Find your Formula
I'm not feeling inspired… I said these words to Andrew in the United lounge of Newark Airport. A busy airport with lots of frustrated people waiting around from delayed flights was - surprise, surprise - not exactly a fertile environment where I am primed for success. I pulled out my OneNote on my phone a few times, sifting through old partially finished posts hoping I'd be able to jump into one, only to be left staring at the screen. I did the same with my laptop just before I uttered those words: I'm not feeling inspired.
The second they came out of my mouth I almost laughed at myself. Of course I'm not inspired, this is the most uninspiring place. But then I questioned that thought… how many times had I been in an airport lounge just like this one and been filled with ideas? How many times had I sat in a crowded space but was able to tune out everything around me and only hear the words coming from the deepest parts of me? What was different about those times? The answer came to be instantly.
Music.
Music is my special formula; when I put on my headphones it’s like a bell goes off, signaling my mind that it’s time to write. Music heals me. Music helps my chaotic mind align and draws out the very best of my inner thoughts. When I am feeling overwhelmed, or stressed, or like I have so many voices in my head and I can't sort them out, it’s music that sets me free. So that's what I did. I put on my headphones, turned on my That T-Swift Power playlist and within - I kid you not - about 30 seconds I was off, and my fingers have not stopped typing since. I went from feelings of blocked-imposter to Pulitzer-Prizer in a span of just a few minutes, all because I put on my headphones.
If you are ever feeling uninspired, try to think back to the times when you were inspired. What was different? Think about the specific elements of those moments and recreate them. Like Pavlov’s dog that starts to drool at the sound of the bell, we have conditioned ourselves for success - we just need to figure out what our bell is.
