I’ve got a sneaky feeling, inspiration, actually…is all around.

I attended the Right Aligned event in Leeds a couple of weeks ago, really well organised, with some excellent speakers. The thing that stuck in my mind was a question from an audience member ‘What do you do when you have a blank page and no ideas?’. The usual (somewhat wanky) answers came up, y’know, go for a walk, read a book etc…but it’s been on my mind ever since, like what DO I actually do? 

Well, the past five days I’ve lived in a field at my first festival, Kendal Calling (there is a connection coming, I promise). As someone who prefers a bougie hotel or a lovely lodge with a hot tub, to say I was apprehensive was an understatement. The anxiety of a portaloo carried me through the days running up to leaving, and also provided me with sleepless nights. Nights that I realise now, were silly. 

But we digress. What the last five days really taught me was simple, inspiration, actually…is all around. Sometimes we just need to look up and see it. Could it really be that simple? I think it might be. 

I came away from Kendal with endless napkins, beer mats, stickers and photos of random things that gave me so many ideas I was chomping at the bit to get back to my desk. The worst, most idiotic thing I think I’ve ever done, was not take a notebook with me. On the back seat of the car there is a copy of Grazia covered in scribbles, the only thing I had to hand was a Sharpie, so naturally it has seeped through multiple pages to the point of being illegible. 

So, back to the point, if you’re sitting looking at an empty page or a blank notebook, just look up. Wander around, do mundane things, see the beauty in everything around you. That might involve going for a walk, or reading a book, but sometimes, we just need to look up.

Or, go to a festival…but take a notebook!