Have you ever had one of those days where the last thing you feel like doing is going out and being creative? You're not alone. We've all been there. You conjure up a multitude of excuses to stay in your comfort zone – the weather isn't ideal, you're not in the right mood, or you're simply too tired (usually with good reason). However, I seem to find this is when I end up thriving.

I was recently in Chicago again, for work. I left my house at 4am and after a full day of walking around, meeting clients for testing, and meeting up with some friends to celebrate their engagement, I got to bed that night around midnight. With a 5am wake time, a full day of work, and the second day being my primary time for getting in some street photography, the 3-4hrs of sleep I got after the long day prior, was pointing towards a bleak output.

I could stay inside and get some extra work done.

There is rain in the forecast. Do I really want to be out in the rain?

I am SO tired from yesterday. Maybe I should crash early. I’ve been here before, I’ll be back again.

All of those things I said to myself before finally packing up and going out anyway, and that was the right choice. One of the beauties of street photography is its unpredictability. You never know what you'll encounter around the next corner – a fleeting expression, an interesting juxtaposition, or a play of light and shadow that might only last for that few seconds before escaping away, maybe never to be in that same spot again. Like the spot of light below for example. It would shot itself for a few seconds and then disappear completely for a while.

On this particular day, despite the pouring rain when I ventured out of the hotel and the forecast calling for more of the same. The weather cleared up almost immediately and the light was some of the most beautiful light I have seen on a trip to Chicago and the weather was absolutely perfect.

Almost immediately I forgot about the aches in my feet. My energy was up. My eyelids felt lighter. And to be sure, I was still very much tired, and could feel that in my bones…. but there was something masking those mundane daily irritations. Personally, I think that is the spark of creativity. That little joy that comes from doing something you truly love to do, just for yourself. No looming deadlines. No directed content. Just you and your medium of choice (in my case my camera), free to let your mind wander around and create.

If I look back on it. It seems like a lot of my most fond memories come from times when I just didn’t want to go out, but forced myself to, only to have some of the best times of my life. So the next time you find yourself feeling uninspired or unmotivated, remember the power of pushing through. Go outside, breathe in the fresh air, and embrace the adventure that awaits. Who knows what treasures you'll uncover along the way? You might just have your b