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The other morning, I did something I used to do all the time when I was a student. I consulted the dictionary. Specifically, I looked up the words ascetic and bespoke. I hear or read them occasionally and never know exactly what they mean even though the context usually gives a clue. But bespoke always confounds me because I have no idea what root it derives from and can't puzzle it out in my head that way. So this time, instead of remaining in the dark, I dusted off my dictionary and enlightened myself.I am a creature of habit. Mostly. I do like the comfort of familiarity and I feel secure when I know the playing field of a situation or a project or a place. But I also recognize that routine can quickly lead to rut and boredom and boringness is often not far behind. I work in fields where creative output is my currency. Therefore, creative input is my responsibility. I must feed consistently myself creatively to be able to have a storehouse of inspiration when I need it. So, instead of waiting for inspiration to visit on its own ethereal schedule, how can we nurture and create sources of inspiration?Every week I like to either bring home a new food from the farmer's market or try a new ingredient combination in one of my meal concoctions. On a recent local photo safari, I kept exploring what was around the next corner... just to see what there might be to see. At least once a week, I take a left turn where I typically take a right turn and see what sights the new route has to offer.Taking a cue from my favorite childhood storybook monkey, one of my constant sources of inspiration is to be curious. Curiosity always leads to something new. Even if it's just a new spice in my hot chocolate, it's a new and different experience. A little jolt of new energy. An atom-sized iota of what the explorers in our history books must have felt when they gazed upon new vistas, ate exotic foods, experienced realities beyond anything they had known or imagined before. A new brew in our lives, no matter what form it takes, sparks new questions, new experiences, new dreams, new connections, new feelings...in short, curiosity feeds inspiration.Feeling stuck? Be curious.The other morning, I did something I used to do all the time when I was a student. I consulted the dictionary. Specifically, I looked up the words ascetic and bespoke. I hear or read them occasionally and never know exactly what they mean even though the context usually gives a clue. But bespoke always confounds me because I have no idea what root it derives from and can't puzzle it out in my head that way. So this time, instead of remaining in the dark, I dusted off my dictionary and enlightened myself.I am a creature of habit. Mostly. I do like the comfort of familiarity and I feel secure when I know the playing field of a situation or a project or a place. But I also recognize that routine can quickly lead to rut and boredom and boringness is often not far behind. I work in fields where creative output is my currency. Therefore, creative input is my responsibility. I must feed consistently myself creatively to be able to have a storehouse of inspiration when I need it. So, instead of waiting for inspiration to visit on its own ethereal schedule, how can we nurture and create sources of inspiration?Every week I like to either bring home a new food from the farmer's market or try a new ingredient combination in one of my meal concoctions. On a recent local photo safari, I kept exploring what was around the next corner... just to see what there might be to see. At least once a week, I take a left turn where I typically take a right turn and see what sights the new route has to offer.Taking a cue from my favorite childhood storybook monkey, one of my constant sources of inspiration is to be curious. Curiosity always leads to something new. Even if it's just a new spice in my hot chocolate, it's a new and different experience. A little jolt of new energy. An atom-sized iota of what the explorers in our history books must have felt when they gazed upon new vistas, ate exotic foods, experienced realities beyond anything they had known or imagined before. A new brew in our lives, no matter what form it takes, sparks new questions, new experiences, new dreams, new connections, new feelings...in short, curiosity feeds inspiration.Feeling stuck? Be curious.