When Inspiration Feels Distant

foggy day

Have you ever sat down to tackle a project or write something meaningful, only to find your mind completely blank? You stare at the cursor blinking on an empty page, or look at your workspace with absolutely no idea where to start. The well of inspiration that usually bubbles up feels completely dry. I'm writing this blog on one of those exact days.

I must be honest, I am probably the least creative person that has ever existed, and that is not hyperbole. My well is nearly always dry.

There are many creative people in my family: a painter, a photographer, a gardener, an illustrator, a crafter, but alas, I do not have a single creative bone in my body...maybe I am lacking in the mineral creatium. I am more of a problem solver, which turns out to be quite hard with a lack of creativity.

I have spent years thinking of myself as broken and less than others because I am not the same as them. I tried to fix my lack of creativity. That was futile; you cannot change who God made you to be, but you can rest in the Lord and trust that He made you who you are for a purpose. We may not be able to change ourselves, but the Lord can change us in mighty ways.

Choose Your Battles

How much time do we waste trying to be someone we are not?

How much energy do we spend wishing we had different gifts, different talents, different personalities, different bodies, different bank accounts?

I spent years thinking that if only I tried a lot harder, I could become artistic, but this only brought frustration and a ton of negative feelings. I have tried many arts and crafts, only to discover I am terrible at following directions. (Side note: I have always been really bad at following directions, so it is a miracle I survived college chemistry labs!) I always intend to follow the instructions, but somehow I veer off on my own path. Maybe that is a kind of creativity, just not the safest or most desirable type.

All of this to say that I have learned that we should not spin our wheels trying to be someone we are not. God does not make mistakes; I am not a mistake, and you are not a mistake. The Lord can change us in mighty ways, often not by giving us what we want, but by the slow process of sanctification.

Some battles simply are not worth fighting, ie, the battle to become someone I am not. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to "trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

The real battles worth fighting are often the difficult spiritual ones: the battle against comparison, against self-condemnation, against the lie that we are not enough as we are. As Paul reminds us in his letter to the Ephesians, our struggle is not against people, but against dark and wicked spiritual forces that tell us we are inadequate, that are constantly working to knock us down.

smell the blossoms

Natural Support for Days Lacking Inspiration

Do not force yourself to be something you are not. I cannot force myself to be creative or inspired. But I can lean into Him, take a breath, and trust. And yes, sometimes that breath can be paired with something as simple as a calming, uplifting aroma.

Quiet the Noise

When your mind feels cluttered and self-doubt gets loud, grounding aromas can help you quiet the overwhelming thoughts

• Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) calms mental chatter and encourages focus. Rich in limonene and α-pinene, frankincense may reduce the effects of stress and support restful sleep, which in turn can help clear your thinking. Its warm, resinous aroma pairs beautifully with sweet orange or ginger for balanced encouragement.

Bring in the Cheer

Some days just need a little sunshine; citrus oils can offer a cheerful lift

• Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) offers a bright, uplifting aroma; blending with sweet orange brings a cheerful note. Its high limonene content is linked with mood support and reduced tension. Blend with black pepper or juniper berry for a motivated, upbeat feel.

• Lemon (Citrus limon)bright and clarifying, pairs well with peppermint for a fresh, focused morning

Warm the Soul

For emotional fatigue or indecision, spicy, warming oils can encourage resilience

• Ginger (Zingiber officinale)  offers emotional warmth and motivation, especially when chronic stress leaves you drained or indecisive. Try it with lemon or sweet orange for a cheerful lift, peppermint for sharper focus, or frankincense and black spruce to remember who's you are.

• Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) has invigorating effects on the senses. It has been shown that inhalation of black pepper can increase sympathetic activity, making it helpful for depression and anxiety. Black pepper can be blended with patchouli, juniper berry, and citrus oils to energize and de-stress.

Sharpen the Mind

When you need mental clarity and alertness, minty or herbal oils can help you feel refreshed.

• Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) can help you feel energized and focused. Studies show peppermint can enhance memory, improve alertness, and reduce mental fatigue. Pair with lemon for a focused morning or with juniper berry for a fresh burst of mental energy.

Calm & Clear the Chaos

When stress and anxiety take over and leave you feeling scattered, soothing herbal aromas can refresh the senses

• Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) blends well with essential oils that relieve anxiety, such as lavender, cedarwood, clary sage, lemon, geranium, and bergamot. If you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or out of sorts, sweet basil oil is an ideal oil to be diffused, inhaled, or incorporated into a massage blend with frankincense, lavender, thyme ct. linalool oil, and lemon.

• Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis) has energizing and motivating properties, helping to clear chaotic thoughts. Blend with black pepper to quiet worries, or with your favorite citrus and conifer oils for a fresh, calm atmosphere.

Simple Ways to Use These Oils

• Add to a diffuser and let the gentle aroma fill your space, running the diffuser for 30 minutes in a well-ventilated room

• Place 1-2 drops on a cotton ball or tissue and take slow, deep breaths as needed

• Dilute a carrier oil (3% dilution = 5-6 drops in 10ml of oil) for use in a roller bottle to apply to your wrists and behind the ears for a gentle aromatic nudge throughout the day

• Dilute in oil (1% dilution = 1-2 drops in 10ml of oil) and add to a warm bath with Epsom salts

  

  aromatic bath salts

Essential Oil Recipes for Motivation

Inspiration Through Inhalation Diffuser Blend

• 3 drops frankincense

• 2 drops ginger

• 2 drops sweet orange

Ready for the Day Diffuser Blend

• 2 drops sweet basil

• 2 drops sweet orange

• 1 drop cypress

Inspirational Massage (2% dilution)

• 1 oz carrier oil (jojoba, sweet almond, apricot kernel)

• 5 drops sweet orange

• 3 drops juniper berry

• 2 drops Siberian fir or black spruce

Add all ingredients into a labeled 1-oz dropper or flip-top bottle, and shake well to blend. Massage onto arms, hands, shoulders, and feet

Motivation in a Roller Bottle (3% dilution)

• 10ml carrier oil (jojoba, sweet almond, apricot kernel)

• 2 drops sweet orange

• 2 drops grapefruit

• 1 drop peppermint

Add all ingredients into a labeled 10ml roller bottle, cap, and shake well to blend. Roll onto wrists and behind the ears for an aromatic waft of energy and focus

Thought Provoking Inhaler

• Black aromatherapy inhaler

• 6 drops sweet orange

• 3 drops black pepper

• 3 drops patchouli

Add the drops of essential oil to the inhaler wick, insert it into the inhaler, and snap on the bottom. Unscrew the cover and inhaler as needed for a mental boost

Final Thoughts

The next time you face one of those foggy, uninspired days, remember: do not push yourself into brilliance. Rest in the Lord, and breathe deeply, perhaps with a little help from the gentle gift of plant aromatics, and let Him renew you.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

— Psalm 23