Ever feel like you’re being ungrateful? Like, yes, you should feel thankful to have a job especially knowing how many people are out there searching for work. But gratitude only stretches so far when you spend 8 hours a day staring at gray walls. There’s no spark in your surroundings. The office chatter doesn’t interest you. Your mind constantly drifts to another place.
A place with colorful walls, funky spinning chairs, winding staircases, maybe a brick accent wall, a space that breathes creativity. Not just the office, though, the city too. You picture busy sidewalks, the hum of cars and bikes, towering buildings, endless options for things to do, fresh experiences, trendy alcohol-free spots that feel lively and inspiring. Fun. You’re there in your mind until reality yanks you back, and you’re staring at those gray walls again. The daydream lingers, though, giving you hope that one day, it won’t just be in your head.
I daydream a lot. But I don’t just dream, I work. I live in a city that doesn’t fuel my creativity much. When I look around, everything feels muted. Gray. My apartment has become my haven for ideas, my creative bubble. But I’m not a homebody. My mind is constantly buzzing with ideas, some I know how to bring to life, others I’m still figuring out. That doesn’t stop me from trying.
I’m not one to follow trends or blend into the mainstream. I’ve never been the “popular one,” and I’m good with that. I’m in my own lane, chasing my own passions. I love to create. I love to tell stories. I love being someone who inspires others. But the truth is, I’m struggling to feel inspired where I am right now.
How do you keep your creative fire alive in a place that feels so stagnant? Sure, moving sounds like the perfect fix, but what if that’s not part of God’s plan for me yet? How do I build the space I’m longing for here, in the now, so others can feel inspired by it too?
Oh, right… that takes money.
And here I am again. Back to the gray walls.
Man, this jawnt so real, fam. I feel most alive when I’m inspiring others, and the place I used to live in VA was way more creatively draining than here and not many black people. I couldn’t find a community to help keep my fire burning, but when I came to Fayetteville, I met so many creatives and black professionals it stoked my flames!!! But then they went out again lol. I guess because it takes time & money to build what you wanna see. Both of which seem to never be on my side 😂 And then I learned something…I can be the flame starter wherever I am. I can be the one to build the community I’m lookin…