Finding passions and inspiration is integral to a happy life. That being said, inspiration takes a different shape for every individual. For Clink founder and creator, Aaron, finding a creative outlet in jewellery-making enabled him to stay focused and positive – and always inspired.

Aaron reflects, “I’ve always wanted to be creative, but until I found jewellery as a creative outlet I was most definitely searching for it in ways that weren’t authentically inspiring to me. I love progression, and jewellery-making allowed me to progress from very basic designs to the more intricate designs that I do today. Being able to apply myself and see results over time really inspires me to continue doing what I’m doing.”

Getting out of your head and into the present

One of the things Aaron finds so valuable about designing jewellery is the way the creative activity takes him out of his mind and facilitates greater present-moment awareness.

Often, the best way to get out of the mind – and re-inspired – is to distract the mind from thinking by placing attention back in the body. This can take the form of any number of things: exercise, yoga, surfing, mindful walks.

For Aaron, it’s skating. “Skating puts me in the now. It’s the ultimate expression of myself. No past or future thoughts can ruin my time while I’m skating, all my focus is concentrated on what I’m doing in the moment.”

Grounding through nature  

As well as staying active and creative, Aaron finds great inspiration in the natural world. Its mystery and immensity; the intrinsic beauty unparalleled in the man-made world.

“Nature is like a human calibrator. We get out of sync when we are constantly surrounded by man-made things. Nature enhances my perspective on life and brings new inspiration that I can bring back into both my day-to-day and my designs.”

Whoever you are, whatever your story, nature can be a force for inspiration and positivity – a way to alter perspective and gain greater insights into life.

One of the great blessings of living in New Zealand is the huge array of natural wonder – particularly the ability to be in the city one moment, and deep in the bush a half-moment later. Aaron elaborates, “A lot of New Zealand is untouched. It keeps me grounded being surrounded by so much nature.”

Using inspiration for mental health awareness

But maintaining positivity and a sense of purpose is not always easy. It takes practice and perseverance. In Aaron’s opinion, staying positive and looking after one’s mental health is a “daily operation.”

“We need to think positive to act positive. This comes from practice. All too often we find ourselves down in the dumps and it’s hard to get out because we haven’t practiced anything or been aware of what’s bringing us down.”

On how inspiration helps him to look after his mental health, Aaron talks about Clink and maintaining a well-balanced life. “Personally, I look after my mental health by trying to keep up with my goals and make sure I’m getting closer to where I want to be. Doing anything that makes me feel happy and inspired – be it skating or hanging out with friends – helps me counteract negative mental habits.”

Making mistakes in order to grow

Asked what advice he would give to someone also hoping to create a more creative, inspired and positive life, Aaron speaks about growth and mistakes.  “Making mistakes is the best thing you can do. The person who makes the most mistakes is usually the person who succeeds, because making mistakes can be measured as a ratio against how much you’re trying and how much progress you’re making.”

Finding inspiration does not equate to being an expert in something, famed, or even necessarily talented. Inspiration is a purely individual journey. It is for you, and you alone. Mistakes are part of that journey – essential to growth and change – and rather than being avoided or feared, they should be embraced as part of the path to progress and meaning.

As Aaron remarks, “If you give up, you won’t make any mistakes, neither will you make progress. Keep on making those mistakes and learning those lessons, and you will receive the prize you’ve been searching for. Never give up.”