Feast Day 2012: Stay Inspired

Today, the Patron Saint of Architecture turns two!  When I made my first post on May 26, 2010, I never imagined that this blog would have touched so many lives.  I've met some wonderful architects from all over the world, had the opportunity to interview some amazing people on the subject of inspiration and creativity, taken a deep dive into the issues that hold us back as creatives in the Breaking Points and Turning Points novena, and gotten even more exposure for the blog through Wellness: The Series, my monthly article for Urban Times.  The past year has included expansion into new platforms- creating a Patron facebook page where I post daily doses of inspiration (so like it if you haven't already) as well as more interactive content like surveys and sharing by other sites like Healthcare Innovation by Design and Loth Furniture.  You can also visit the Enlighten Yourself link on the right column of this page to see my recommended reading for you in the categories of business, architecture and creative resources.  Just today, I created a Patron board on Pinterest, to allow creative images to be shared.  As I get this going, you will have the opportunity to post your ongoing work or favorite images to share with the group.  I am toying with the idea of a little You Tube streaming for the coming year as well! 

All of you devotees had an exciting year of opportunities to inspire you to be your best creative selves.  Please join in the litany of inspiration by sharing a quick story with all of us in the comments section.  As I learned last year, our greatest triumphs come from challenging ourselves.  When we know what we want and ask for it, it is surprising how easily we can get it.  For example, I never dreamed that author Robin Stern would agree to an interview about gaslighting, just because I looked her up and sent her an email, or well-known executive coach Lisa Petrilli would talk to me about leadership or Therapeutic Landscape expert Naomi Sachs would share her insights into biophilic design.  They all were so generous with their time and knowledge, and those interviews were some of the top posts of the past year - all it took was me truly pushing my introverted self to approach them.

Look for this year's novena, Change the World (An Experiment), an upcoming series that interviews changemakers in nine different cities about the role they played in turning their community around.  I hope that their inspirational stories will show you all the ways that you too can make a difference as an architect.

So, if you are sitting at your remarkably uninspiring desk feeling like all you do is churn out work to meet demands and deadlines, don't forget that inspiration is what you make of it- put on your party hat, grab a balloon and some cake and celebrate your creativity!  As a prize for all of you, please download the feast day icon - you didn't even have to play a festival game to win it!