The word “spirit” has it.
So does “respite”.
Inspiration. Aspiration. Perspiration. Expiration. They have it.
Even the word “conspire” has it.
The root word in each of these words is “spir”. It means, “to breathe”.
That’s what we do, as Creatives. We aspire and perspire in order to inspire and offer respite for the spirits of others. We even conspire with other artists in these pursuits.
But it doesn’t stop there.
In order to breathe out in creative ways, we must breathe in the creative that surrounds us.
Block and burnout are two key challenges we face, as artists. We all encounter periods when we lack ideas or the energy to do something with the ideas we have.
It’s as if we run out of breath.
Next time you feel blocked or burnt out, remember that the creative life thrives on breath.
So move outside yourself and start breathing in any beauty you find around you.
From May 2012 to July 2013, I wrote a weekly series of intimate essays for writers and artists seeking a deeper connection with their identity and place as modern creatives. I called this series Root Notes. This was an essay in that series. It was originally published on October 18, 2012.