Water covers about 75 percent of the planet. The human body is about 60 percent water, and the human brain is about 85 percent water. Water is needed to think, to live. Is it any wonder then that H2O can serve as a constant source of inspiration?
Take a Shower to Brainstorm Ideas
Can’t seem to think of an idea for a new article? Hop in the shower. There, all distractions are eliminated. No ringing telephone, no Internet, no television to hinder the creative process. In a 15-minute shower, one may come up with numerous ideas, more than he or she would have come up with by sitting at the computer.
Think about it. In the shower, one is left alone with their thoughts. Since there is nothing to draw attention away from those thoughts, there is more time to really contemplate them. Paying attention to these thoughts and taking note of them before returning to the writing process can help new ideas emerge. Don't force anything, just let the thoughts come naturally.
Go to the Beach to Find Inspiration for Settings
When thinking of beautiful locations, one tends to think of them in terms of their beaches. Anyone who has ever received a postcard from Florida, Jamaica, or other such locations with the words “Wish you were here!” above a white sand beach knows this firsthand.
Beaches are an especially good source of inspiration for photographers and artists. Break out the camera or paintbrush and there is a subject that doesn’t need to be posed or airbrushed. Go when the sun is setting or rising, and the colors may take an entire palette.
Writers may want to capture the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, or the colors of the horizon. Or they may want to write a review about a particular beach for a travel site or brochure. It might even serve as the setting for a novel – there are as many possibilities as there are beaches in the world.
Meditate by a Lake to Clear the Mind
Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden: or, Life in the Woods that, “A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” How much more recommendation is needed to find the nearest lake and travel the depths of inner being?
Unlike rivers, lakes stay put, making them perfect for meditation. The lake teaches one to quiet their mind, slow their thoughts, and still their consciousness. Anyone who has done a guided meditation may have used a lake as the setting, as they are very peaceful. That peace translates into inner tranquility, during which all things are possible.
While meditating, some people have visions or images flash through their minds. Others have epiphanies, or receive a sudden answer to a problem that they could not work through themselves. Having a clear objective in mind before setting off can greatly aid in what is achieved during meditation.
Keep a Bowl of Water Nearby to Quiet the Thoughts
If a sojourn to the nearest watering hole is out of the question, the next best thing is to keep water close at hand. Keeping a clear glass bowl of water on the desk, and looking (rather, staring) into it when quiet time is needed can help put things back into perspective. Imagine the answer revealing itself, like a crystal ball. Take a few minutes to think about what the water revealed, or just to think things over, and return to the task at hand.
Tayla Holman - Tayla is a student at Hofstra University, where she is majoring in print journalism and English with a concentration in publishing ...
Join the Conversation