I woke up this morning in a creative rut. I don't know, I felt a bit like I couldn't think of anything to talk about here, nothing to talk about with my friends, you know... just flat. Feeling flat scares me, as I don't get this often but notice when it does come it is usually strikes mid November for just a brief period for no explainable reason. I tried to think of what to do to push the rut monster out of my day. So I started to read. Words didn't help. I flipped through beloved magazines. Nope, visual inspiration didn't do it either. Maybe I needed to eat? But I just had breakfast, I thought. I did some deep breathing followed by light stretching. I played a little music which was interrupted by ::ring ring:: the delivery man who brought me a small box. Funny, I wasn't expecting anything. On the outside, a female character hand drawn and on the inside, beautiful tissue paper that smelled of lavender - my favorite scent for over a year now. Lavender is so transporting, isn't it? It takes me a million miles away to an open space with nothing but sky and field before me combined with a soft breeze and a cotton sundress.

As I unwrapped, I revealed three beautiful things - soap, sugar and a bio bag from terrain at styers. I took one, lavender vanilla sugar, into the kitchen to add to the earl gray tea I had just prepared. One sip, two sips, three sips, yum. As I walked back to my desk I noticed my petite French vintage creamer on the windowsill and the light streaming in looked so welcoming, so come hither for taking a photo. If light had eyelashes, they were beckoning me big time. I lifted the other gift, a bar of skinnyskinny lavender eucalyptus soap to my nose and inhaled - fresh and clear. Suddenly my brain started to tingle and my shoulders relaxed and I felt this rush of thought, color and sound explode within. Out of all the things I thought would inspire and chase away the mood, it was a scent that lifted me up -- very unexpected.

Scooping up the soap and the sugar and my camera nearby, I decided to show my dear friend a view of my moment, to capture it for her in a photo as a way of showing thanks. And this is how inspiration is born sometimes, isn't it?

If you're in a creative rut, try one or all of the following until you feel better:

1. Healthy food

2. Fresh air

3. Exercise (stretching, running, whatever you fancy)

4. Your favorite drink

5. Music

6. Something visually inspiring (your mood board, magazine, book)

7. Or words... poetry, a novel...

8. Scent: spritz on your favorite perfume, add some rosemary oil to your tub before you step in to shower in the morning, burn incense or a candle, or be lucky enough to have a dear friend send you lavender goodies. :)

And to my dear friend who inspired me today and helped me out of a morning rut, thank you. You know who you are. xo

(images: holly becker for decor8)