Inspiration in life is important, even if you are not a creative. But if you are, and most of us are, then it’s more than just important, it’s a fire that you can’t put out. Through my constant search for things that have meaning, be it art, hobbies or conversations, I have found a few people that remind me to go after brave, creative endeavours and to build a life and an identity I am truly proud of. What follows is a brief guide to some of the people I follow – online or offline – whose work or essence inspires me and perhaps you too.
Nirrimi Firebrace
Nirrimi is a fascinating human being I have been following for years. I found her blog when I was in high school and immediately was in awe of her words and images. She writes with incredible vulnerability and bravery and from the young age of 16, she was flown around the world to photograph huge brands like Sony Music, Diesel and Billabong.
When Instagram came around, I migrated from her blog to that platform to follow her ventures and life. She explored other passions like jewellery making, making photo filters and founding a co-working space and a natural light photography studio. Then, she released her Daily Map online course which is a guide on living your best creative life. I purchased it and loved it and I would describe it as a course to help you organise and conquer your creativity. She’s a writer, a photographer and a creator and I love her approach to life, her boundaries, her courage to be real and that’s why I still follow her.
Follow her here: @nirr.imi
Website: www.nirrimi.com
Aimer La Vie
AimerLaVie is a Cypriot brand that is on a quest to beautify our world through floral creations, words and meaningful experiences. It’s run by the lovely Marianna Charalambous, a kick-ass single mama, a hopeless romantic and a positive changemaker. I met her online, liking each other’s stories on Instagram until we met up in real life and hit it off.
Through her brand, Marianna creates flower frames, writes poems, sends love notes, makes specialised gifts, always with an eco-friendly attitude and passion to create memorable experiences for people. Her creations and energy encourage me to look for the beauty in things and remind me that it’s possible to make it by thinking out of the box, be confident and go after creative passions.
Follow her here: @aimerlavie.co
Website: www.aimerlavie.co
Abundantia
Abundantia is Sorelle Amore’s second YouTube account all about financial freedom and money abundance. She started as a travel vlogger and influencer, famous for her self-portraits and alternative life in Iceland. The traveler in me was hooked when I discovered her though I have to say I don’t follow all of her adventures and thoughts. Still, I like watching her content from time to time. Sometimes we share the same beliefs, other times not. Still it keeps me thinking.
Her Abundantia channel is fairly new and as a now millionaire, she shares weekly lessons and insights into becoming financially free, investing, global tax and corporate structures, passports, residencies, and more. Her content is out there and challenges the system. If you’re up for it, check her out and take what you need. On the Abundantia website, you can find Sorelle and her partner’s, Leon Hill, courses on financial freedom.
Follow her here: Youtube/abundantia
The Cottage Fairy
This is another YouTube account about an artist that lives in a cottage in rural Washington. Her videos always have a gentle, poetic atmosphere. I usually watch them when I want to feel calm as her voice is really soothing and her visuals soft. It’s run by Paola who documents her life close to nature and her creations. Paola makes almost everything from scratch, jams, herbal teas, home décor, bread, pressed flower art, brooms and the list goes on.
Her videos often show how she creates things around her home but she also shares reflections about life. Watching The Cottage Fairy reminds me to take the time to make something from 0 and that there are many more little crafts to learn instead of taking the easy way.
Follow her here: Youtube/TheCottageFairy
Eva Zu Beck
Eva is an adventure traveller, filmmaker and writer. She documents her raw travels, often solo, to all sorts of places around the world. She stays with locals, sleeps in tents, rides iron cargo trains and as of lately, travels around in her Land Rover Defender which she has turned into a mini-camper.
Eva is cool. She quit her London life and job at Culture Trip to travel full-time and the travel shows she hosts for European TV channels and her YouTube videos make it possible. On Instagram, you’ll catch her lengthy posts, eloquently expressing her thoughts. Besides being in awe of her travel experiences and restless spirit, it’s Eva’s ideas and alternative lifestyle that have kept me an admirer these years and she is a fascinating person to keep under your radar.
Follow her here: Youtube/Evazubeck
Website: www.evazubeck.com
Radhi Devlukia
I’ve never met Radhi but online she seems like a ray of sunshine and a ball of energy. Radhi also makes YouTube videos sharing plant-based recipes, Ayurveda lifestyle tips and mindfulness tools for a calmer, more balanced life. She’s married to Jay Shetty, who you may know, though that’s the least interesting thing about her. She’s super funny and seems real and her videos are all about conscious cooking and living and natural remedies and skincare.
Follow her here: Youtube/ RadhiDevlukia
Kalyn Nicholson
I found Kalyn on YouTube a few years ago when she published some videos on how to be organised, make monthly plans, cleaning hacks and all that yummy stuff adults struggle with. I started observing her morning and night routines, how she gets shit done, lives alone, works independently, meal preps and other random aspects of life that need more planning than you’d think.
I watch her on and off, skip the long chats and fast-forward to the b-roll but I enjoy her projects and in some strange virtual way, she reminds me to get stuff done, read lots and wake up early.
Follow her here: Youtube/KalynNicholson
Nathaniel Drew
Nathaniel Drew makes videos on living intentionally, slow travel, language learning, self-exploring and the occasional vlog. His YouTube channel speaks to my more philosophical, what-is-life side and I enjoy the depths of his thinking and his quest for meaning. The first video of his I watched was called ‘I Tried Picasso's (incredible) Daily Routine: What I Learned’ which I found to be a very interesting concept that was well filmed and explained. From then, I follow his reflections when I’m in the mood for 15-minute videos.
Follow him here: Youtube/NathanielDrew
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There are plenty more people I admire and get inspired by such as the amazing woman behind the local natural aromatherapy products Gaia Olea, actress and author Carrie Hope Fletcher, the grand Elizabeth Gilbert and Brene Brown. I have a list on my phone and whenever I find a person that I feel can be inspiring, either by their work or their way of being, I note them down so that when my creative juices run low, I have handy content to go to. From each one I take whatever I believe will cultivate my growth, I duplicate tactics until I create my own and observe their process to remind me to go after my passions and projects.
These people can be anyone. People you’ve met, podcasters you listen to, authors whose books you follow, researchers, artists, theorists. I am a highly visual person so recently my beings of inspiration have some sort of visual aspect to them.
I’ve realized it’s important to create feeds that can lift you up. Lately, I have been trying to curate my online worlds with content that inspire me because whatever we consume, we digest. It’s something big I took away from the Daily Map. Offline too I try to include things in my life that help me be who I want to be. These are the films I watch, the books I read, the people I share my thoughts with, the hobbies I take on.
There’s a world of inspiration out there and I hope you too can fill your surroundings, both online and offline, with individuals and projects that inspire you and make you feel alive in some way or another.
If you have a list of creatives you admire, feel free to share them in the comments below and let’s grow our inspirational field! 😊 x
