How to Stay Creatively Inspired (Even When Life Gets Busy)

Staying creatively inspired isn't always about having the perfect conditions—it’s about knowing how to reconnect with your creative self when life gets noisy. As a wife, mother, photographer, and artist constantly navigating daily demands, I’ve learned to protect my creative energy with small, meaningful rituals.

In this post, I’m sharing six ways I’ve learned to reignite inspiration when my creative spark feels dim—and how one long-forgotten lens reminded me what it means to see in a new way.

1. Visit Exhibitions or Art Shows

Any exhibition—whether it’s photography, street art, sculpture, or even costume design—has the power to shake up your perspective. Seeing other people’s work pulls me out of my own head and into visual curiosity again. I usually follow it up with an artist biography, which brings the story full circle. If they can create something beautiful while navigating life, so can I.

2. Let Music Set the Tone

Music is emotional fuel. I use it all day—morning drop-offs, gym runs, long edits at my desk. Classical, ambient, acoustic, upbeat… whatever keeps me grounded or moving forward. Find the sound that supports your creativity and let it guide your mood.

3. Read or Listen to Books

Stories help us see things differently. Whether it’s fiction or a deep dive into an artist’s life, reading fills my creative well. Audible and podcasts have become my sidekick during daily LA commutes—I get to immerse myself in ideas even when I can’t hold a book.

4. Do Something New

Routines are efficient, but they can be creatively draining. New experiences—whether it’s walking a different route, taking a class, or using a lens you haven’t touched in years—have the power to unlock new ways of seeing.

5. Connect with Friends

Sometimes the best creative reset is a good conversation. I’ve had entire creative blocks dissolve over coffee with a friend. Their stories shift my perspective—and when I return to my camera, I see everything with fresh eyes.

6. Spend Time in Nature

This one might be the most grounding of all. Every morning, I take my dog for a walk—usually for an hour, no phone, no distractions. Just open space, natural light, and the rhythm of walking. It’s during these quiet, screen-free moments that so many of my creative ideas come to life.

Something shifts when we step away from the noise and back into the world. The landscape, the light, even the silence becomes a kind of inspiration. It’s a reminder that creativity doesn’t always come from doing more—it often comes from being more present.

A few weeks ago, I picked up my old Lensbaby Composer Pro with the Sweet 50 optic—what I lovingly call my diva lens. It’s tricky, unpredictable, and completely manual. But it pulled me into a slower, more deliberate kind of seeing. I took it to Beyond the Streets, a street art exhibition in LA, and something in me clicked.

Using that imperfect lens reminded me of why I create. Not to get everything sharp. But to tell stories that feel alive.

By bending the lens I created the areas of softness in the top of the picture.

Slick’s take on the LA fingers made famous in a photo by Estevan Oriol.

Another example for how you choose your focus point: while bending the lens to the right the left part of the picture falls into softness.

This isn’t a tack-sharp photo. But it tells a story—a man walking into the unknown, and me watching with curiosity. That’s the magic of manual lenses. They invite emotion into the frame.

These are the five ways I return to creativity when life pulls me away from it. What works for you? What rituals or unexpected tools keep you inspired when you’re tired, distracted, or stuck?

Keep Exploring

Looking for more ways to nurture your creativity and stay connected to your voice? Here are a few posts that pair beautifully with this one:

What Travel Taught Me About Growing as a Photographer
A heartfelt reflection on how stepping away from routine and into a new place can open your eyes—and your creative perspective.

Color and Emotion in Photography
Discover how the colors you choose (or notice) can reflect the emotions you carry—and how that connection can deepen your work.

Creative Flow: Beyond the 365 Project
A gentle guide to letting go of rigid expectations and following your natural rhythm as a photographer.

Photography Didn’t Heal Me—But It Helped Me Come Back to Life
A personal story about how creativity can become a quiet companion through life’s hardest seasons—and what it means to make art from emotion.