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I don't normally do this, but I'm going to plagiarize myself and quote a blog post (Just five more minutes, Mom. | As a Linguist...) that I wrote a while back that is essentially about this pull between creativity and logic. Y'all should know by now that I'm not out for clicks - I'm just too lazy to paraphrase 
(I was writing about being a bit burnt out from teaching and not having much creative thoughts about writing, but it applies to a photography rut as well.)
"What is inspiration anyway? Where does it come from? How do we tap into it? Coffee works for my morning routine, but how can I get myself kick-started in the larger sense?
Inspiration. From the Latin: inspirare, meaning ‘to breathe in’. It meant ‘immediate influence of God or a god’ from circa 1300. Around 250 years later, it referred to the literal act of breathing in air. It took another 300 or so years before inspiration also meant ‘one who inspires others’.
So, maybe some deep breathing will do the trick? Finding a muse?
Sometimes I think that the problem I find with defining – or finding – inspiration is that my mind gets in the way. What I mean is that when I try to reason my way into being inspired, it rarely works. When I stop looking for inspiration and let my mind wander, I am inundated with sparks, epiphanies, and eurekas. That’s all well and good, but it only takes me so far. I still need my rational brain to make something of those flashes, otherwise they float away, back into the ether whence they came.
When the morning fog is still sitting in the twists and turns of my brain, however, letting my mind wander in order to find inspiration often results in falling asleep. Even if I do get an idea, my rational left brain is telling my inspired right brain to shut the heck up because it’s tired and overworked and has yet to get a raise or a Christmas bonus.
In short, my muse is still sleepy and confused, but my ego is disgruntled and apathetic, and the super-ego is on strike.
This post, in fact, was written by a scab."
(I was writing about being a bit burnt out from teaching and not having much creative thoughts about writing, but it applies to a photography rut as well.)
"What is inspiration anyway? Where does it come from? How do we tap into it? Coffee works for my morning routine, but how can I get myself kick-started in the larger sense?
Inspiration. From the Latin: inspirare, meaning ‘to breathe in’. It meant ‘immediate influence of God or a god’ from circa 1300. Around 250 years later, it referred to the literal act of breathing in air. It took another 300 or so years before inspiration also meant ‘one who inspires others’.
So, maybe some deep breathing will do the trick? Finding a muse?
Sometimes I think that the problem I find with defining – or finding – inspiration is that my mind gets in the way. What I mean is that when I try to reason my way into being inspired, it rarely works. When I stop looking for inspiration and let my mind wander, I am inundated with sparks, epiphanies, and eurekas. That’s all well and good, but it only takes me so far. I still need my rational brain to make something of those flashes, otherwise they float away, back into the ether whence they came.
When the morning fog is still sitting in the twists and turns of my brain, however, letting my mind wander in order to find inspiration often results in falling asleep. Even if I do get an idea, my rational left brain is telling my inspired right brain to shut the heck up because it’s tired and overworked and has yet to get a raise or a Christmas bonus.
In short, my muse is still sleepy and confused, but my ego is disgruntled and apathetic, and the super-ego is on strike.
This post, in fact, was written by a scab."
![[No title]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/42/42058-8597ac0f687fb4007aa3ca0210936f04.jpg?1619739994)
