“I am just not feelin’ it.”

That was exactly how I felt yesterday, as I stared at a blank screen pondering what to write for my blog post. I’ve actually felt that way off-and-on for several days. I love to write, but I simply did not feel inspired. Then, last night, I got the word.

While watching a rerun of an episode of Art Race, one of the competitors shared some insight with a class of art students. Sharing a quote he heard, he said, “Inspiration is for amateurs; real artists go to work.”

I was cut to the quick. Sitting around waiting for inspiration, I avoided taking the difficult step of being creative anyway. I was waiting for some external stimulus to motivate me, when that motivation needed to come from me.

It is all too easy to allow our actions to follow our feelings, but that is a backward approach. In reality, our feelings follow our actions. We do not wait for the endorphins to kick in before we begin our exercise. We do not wait to feel loving before we begin to love. We do not wait for inspiration to take on the tasks of the day. In each situation, we decide to act and then we can celebrate when the feelings follow.

So, truthfully, I am not sure I am feeling inspired, but I am stepping out in faith, believing inspiration will rise up with each step. I can feel it stirring even now.