Very often, I find myself lying down on the floor, the sofa, or the bed. I am (over)thinking about how to grow my business, how to improve as a person, how to spend the next couple of hours, what to eat for dinner. These thoughts and occasionally, much more depressing ones occupy my mind as I stare at the ceiling.
And that’s how I came up with this idea.
To create an online brand about the ceilings I am staring. To take pictures of what I’m looking at every time I stare into the void.
Can depressing thoughts lead to an idea?
Following up on a recent article about getting depressed, I wasn’t surprised to hear of other people struggling with depression.
Of course, I never thought my blog to become a host for articles on depression. People want to hear how to make money, how to improve their life, how to be financially free. They want solutions to problems; they want actionable advice to their struggles. By whining and complaining, no one wins.
Yet, if I hadn’t these depressing thoughts in the first place, I would have never come up with this idea because I would never stare at the ceiling for hours!
My idea’s blueprint
I’d start with opening an Instagram account. I would then take pictures whenever I am lying down and looking at the ceiling. My everyday life doesn’t need adapting to make this idea work. I merely need to have my phone right beside me every time I lie down. Which is always!
Do I lie on the sofa? Take a picture of the ceiling.
Do I lie in bed? Take a picture of the bedroom’s ceiling.
Do I lie on the floor’s carpet? Take a picture of the living room’s ceiling.
Ok, done. Then what?
Well, maybe I lie down sideways. Or diagonally. The perspective can change as quickly as depression kicks in.
Or I just sat down for lunch in the kitchen and looked up, searching for answers as I take a deep breath. If you are reading this, I bet you have too.
So, each time I am doing that, I take a picture. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s the story it tells. A depressing, dark story.
And then, I fill the Instagram account with those stories.
You may argue that positivity wins online. No one is going to follow an account that promotes negativity. Besides, managing such an account could make its creator even more depressed!
So, where’s the twist? How can we turn it around and embrace positive thinking and action through negative content?
Well, I don’t know. That’s why it’s a simple thought I had. A simple idea that crossed my mind randomly, and I opted to share with you. And it can turn into a business idea.
Building an audience that is used to stare at the ceiling
Posting on social media raises awareness. Attracts people. Builds an audience. People will undoubtedly relate. And there are lots of them.
I’m not talking about a major depressive disorder that can lead to severe issues. I’m talking about pessimistic thoughts we all have (I highly doubt it’s just me). About the times we cursed our bad luck, the times we wished we had done things differently, the times we traveled in time, and regretted decisions we made.
Write those thoughts in the captions. Edit the photo a bit. Align that lamp with the wall, or go for a dutch angle for a more dramatic effect. You’ll be surprised how creative you can become by simply taking a photo of the ceiling. I know because I have already taken a few pictures as you see! And in all honesty, they made me forget my dark thoughts for a moment. Haven’t I already told you that becoming creative makes me happy?
So, the content is there for someone to create. People will consume it. Once you have an audience, produce something valuable and sell it. Create value and get paid for that. Or don’t and let the brands come to you. Or become an affiliate and promote something relevant.
I honestly haven’t searched if this idea already exists out there. It’s the internet, after all. When was the last time you heard something original?
Perhaps people have already done this with photos of the ground. We usually don’t look up when feeling down. I wouldn’t be surprised if I bump into an Instagram account with photos of feet and shoes.
Now, excuse me as I go lie down and stare at the ceiling, in case another bright idea makes its way to my brain. If you feel inspired, feel free to do so as well. Don’t forget to take a picture of the ceiling while you are at it. I bet it will make you smile. See, positive thinking.
