Inspiration is a funny thing. Organic, authentic, original, unique, and definitely personal. We all have things that inspire us, but none of us are always one hundred percent inspired twenty-four-seven. These are the times that make it easy to lose that spark, that motivation, that fire to do what we love - whatever it may be. These moments, weeks, days, months that we’re uninspired - they’re also the times when it’s most important to push through.

I can promise you that even the most motivated and influential entrepreneurs, creators, artists, scientists, motivators, and inventors have gone through days of feeling uninspired, maybe even months. This isn’t what makes them great - it’s how they bounce back. The key is how well they know themselves in order bounce back. You will feel uninspired, and the most important thing to know is that you’re not alone.The second most important thing to know is yourself, so here are some practices that will help you learn how to deal with times of little inspiration and motivation.

1. Keep track of when you get hit with waves of inspiration, whether it be through external influences or internal influences. Whether these light bulb moments are big or small, it’s important. Write down a few words that describe how you’re feeling; write down what inspired you, how it inspired you, and what it inspired in you. Keep these documents or notebook pages and look back at them when you’re feeling a lack of inspiration.

2. Know how many external influences you can truly handle. It’s great to seek inspiration elsewhere, but with so many influences at our fingertips, it can be easy to fall subject to self-criticism instead of inspirational influence. Sometimes it’s a good idea to take a break from social media; just sit, think, and pay attention to what comes.

3. Take a break from what you’re working on. There are so many ways that you can take a break, whether it be a short walk, a little meditation, talking with a friend, or even sleeping on it - pretty much anything unrelated to the work in front of you. Most business workers, creators, and athletes report that their best work comes a day or two after their “rest" day.

4. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You won’t always be inspired, and that’s okay. Know what makes you feel inspired, and indulge in that. Take time for yourself and rest. Overstimulation in any aspect can kill that inspiration, so don’t be afraid to just be.