When I was approached to write a blog post about inspiration, I sat down, opened up a fresh, new document and was… totally uninspired. I’m an art director, not a writer. So I blame my writer’s block on not being a writer in the first place. But as I thought about the subject of inspiration a little more, I realized it’s not always something that sparks and manifests at convenient times (or even daylight hours). Sometimes you have to hunt for it.  

But this blog post wasn’t going to write itself. So I took a look back at the last year to identify my learning experiences and key moments of finding inspiration. Here are three highlights:

1. Social media is a great place for inspiration.

I’ve always been late to the party when it comes to social trends––Instagram is a pretty new thing for me. But with suggestions, support and encouragement from my coworkers, I’ve learned that social is a great place to turn to when I have the itch to create. My Insta-feed is full of hand-lettering artists, painters, printmakers, photographers and other creators. Seeing the awesome things that people do has encouraged me to try all kinds of new mediums. And while not every one of these endeavors has been a success, just experimenting in different crafts and design approaches is enough to reinvigorate my creativity.

2. Leverage the people around you.

I’m lucky to work in an office that is full to the brim of creative and smart people. Not a day goes by that I don’t bounce ideas off those around me. If I’m ever struggling with creativity or design, I talk to my colleagues for inspiration. I especially like to run things past those with a different professional background than me. Copywriters and Account Service members tend to have unique processes to problem-solve, and that outside perspective is sometimes just what I need to jump-start an idea.

3. Take advantage of industry events.

I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend the Adobe MAX in California, an annual three-day creative conference focused on expanding knowledge, fine-tuning technique and recharging creativity. I attended keynote presentations, participated in hands-on classes and workshops, and got to listen to dozens of industry experts, including a few personal heroes of mine like Ron Howard and Jessica Hische. I was able to expand upon my existing skill set, learn a few new tricks and collect a wealth of information to bring back to my colleagues at akhia.

Beyond the official agenda of the conference, each day also presented opportunities to meet people in my field from all different backgrounds and walks of life. It was inspiring to hear the stories about their careers, companies and favorite projects, and pick their brains a little bit too.  

Being able to get out of the office for a few days, surrounded by people that were just as passionate about the field I work in was amazing. I know not every industry has an Adobe MAX, but if you have the chance to attend a conference or industry event, dive in headfirst!

So there you have it. Whether you look two feet ahead at a screen with an eye-opening social feed, walk 20 feet to your buddy’s desk for a creative conversation or journey 2,000 miles across the country to an amazing event, inspiration is there—don’t be afraid to hunt for it.

Looking for some inspiration today? Follow akhia on Instragram!