all over the world… what’s better than that?!

• Follow artists outside your medium.
  

• Save posts that spark ideas into folders for later.
  

• Engage with other creatives.

(I have boards for every possible thing you can think of)

Takeaway: Curate your feed to fuel your creativity—not drain it.

4. Build a “Creativity Bank”

One of the best things I’ve done for myself is keeping a running list of ideas in my notes. I honestly get my best ideas when I’m dozing off and then I have to wake myself back up so I can write it down–because if I dont BOY they’re gone. 

• I keep a notes app full of random mural, sneaker, and art ideas.
  

• When I’m stuck, I scroll through my vault and pray that something gets ignited.
  

Takeaway: Inspiration is unpredictable. Save it when it comes.

 

5. Respect Burnout (Don’t Ignore It)

Coming from ME, this is a big one. I used to (STILL DO) work nonstop, thinking I have to push through exhaustion to succeed… People always tell me I do too much, but I don’t listen because one, I don’t like being told what to do and two, people don’t understand the vision and expectations i Have for my future.—until I started hitting creative burnout hard. I’ve gotten A LOT better than I used to because I realized this about myself. 

Now I:

• Create daily systems instead of random bursts.
  

• Match work to my energy level.
  

• Respect "off" days—but don’t let them pile up too long.
  
  

Takeaway: Long-term creativity is about sustainability, not sprinting.

 

6. Get Comfortable with Uninspired Days

This one took me a while to accept: you will not ALWAYS feel inspired—and that’s okay.

I find myself feeling guilty when they don’t feel like creating. But creativity is cyclical, and sometimes your mind just needs a little rest and reset every once in a while.

What helps me:

• Bounce between tasks (paint ➔ design ➔ gym).
  

• Step away completely sometimes (friends, gym, a book.. yeah I'm a nerd and what about it?!).
  

• Remind myself creativity always circles back.
  

Takeaway: Flow with your energy instead of forcing it.

 

7. Using AI to Spark Ideas

I want to give a little backstory before jumping into this one. Last year I found out that people visualize things in their heads… APPARENTLY I have this thing called Aphantasia which is “a condition in which a person is unable to form mental images or visualizations.”As an artist, one of my struggles is that I can’t always visualize things clearly in my head before I start creating. Most of the time, I have a vague idea of what I want to do but don’t know how to bring it to life—It takes me hours to render a mockup to see my idea physically since I can’t see it in my head. There also are many instances where you just can't find the right reference image to get you started and this is another example in which AI comes into play.

I know a lot of people are against AI but I actually think it is a really great tool, if used correctly. ALSO NOTE: I’m not suggesting you use AI as your final piece of art, I’ve just found it to be an incredible tool for getting a starting point and speeding up my process (or making it equal to you people that can imagine things… I’m not jealous….). I’ve used several different image generators like DALL E, but Midjourney is by far my favorite one.

Tools like Midjourney help me:

• Generate starting visuals when my mind draws blanks.
  

• Explore concepts when reference photos don’t exist.
  

• Speed up brainstorming without replacing real creativity.
  

Takeaway: AI isn’t a shortcut—it’s a tool to unlock new ideas.

 

Conclusion: Inspiration is Everywhere (If You Know Where to Look)

It’s not about waiting for motivation to magically hit. It’s about building habits that keep your creative fire alive: