Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
“We don’t know where we get our ideas from. What we do know is that we do not get them from our laptops.” –John Cleese
I ran across this quote in the very inspiring book Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. It has stuck with me for weeks and I find myself reflecting on it every so often. That tells me there is some major
truth in his words.
How easy it is to get caught up in looking at what other people are doing! Gorgeous images full of art and books and outdoor adventuring fill my Instagram feed. These photos are meant to be inspiring but if I’m constantly scrolling through the feed and not doing the things that bring me joy and use my creativity, I’m completely missing the point.
I have been challenging myself to step away from screens more often and for longer periods of time. Not necessarily to give up the online world completely. There is so much good to be found and, yes, I believe relationships can be nurtured online. But in my day-to-day life I am working to reach for a book or my sketchbook instead of my phone. I am working on setting up designated hours to do computer stuff and offline stuff and I find that when I’m out for a run or reading or sketching, the ideas are flowing.