The art of observation: how seeing the unseen fuels creativity

11/3/2025

Inspire - Storytelling ■
It starts with a moment—standing at a café, waiting for a coffee, watching life unfold. A stranger absentmindedly taps their fingers on the counter. The barista scribbles an order in looping letters. A conversation at the next table fades in and out, fragments of stories slipping through the air. Most people wouldn’t notice. But I do. These tiny details catch my attention, not for any particular reason but because they exist—small, fleeting moments that most would overlook. And yet, in these ordinary details, I often find the greatest inspiration.

English | Bahasa Indonesia
BY HANAN, 2 minutes read

I’ve always believed that creativity isn’t about forcing ideas but about noticing what’s already there. The world is filled with stories waiting to be seen, sounds waiting to be heard, colours waiting to be felt. I’ve caught inspiration in the most unexpected places—a street lined with flickering neon signs, a crumpled newspaper left on a park bench, a melody hummed by someone walking past. They don’t seem significant at first, but the more I pay attention, the more they become something else. A thought. A spark. A beginning.

Travel amplifies this feeling. When I step into a new place, my senses sharpen. I notice how the morning light filters through wooden shutters, how the scent of spices lingers in the air, how people greet each other with a nod or a smile. The unfamiliar makes me more aware, more present. But even when I’m not travelling, I try to carry that same awareness with me. Inspiration isn’t about where I am—it’s about how I see.

The best ideas don’t always come from sitting in front of a blank page, waiting for something brilliant to appear. They come from walking through a city at dusk, from watching raindrops race down a window, from overhearing half a sentence that makes me wonder about the rest of the story. Creativity is everywhere, hidden in the details of everyday life. The trick is to slow down enough to notice it.

Next time you step outside, take a moment. Look around. Pay attention to the rhythm of footsteps on the pavement, the way the wind moves through the trees, the unnoticed beauty in the world around you. Because sometimes, the most ordinary things hold the most extraordinary inspiration.