TRAVELING provides an excellent means to help shake up the creative juices. I confess: I'm a homebody. But the road (or perhaps the sky or the sea) opens us up to so much -- diverse people, terrains, foods, vistas, cultures. Travel opens our hearts and minds, inviting us to look for joyful, sassy surprises behind every door and around every corner...whether approaching a port of call in Nassau, hiking the shoreline of Cinque Terra, or cruising the roads of central Illinois. What are some of YOUR favorite travel tales?
​HANGING OUT may be overrated according to some, but for others, it is salve for the soul. You can hang out by yourself or with friends or family...at the neighborhood park, a stream in Blue Ridge, or on the Atlantic coast. Hanging out comes in all sorts of flavors, but there's an art to it if you're trying to get the muses dancing. Be still. Smell the air around you. Listen to nature. Look at what's right under your nose. If nothing surprises you, be still some more.
GETTING GOOFY lifts the spirits and eases tension. Sure, plenty of circumstances require protocol and decorum. When that's not the case, though, breaking lose can relax your muscles, enhance your breathing, and remind you that you DO have a sense of adventure and imagination after all. Maybe it's making faces, or getting physical, or just plain ol' cutting loose. What do YOU like to do (responsibly, of course!) when you're off the clock and productivity isn't the end goal?
READING... maybe even joining a book club ... opens our mind and enhances our well-being. Science backs folks who say that reading relaxes you, helps you sleep better, keeps your brain sharp, increases your empathy, and may stave off Alzheimer's disease. Joining or starting a book club is a fun way to learn more about the world, ourselves, and others. Oh, the lessons I've learned and the fun I've had discussing recent reads. What are some of YOUR favorites?
GETTING YOUR ART ONcan be done in so, so many ways! Any time you do something for the joy and sass and grace it brings, you're getting your art on. You're getting creative in a way that suits you best. Maybe you like to write. Or cook. Or garden. Or maybe you prefer photography...watercolor painting...weaving...making music...diving into DIY projects. Getting our art on is a way for us to stretch our creative muscles and bring meaning to our lives. If you don't think you're creative, think again. Being creative isn't about making a masterpiece for a museum. It's about doing something because it brings meaning to your life. Being creative is about making you feel just slightly more alive. So what creative outlets do YOU enjoy? What do YOU like to do simply because it brings you joy and sass and grace?
