Hate is an ugly thing. It comes in all shapes and sizes. No matter what disguise it has,no matter what mission or cause it wears on its' sleeve, it's ugly.But let's not allow it to be contagious. Fighting hate with hate is the same as fighting fire with oil.

I won't share my political views. I'm not a politician. I'm not running for office. I don't have solutions to world problems,or for the very issues that seem to ripe this country at the seems. I'm just a citizen who, like many, want a simple, peaceful life.

Hope. It's a word that is becoming redundant.It is so overused that if it could manifest into a substance, it would be like swallowing a spoonful of salt. We see the words hope and peace plastered on banners and hear it echoed in song lyrics, but what is it really? It is a concept? It is a feeling? It is a goal? Over the last 24 hours, hope is seeing thousands of people in Orlando lining up in the rain to donate blood. Hope is seeing people at vigils embracing strangers. Hope is knowing there is still so much love in the world that we can drown out the sounds of hatred. Hope is the person who chooses love despite having seen the cunning glare of hatred.

As I write this, I find myself asking "If we don't have hope, what else do we have ? Do we except things the way there are and feel the dread of the days to come?" Hell no! Instead, I'll do what I know best whenever I feel conflicted, confused about the world or tied up in my emotions; Share art.

I often hear artists say "I can't find inspiration". This statement got me thinking about where exactly inspiration can be found and what form it takes. Is it a physical object like a bright hue or pattern found on a vase? It is a feeling evoked by a relationship or interaction? Does inspiration find YOU or do you find IT? It's easy to fly through daily life as we race to meet the demands of everyday life. Everything in the background (including inspiration waiting in the wings) can take a backseat. It's merely a blur.

Today is Monday; Also known as #MotivationMonday on social media. No matter how tacky this hashtag may sound, it makes you question, what are we without motivation? For me, without inspiration there is no motivation. It goes hand-in-hand.

I've begun to slow down. I try to take in everything around me. The sound of traffic. The colors of a neighbor's garden. The excitement that takes over my dog when he is off leash at the park. Suddenly I have found myself floating in an ocean of inspiration. It's practically made me giddy. How did I overlook all of this before? And so, my fellow artists, I'm embracing #MotivationMonday and sharing the inspiration that has popped out at me during the past week. Rather than wait for inspiration, let's meet it head on.

(PS Want to share images of your motivation? Send us an email submissions@artcrasher.com. If your inspiration is featured during a #MotivationMonday, we'll hyperlink your social media.)