I help edit SPEAKER Magazine for the National Speakers Association (NSA). Each month I curate the Relevant Resources column – a list of time-saving tools and technologies.

The May 2012 edition suggests resources to stimulate your creative juices. Creativity and fresh ideas are essential to the success of any professional speaker, and even naturally creative people lose their edge occasionally. Whether you’re struggling to write a book, revamp your business model, or just having a dull, uninspired day, turn to one of these resources to reignite your creative spark.

While You Were Sleeping

You already know that sleep is good for you, but did you know that we are at our most creative when we are dreaming? Listening to information while you are drifting into la-la land stimulates creativity and enables the unconscious mind to absorb information more effectively. Plug in the SoftSpeaker Pillow from NPR’s online store for the perfect combination of comfort, quality and reliable sound. The speaker is padded in soft foam and its cover is washable. $19.95. www.Shop.NPR.org

Drink Yourself Smart

A lot of “smart drinks” on the market claim to clear brain fog and stimulate creativity. Whether this one actually works or not, it packs an undeniable punch of herbs, natural compounds and organic agave syrup. The world’s first kosher drink of its kind, Brain Toniq from TrueToniqs is said to increase mental focus and help you conquer your day without all that caffeine. Order online or find it at your local health food store. $2.99/can. For a full list of ingredients, visit www.BrainToniq.com.

Add a Pop of Kuler

Want to add pizazz to your PowerPoint®? Brighten up your branding? Kuler by Adobe is a unique website that generates color themes to compliment your marketing materials and inspire a myriad of new projects. No matter what you’re creating, Kuler lets you experiment quickly with color variations and browse thousands of themes from the Kuler community. You can also upload your own images and select matching or contrasting pallets. The best part? It’s free. www.Kuler.Adobe.com.

Stumble Through It

Discover new and interesting content on the Web via StumbleUpon.com. The site, which boasts over 20 million members, lets you browse random websites with the click of a button and indicate whether you “like” or “dislike” recommendations. As you provide feedback, StumbleUpon learns what best suits your tastes. You can also sign up for email updates that further assist you in uncovering hidden gems from across the Web that are sure to get your creative juices flowing. Join for free. www.StumbleUpon.com.

Sleep on the Job

Napping is highly underrated, and these days innovative companies like Google are encouraging it to help employees get the much-needed rest they need to regenerate ideas and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The EnergyPod from MetroNaps combines stylish design with ergonomic functionality to create the ideal environment for energy enhancement. It features a contoured shape to elevate the feet, semi-private sphere, and a built-in adjustable timer. Visit www.MetroNaps.com for more details.

Start Stacking

Stuck in a rut? Start stacking, that is, compiling a list of online bookmarks that showcase your passions. Delicious.com lets you take a look at what other people find interesting on the Web, create your own “stacks” – videos, pictures, tweets, blog posts – and personalize them with your own commentary to share with the community! Drop the Delicious bookmarklet in your browser to get started. Free. www.Delicious.com.

Tune in to TED

If you haven’t heard of TED by now, do yourself a favor and click on www.TED.com to find free videos on technology, design, business, and global issues. TED Talks are invitation-only events where creative powerhouses like Bono and Bill Clinton come together to swap ideas. For a live experience designed to stimulate dialogue on a local level, you’ll want to check out TEDx events, inspired by TED’s mission – “ideas worth spreading”. Visit www.ted.com/tedx to learn more.

Mind Over Matter

Group collaboration can be challenging. XMind makes it easy with a powerful and intuitive design, simple ways to express ideas and share information to your audience, and user-friendly project tracking and task management features. With this mind-mapping software, you can create and edit topics, drag and drop to reorganize, take “mapshots,” and add attachments. Free or $49/year for XMind Pro. www.XMind.net.

Turn to Toons

Brighten up your inbox with a daily cartoon illustrated by Hugh MacLeod, bestselling author and CEO of Stormhoek USA, which markets South African wine in the States. Drawn on the backs of business cards, these delightful messages are motivational and thought-provoking. When you subscribe on his website, you’ll get access to hundreds of limited edition prints and access to special offers. Sign up for free, and be sure to follow Hugh on Twitter @gapingvoid. www.GapingVoid.com.

You can subscribe to SPEAKER magazine on the NSA website.