I used to be a night owl. In high school, I would stay up late watching reality television shows and then sleep in as much as I could in the mornings. I was always five to ten minutes late for first period and often apologized to my high school teachers for my tardiness. Like any high school student, I lived for the weekends so I could sleep in as late as I wanted. Ten years later and much to my chagrin, I married an early riser.

After being married, I find myself valuing my mornings. Ironically, I’ve found this sense of synchronization with my husband in my daily routine. We grab a cup of coffee and sit on our couch, checking Instagram. Sounds pretty mundane, but that’s what we do. As a musician, I tend to work in the afternoons and evenings so I use the first few hours of my morning to gain inspiration for the day. I have noticed that my attitude has become more positive since incorporating creative inspiration into my day. Now, I find that I don’t dread the projects I have to complete at work, I feel prepared, and I have more enthusiasm throughout the day.

As creatives, it is so important for us to actively seek inspiration. Here are some ideas for incorporating this into your daily routine:

1. Watch some form of media. Either a documentary, movie, or television show – watch it with intentions to create something out of an idea. Sit down on your comfy couch, grab a notebook, and write down words, phrases, or ideas that intrigue you.
2. Listen to a podcast! This is a new form of gathering information that could help improve your craft in great ways. It’s always beneficial to listen to the ideas of others.
3. Read. Push yourself to read a book that you normally wouldn’t read. Maybe it’s a fictional series, or that difficult book in the Bible that you can’t seem to understand fully. Challenge yourself to find meaning in it.
4. Change your surroundings. In a cubicle all day? Freshen it up, get some new decor, make your office a place that constantly inspires you and makes you wanna stay there all day. Or, plan a weekend trip to a nearby city. Sit down at some cafes, do some sightseeing, or take some creative pictures on your iPhone.

In order for me to be inspired, I watch a video that has beautiful cinematography while weaving a wall hanging. I tend to listen to a podcast while painting watercolor, or will often listen to music while writing for different projects. These forms of media motivate me to create. My best advice is to find something to pursue and make it a priority to find time to seek inspiration into your daily routine. The most important part of this is finding the time and making time for it.

While the morning used to be spent snoozing away in bed, it is now the most essential part of my day. I can’t go on with my day without being inspired or creating in some form. Ironically, this makes me thankful for my early-rising husband, for always pushing my ideas and encouraging me to keep creating.

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Check out our new Keepsake Companion Journal that pairs with our So God Made a Mother book!

Order Now
So God Made a Mother's Story Keepsake Journal

Trina Harger

Trina Harger identifies herself as a millennial trying to find meaning behind creative discoveries. She loves to explore local boutiques and restaurants in her home of St. Louis. She also enjoys reading a good book, writing for her blog http://www.trinacherie.com/ and weaving wall hangings in her spare time. Trina received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, with emphases in vocal performance and worship arts from Greenville College and is continuously fascinated by the arts and spirituality. Though raised in Nebraska, she now calls St. Louis home with her husband, Lucas Harger, and their beloved husky named Sasha. Follow @trinacherie on Twitter and Instagram to see what she's up to at the moment.

To The Mother Who Is Overwhelmed

In: Inspiration, Motherhood
Tired woman with coffee sitting at table

I have this one head. It is a normal sized head. It didn’t get bigger because I had children. Just like I didn’t grow an extra arm with the birth of each child. I mean, while that would be nice, it’s just not the case. We keep our one self. And the children we add on each add on to our weight in this life. And the head didn’t grow more heads because we become a wife to someone. Or a boss to someone. We carry the weight of motherhood. The decisions we must make each day—fight the shorts battle...

Keep Reading

To the Mother of My Son’s Future Wife

In: Grown Children, Inspiration, Kids, Marriage, Motherhood, Relationships
marriage, wife, husband, grown children, www.herviewfromhome.com

To the mother of my son’s future wife, I’m in the midst of dirty diapers and temper tantrums, but I do have days where I think about the future and what it will look like for my son. I wonder who he will be, what he will do and probably most of all, who he will love. I wonder about the type of woman he will bring home to meet us one day. I have my own thoughts on the type of person I wish my son would fall in love with, but we all know that the heart wants...

Keep Reading

Trading Fleeting Moments of Fame for Unshakeable Faith

In: Faith, Inspiration, Relationships
Trading Fleeting Moments of Fame for Unshakeable Faith www.herviewfromhome.com

The string quartet began playing Pachelbel, as my dad and I took our first steps down the aisle. I began to lose my composure as we proceeded to the altar. Hundreds of guests had their eyes on me as tears streamed down my face. Struggling to look my future in the eyes, I looked to the ground for reprieve. God, everything around me looks perfect, so why doesn’t this feel right? I’m not sure how I got here. The flame once dancing inside of me, has extinguished. Lord, I need you. Dad squeezed my hand gently, “Are you OK sweetie?”...

Keep Reading

Children Don’t Get Easier, We Just Get Stronger

In: Inspiration, Mental Health, Motherhood
Children Don't Get Easier, We Just Get Stronger www.herviewfromhome.com

“This too shall pass.” As mothers, we cling to these words as we desperately hope to make it past whichever parenting stage currently holds us in its clutches. In the thick of newborn motherhood, through night wakings, constant nursing and finding our place in an unfamiliar world, we long for a future filled with more sleep and less crying. We can’t imagine any child or time being more difficult than right now. Then, a toddler bursts forth, a tornado of energy destroying everything in his wake. We hold our breath as he tests every possible limit and every inch of...

Keep Reading

This North Dakota Homecoming Queen is Capturing Hearts Everywhere

In: Inspiration, Kids, School, Teen
This North Dakota Homecoming Queen is Capturing Hearts Everywhere www.herviewfromhome.com

When Paula and Kevin Burckard’s third child was born, she arrived with a little something extra the North Dakota couple never saw coming.  Newborn Grace had Down syndrome, and the diagnosis initially left the young parents devastated. “When Grace was born, I thought all my dreams for my daughter had basically been dashed,” Paula said.  But it didn’t take long for those fears to subside.  As Grace grew, not only did she meet and surpass milestones, her infectious joy, inspirational grit, and deep love of all things Michael Jackson transformed the family—and countless hearts. The Burckhards went on to adopt...

Keep Reading

Dear Kids, When I Forget What It’s Like To Be Little

In: Child, Inspiration, Kids, Motherhood
Hey Mom, Don't Forget—You Were a Kid Once, Too www.herviewfromhome.com

The kids were squealing in the backseat. For the five minutes prior they were begging me to spill the beans on where we were going as I had only told them to get their shoes, get in the car and buckle up. It’s one of the ways I’ve learned to make a simple trip out of the house one that is a mysterious adventure to them. As we took left and right turns away from our house, they were trying to guess where we were going . . . and when we finally pulled up to a brand new playground...

Keep Reading

My Children Deserve To See the Whole Me, Not Just the Mom Me

In: Inspiration, Journal, Motherhood
My Children Deserve To See the Whole Me, Not Just the Mom Me www.herviewfromhome.com

Before I was a mother, I was a human being. A human being with life experiences, passions, fears, talents, hobbies, goals, friends and aspirations that I cherished and tried to honor. Even though I went through a variety of seasons of life . . . from school-age days, to working adult, to wife . . . those things always stayed with me. I stayed open to evolving, but never let go of who I inherently was. Then came motherhood. And suddenly I found myself abandoning my commitment to remain true to me, and leaving any semblance of myself in the...

Keep Reading

My Mother-in-Law’s Legacy: Simplicity

In: Inspiration, Journal
My Mother-in-Law's Legacy: Simplicity www.herviewfromhome.com

The memories of my mother-in-law spilled to the forefront of my mind, just as the contents of his jacket pocket fell onto our dresser. It was Proverbs 31, written on hotel stationery, in my neatest block print. Holding the small papers in my hand brought me right back to her graveside, on a hot summer morning, seven years ago. “Her children arise and call her blessed.” (verse 28) As my second daughter gave a mighty kick from the womb, visible to every mourner present that day, I couldn’t help but to allow my mind to wander. Were my values apparent...

Keep Reading

A Car Accident Left My Teenager Paralyzed—and Incredibly Fierce

In: Inspiration, Journal
A Car Accident Left My Teenager Paralyzed—and Incredibly Fierce www.herviewfromhome.com

I drove back from my son’s college concert near midnight. Exhausted, I glanced at my 14-year-old daughter, Beth, asleep in the passenger seat. We were only 10 minutes from home. I thought I could make it until I heard a road sign flatten on concrete. As the car flipped three times across a bare Ohio field, we left behind an ordinary life. I escaped with cuts, bruises, and blood-matted hair. Beth was another story. The car was cut open and a helicopter rushed her to Toledo. A doctor told my husband John that she was paralyzed. When John broke the news...

Keep Reading

Dear Mama, You’re Allowed To Not Be There

In: Inspiration, Motherhood
Dear Mama, You're Allowed To Not Be There www.herviewfromhome.com

Friday afternoon was not much crazier than most afternoons. My husband was mowing the lawn, my daughter was hangry and my youngest son was due to be in a talent show in twenty minutes. I stood in the kitchen—where it seemed like I’d been for an hour—trying to motivate my family to eat dinner and get ready to go. “Get dressed, Jude. Make sure you eat something.” “Dean, do you want a slice of pizza before we leave?” I screamed over the lawn mower. “Maeve, are you going to the optional soccer practice or the talent show? You need to...

Keep Reading