By Lauren Tamboer

In today’s digital world, the amount of content at our fingertips daily can be overwhelming. But #TeamMoonsail knows inspiration is often found in the most unlikely places. All it takes to find new sources for creativity is focusing on what motivates us, and sifting out the rest.

#1 The passion of others

Whether a client, coworker, friend or her puppy, Lauren finds inspiration in the passion those around her have for their own work and life. Whether they’re discussing a topic she’s an expert on or one she has little interest in, the excitement in the eyes of those who surround her brings Lauren inspiration for her own creative work.

#2 “How I Built This”

Ever wondered how your favorite app, product or platform came to be? NPR’s “How I Built This” podcast might be right up your alley. Katie’s creative thinking is fueled by these fascinating stories from entrepreneurs about how they built businesses from the ground up. Her favorite episode thus far highlighted the founders of her favorite social platform: Instagram. She had no idea about its chaotic introduction to the world — turns out the people behind brilliant businesses don’t always have it figured out from the start.

#3 The return of the English Premier League

The end of a favorite season in Michigan isn’t all bad for Scott, because fall means the return of the English Premier League. Though it may not be inspiring for most, Scott finds a well-played game of soccer to be brimming with creativity and strategy. Add in the fact that the EPL is more diverse than the United Nations, and you have a recipe for incredible inspiration.

#4 Helping the advocate get to their impact

Lauren views communication as an invaluable link between the spark of an idea and the actionable result. To her, it removes the barriers between the person who intends to make an impact and the community where they hope to make it. She is inspired by the ability of communication to connect people, because without it, the dream for an organization is simply a wish, not a plan. Collaborating with clients as they bring their motivation into action, brings her that very same inspiration to act.

#5 Client stories

Sedora is invigorated by the stories of our clients: her favorite projects involve sharing them. Hearing first-hand how our clients are impacting the people in the communities they serve motivates her to craft effective storytelling across platforms. After all, these authentic accounts are what enables #TeamMoonsail to successfully share the life-changing imprint our clients leave upon the people they serve.

Sedora enjoys supporting Educare California at Silicon Valley, an organization that provides high quality early childhood education and support services to children birth to 5 and their families in the Santee neighborhood of East San Jose.

#6 Morning synth sessions

Despite being a long-time music fanatic, Scott never wondered how electronic instruments made sound until he began playing with synths. They allow you to take a basic wave form, like a sine wave or a saw wave, and mold it however you like: adjusting the filter to determine the brightness, adding a low-frequency oscillation (LFO) to make the pitch vibrate, lowering the attack to make the sound swell, and so on. His mornings spent mixing sound put him on a creative note for the rest of the day.

#7 Our brand ambassador, Kai

#TeamMoonsail’s tiny brand ambassador is now 13 months old, and Rose finds organic inspiration while watching him interact with his environment. Seeing his curiosity and excitement reminds her of the innate spark of passion within all of us, which relates back to the Zen concept of a beginner’s mind: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.” When Rose sees a toy in a box, she sees the toy, and then the part that needs to be recycled. Kai, on the other hand, sees two toys. He inspires her to reimagine what is possible.

#8 TED Talks

Sedora makes use of her commutes, walks and lunches to reach out for a mini-dose of thought-provoking content. The TED Talks app is her go-to for listening, specifically for its “inspiring” and “fascinating” categories and ability to find talks that fit however much time she has. Hearing these think pieces on what inspires others puts her in a motivated groove as well.

#9 Motivational calendars

There’s a reason why #MondayMotivation is found in the trending topics on social media every week, and Katie is no stranger to sharing this inspiration with others. She enlists her daily quotes calendar for relevant reminders about staying focused on the impact she wants to make. Often, she’s amazed by how well the words relate to what’s happening in her own life.

Take a peek at our Instagram and Pinterest board to see more about what fuels #TeamMoonsail’s creativity.

We would love to know more about what inspires you! What’s your reason for getting out of bed in the morning? Let us know using #CreateZone.