25 Ways to Find Inspiration, Relax and Clear Your Mind

I try to at least once a day do something to help me relax and clear my head – otherwise I would probably be spinning in circles most of the time. Being a creative person, I am always looking for ways to clear my brain because sometimes it's not so much about not having inspiration and more about needing some focus and clarity.

Best of all, most of the things you can do to find inspiration and clear your mind don’t take a lot of effort or time to do – you just have to do them.

Today I'm excited to share 25 ways to find inspiration, relax, and clear your mind - I try to do at least 1-2 of these things daily!

Here are 25 Ways to Find Inspiration, Relax, and Clear Your Mind:

1. Music:

No matter what my mood is or what I need to get done, music is a BIG source of inspiration. There’s music to fit any mood and sometimes just hearing certain songs can make you feel good.

Playing guitar or piano (even if you have no talent) is another great creative outlet to find a little inspiration and/or clear your head.

2. Nature:

The world is a beautiful place, and yet most of the time we’re too busy to enjoy it. Whether you decide to watch the sky or just go for a walk in the woods, it can instantly make you feel less stressed and help get that creativity going again.

If getting outdoors is difficult for you, there are ways to enjoy nature indoors. You can watch nature documentaries, listen to soothing nature sounds, or even just sit outside on your patio, deck, porch or next to a window.

3. People Watching:

Sometimes it is easy to be overwhelmed by the people we encounter daily through work or school or our families. But watching complete strangers can give you the opportunity to view life from someone else’s eyes.

You can guess what they might be thinking or feeling or going through. You might find some ideas pretty easily by watching someone else for just a few minutes.

Here's some fun things to ask while people watching:

• What is this person's favorite color?
• What are their relationships and family like?
• What kind of job might they have?
• What's their zodiac sign?
• What kind of music do they listen to?

4. Take a Road Trip:

Going for a drive and seeing new things can help you clear your head as well. Choose a destination 1-2 hours away from home and enjoy a nice day trip to see some new sights and refresh your mind.

One thing to keep in mind though is you should always have a destination - don't just drive aimlessly! This is something my Dad engrained into me when I was learning how to drive - having a destination will make your travels a lot safer.

5. Photographs:

Thanks to the power of the internet, there are millions of photos to take a look at and use for inspiration. As the saying goes, “a picture says 1000 words”.

If you like to take your own photographs, why not take a day sight seeing and snapping shots? Taking some time to go out and take pictures can be a great source for inspiration and relaxation.

6. Dreams:

Dreams can be very powerful in giving you insight in your life. If you have problems remembering dreams, all you need to do is get into a habit of writing about what your dreams were – even if very hazy or foggy at first. You’ll start remembering very vivid details before long.

Understanding your dreams is one step to understanding yourself better – and even if the dream is complete nonsense it may give you a few good ideas! A good night of rest can do wonders as well!

If you want to learn how to interpret your own dreams, check out my article on How to Interpret Dreams. For a creative way to understand the different symbols, you can also try the colored pencil method or making a mindmap.

7. Great Food:

Inspiration can come from waking up your senses and taste is no exception. Maybe its comfort food or something exquisite. Sometimes ice cream makes everything all better too. If you tend to be overindulgent a lot, cutting back to healthier eating habits can also help improve your mood and help you concentrate.

8. Aromatherapy:

Sure, a lot of people will roll their eyes at the thought of candles and incense and all of that. But smell is another important sense that when stimulated can help you instantly relax.

Recently I used an old real estate trick to put a few teaspoons of vanilla on a pan in the oven to warm. The whole house radiated of a warm fuzzy baking cookies smell that put everyone instantly in a good mood. Lavender is also another smell that many people find relaxing.

9. Touch:

While we’re on the subject of the senses, touch is another that we often forget to nurture. Whether you hold someone’s hand, sign up for a day at a local spa for a massage, rub your dog’s belly, or just wear you most favorite worn out comfy t-shirt– the things your body touches and come into contact with can have a big affect on your mood and your creativity.

10. Close Family/Friends:

The people we are the closest to are typically the ones we take for granted the most. Take a time-out and really listen to them what they are thinking about or doing. You’ll be surprised at how inspiring it might be to see what they have to say or a different perspective on a situation you’re in.

11. Online Forums and Groups:

If I’m ever stuck on a coming up with ideas or need somewhere to talk to people, online forums are great for this! Complete strangers love to talk about their problems and listen to yours. Forums give you a place to offer solutions for other’s problems, give you a place to vent, or just get new perspectives you hadn’t thought of before.

We also have our Artjournalist Community Facebook Group - I love visiting this group and seeing all of your creative artwork and ideas! It's always an inspiration!

12. Magazines & Newspapers:

With everything online anymore, we forget about the thrill of a magazine coming in the mail or opening up the Sunday paper and spreading it across the table or couch.

I like magazines and newspapers because they are perfect for my short attention span and they are also full of recent events and opinions to help inspire you.

13. Brainstorm:

Sometimes a good brainstorm can help you think of new ideas and thoughts. You can list pros and cons if you are trying to make a decision, or you can map it out with a list of ideas and cloud bubbles.

If you love lists, check out our post on ideas for lists to make. Using list prompts is a great way to brainstorm and come up with some new fresh ideas.

14. Paint, Draw, Color:

Painting with watercolors or acrylic paint is always relaxing and a great way to express yourself. I've found it is an instant stress reliever, even when my artwork isn't exactly a masterpiece.

Coloring books are also a great outlet - you can use markers, colored pencils or even gel pens for some instant relaxation!

15. Hydrotherapy:

A hot bath or shower, a soak in a hot tub, maybe even a few laps around a pool can all do wonders in relaxing you and helping you think clearly. Haven’t you ever heard anyone say “I do my best thinking in the shower?”

16. Break the Monotony:

Most days follow a routine of some sorts. Routines are usually good – you’re more organized and better prepared to handle the stress that’s bound to come your way.

But every so once in awhile, it's good to take a break from your routine. Do something entirely spontaneous. You’ll find yourself rejuvenated again.

17. Exercise:

Exercise can sometimes feel like a chore before you start but once you do it you can find it to be an instant pick-me-up. It takes awhile to be motivated to exercise regularly, but it truly can help you relax and vent off some steam.

Some of my favorite forms of exercise are taking walks, hiking, swimming and dancing. Yes - try turning up the radio or putting on your favorite upbeat music playlist and just dance in your living room!

18. Do Nothing:

Sometimes when you’re so caught up in the hustle and bustle of everything, what you really need is some do nothing time. Think about how much time you spend doing absolutely nothing – there’s a good chance you’re not giving yourself a break if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed out.

Give yourself permission to take an hour (or maybe even a whole day) and do absolutely nothing. When you come back from your break, you're likely to find yourself invigorated with new ideas and the motivation to get back to life.

19. Clean House:

Trust me, I hate cleaning as much as anyone. But after I clean I always feel a lot lighter and in a better mood.

Clutter and disorganization can make you feel overwhelmed. Whether you decide to organize the files on your computer or to clean out the garage or do dishes by hand in the sink doesn’t matter – sometimes just cleaning things out can help you clear your mind and give you a sense of order and control.

20. Write:

Writing for me has always been an excellent way to relax and be inspired. In one of my favorite books The Artists Way by Julia Cameron, she suggests an exercise called The Morning Pages, where you just write whatever you have on your mind each morning. Getting all of that clutter in your mind can really help you focus and stay inspired throughout the day.

Keeping a daily or weekly journal can help you sort out thoughts and ideas and feel better – as well as take a look back at what you’ve done which can be inspiration.

If writer's block is a problem, I’m a big fan of “freewriting” – you set a timer for 5 minutes and just write non stop for that 5 minutes. Sure, you might find yourself writing a lot of nonsense – but you might also find a few great gems of ideas in there as well.

21. Add Some Greenery:

You don’t have to have a green thumb to enjoy gardening. A few low maintenance house plants or doing some landscaping or even mowing the grass can all provide an outlet to escape the usual stress and help you clear your mind.

I personally like to keep succulents and cacti. I'm not very good with plants at all, but succulents and cacti are one thing that I've managed to keep alive long term. My plants always make me smile when I see them, and I name them and talk to them and sing to them all the time. (And yes, if you're new here and wondering, I really AM crazy!)

22. Meditate:

Spending some time to quietly reflect and clear your head can work wonders as well. If you struggle with regular mediation because it is hard to get the never-ending banter of thoughts out of your head, guided meditation can be a great option.

With guided meditation, you use a recording or video to help you visualize an outcome or clear your mind. This is a nice way to feel more relaxed and takes the stress out of trying to meditate.

23. Do a Puzzle:

It doesn’t matter if you do a jigsaw puzzle or a crossword puzzle – puzzle solving is a great way to exercise your brain and help you get your mind off the more important things for a little while and help you relax.

24. Laugh:

There’s proof that laughter is perhaps the best medicine and even good for you – but it’s a good chance you’re not laughing enough.

Next time everything goes wrong don’t start yelling – laugh. Make sure you find something funny at least once a day.

25. Get Your Frustrations Out:

One of our biggest problems is we tend to bottle up emotions or feelings. It’s not usually intentionally, but the day to day aggravation can eventually make you feel like you might just snap.

So go ahead and find some healthy ways to release your frustration and anger. Take some time at a batting cage or golf range, pound some tennis balls, punch a pillow, or scream at the top of your lungs. You’ll feel better that you did!

Do you feel inspired yet? There’s a ton of things you can do that can instantly make you feel better and at peace with the world. Most aren’t hard to do – you just need to make sure you put things like these on your priority list right up there with “get dressed today” and “feed kids”.

Giving yourself some space and time can help you move from feeling like you can’t get anything done to feeling like you can conquer it all.

What are some of your favorite ways to find inspiration, relax, and clear your mind? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!