After reading Hannah’s “On My Mind: What Inspires You?” in the June issue of NAILS, I found myself asking what truly does inspire me? What is it that inspires me to continue on doing what I do?

Hannah is right — it is completely subjective to every person and thing.

I know that I could find inspiration in the smallest things. For example, I'm inspired to do the dishes because the idea that a clean kitchen makes me happier to cook a meal or I'm inspired to compete because I like to win, or maybe at this point I'm confusing inspiration with inclination?

But what about this? My sister broke into my house a few years ago and left a chair that she hand-painted in a quirky water/frog theme in my bathroom. (This has inspired me to make a “mouse house” front door to secretly place on the floor behind the toilet in the bathroom at her house. Complete with a welcome mat and flowers outside the door. It's not done yet, but I am inspired. I hope she doesn't read this blog.)

So, when I look for inspiration to create something — and by something I usually mean nails — I glean most of my creative inspiration from mother nature. I love the colors and shapes in the sky and ocean the most, but I'm fascinated by the brilliant colors of flowers and foliage that seem to glow from inside. What makes that happen? How do I replicate it with any number of media? I'm not sure but you can bet your bippy that I'm going to bust out some acrylic or paint and give it a try. Because not only am I now an inspired creative-type person, I'm a competitor.

Which brings me to my point, what inspires me to compete? Winning is only part of it. The real inspiration is gaining the knowledge and confidence to face any competitor or competition without fear, which you can only gain by competing. This is why I tell prospective competitors to “JUST DO IT!”

— Lynn