A few days ago I posted on my Instagram page about inspiration as part of the #marchmeetthemaker challenge I am taking part in. It got me thinking a lot about the topic, probably because I would say that inspiration is a big part of my business. It drives me to try new things – it keep things fresh but also connects me with people outside of my work bubble. We all encounter road blocks whether it be creatively or otherwise and we all need direction and motivation from time to time. So what inspires us all?

For me inspiration comes in so many different forms I honestly don’t know where to start! When I first think of what inspires me, the obvious pops into my head…. my kids, articles, literature. But it goes much further than this. Some days I can have a conversation with someone, watch an Instagram story and suddenly feel empowered to take something on I never imagined I’d have the guts to do before! This is what happened at the beginning of the year. Just from watching someone I follow on Instagram I found @cheltenham_mumbossclub – a group for Mums running their own businesses. Joining this group has been a life changing moment for me and a total hub of inspiration. I now have a group of like-minded Mums to bounce ideas off, a group of ladies to share their experiences and expertise. From this group I have started to blog - so must be a good thing right!? 

This is just one way in which Instagram has inspired me. It has fast become my favourite platform to work from. There has been a recent discussion of a certain celebrity leaving Instagram referring to it as just a place to ‘show off and compare thigh gaps’ and I can see where she’s coming from but I can’t help but think she was just following the wrong people. Instagram is a platform where you share your life or product in a picture, so yes those pictures have to be captivating and artistic – but so many of them also have an incredibly important message behind them and are being used in this space for spreading awareness, you just have to take a look at people like Elle from @featheringtheemptynest to see what incredible work is going on behind these squares. In my opinion - it is the most inspiring social media platform to be part of right now!

Back when I was in those early days with both my kids, you know the days when you’d watch the sunrise more often than any other time in your life! In those days I would be sucked into Pinterest – an app I have heard being referred to as a rabbit hole – as once you’re in, it could be hours before you pop up for air! But oh my – what a place to be inspired! Fashion, holidays, gadgets and gizmos!! It is also where I search for patterns and techniques for making something new, an Aladdins cave of resources!

Nowadays you can find me lost in my world of work, headphones on listening to a podcast! Something that I have been doing for sometime now after my husband became a big fan to listening to them on his way to work. It all started with conversations about latest TED talks, which are incredible but then we found 'How I Built This' podcast. The moment I listened to Sara Blakely about how she developed Spanx I was hooked! There is something about working late into the night on your own business,  listening to how these incredible entrepreneurs got to where they are today that just helps you to keep going, keep that dream alive and drives you forward!

So to round things off, here are my Top 5 podcasts, Instagram accounts and blogs to follow........ go forth and be inspired and click on the links!

Podcasts: 

1. How I Built This with Guy Raz: Sara Blakely; Spanx

2. How I Built This with Guy Raz: Virgin; Richard Branson

3. Not another Mommy Podcast: Elle Wright on baby loss and life after Teddy (Feathering the Empty Nest)

4. Not another Mommy Podcast: Gemma Mutha.hood and Vickie Inpo on running a business as a mum

5. Voom: Food with Ella’s Kitchen and Cauli Rice

Instagram - people to follow and be inspired:

1. @featheringtheemptynest

2. @muthahood

3. @mamas_scrapbook

4. @kelly_thebeesknees

5. @sienna.and.i

Blogs: 

1. Cheltenham Maman

2. The Home That Made Me

3. Mama's Scrapbook

4. The Edited

5. Mummy Daddy Me

Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think in the comments below and add any of your favourite podcasts and blogs. 

Claire xx