Many years ago I came across a statue of an elephant. It’s trunk turned up and painted with a series of patterns, flowers, patches and colors which reminded me of a quilt. The hues of blue, plum, greens, yellows and even red berries caught my eye immediately and I bought it on the spot.

Upon return home I recall someone saying “it’s so ugly it’s almost cute”, but I brushed it off and proudly placed him on my bedroom dresser. He stood out in stark contrast to the pale walls and obvious lack of color in the room.

Over the next month or so I began transforming that space little by little, painting the walls and purchasing bedding and accent pillows in tones I never would have paired if not for my elephant. Throw rugs, wall hangings and window treatments popped and played off of one another so beautifully. By the time I was done, the colors came together in such a way that people complimented me on it all, although for some the inspiration itself was still not a fan favorite!

I decorated an entire room around a five dollar statue that spoke to my soul at a random garage sale. That home and room are long gone, but my elephant is still with me. He sits in my kitchen now and every time I see him I am reminded about the time I designed something wonderful around the center of something that inspired me. Something seemingly insignificant to others became the impetus for my creative thought process because of my vision and passion for it. 

What is at the center of inspiration for you? Is there something that you love, big or small, that stirs within you the drive to make more of it? Tapping into this source is like striking gold, because it doesn’t feel like work. It may be hard, it may be a labor of love, but the energy sustains, not drains you. Pay attention to the moments when what you do actually gives back to you at a core level. String more of those moments together, and suddenly you have a course correction, and a new destination set on your personal GPS.

Be mindful of and open to what inspires you most, taking note of the “patchwork elephant” moments in your life. These are the baby steps you have taken on the path specifically and lovingly created for YOU to follow.