Do you ever get that urge to just try something new or go somewhere different during your every day routine? Recently I've been trying to create space in my life to do some small exploration every week; to learn something new, to drive a different way home, to explore a new shop, to experiment with something new, to talk to someone new.
RECHARGE
I'm seeing how it really boosts my creativity and in a strange way boosts my productivity. Even though I am taking time out of my official "work time", I'm finding that I'm able to get more accomplished because I've allowed myself some time to recharge/refresh. I guess it's like filling up the gas tank or recharging your phone. It will go for a lot longer!
OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE
This week I decided that I'd do my landscape design and art business work while enjoying a coffee shop. So as I was driving along towards my destination, I happened to see what looked like an indie coffee shop out of the corner of my eye. The boring part of me said, "You should just go where you are familiar". The adventurous part of me said, "You should go check it out." Because I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone, the adventurous side won.
DETERMINED
I made a bunch of turns (of course, no U-turns allowed when I'm trying to turn around!) which made me all the more determined to try this place. Figuring out how to get there and where you enter was interesting, and a challenge too, but I've seen again and again, when something is challenging, frustrating, or there are obstacles, often times it ends up being more rewarding.
So I finally walk in and I'm instantly feeling like, "Oh yeah, this is my kind of place!" Super eclectic; interesting mix of metals, fabrics, and tiles. By the time I had my coffee I was settled into this comfy corner couch and taking inspiration photos for some new painting ideas.
DIVERSITY
People came and went. Hipsters, students, businessmen, medical staff, socialites - you name it. It was like being in a train station or an airport. At one point a woman is discussing her relationship issues out loud via headphones (I'm trying not to listen and focus on sketching instead, but goodness gracious, we're all right here!), then I have two business men sitting next to me speaking Japanese, while the guy on the other side of me casually works on his laptop. A stunningly beautiful women walks in wearing super high heels and walks like she's floating on water. Later another gentleman in an impeccable suit is intently focused on every aspect of his watch. I LOVED it. I was soaking up the diversity while sipping, writing, sketching, and taking the occasional photo.
CONNECTION
Eventually I had this amazing 4 way conversation with a young entrepreneurial couple with a six week old baby and an entrepreneurial hippy kind of guy that was working on a way to bring income to small village vacation rentals (among other things). Through our conversation the four of us discover that we all share the same incredible spiritual link, but we have different ways of expressing it and exploring it. What an unexpected and beautiful turn of events.
NEW MUSE
By the time we left (we talked for so long that we all ended up walking out together!), I felt inspired, uplifted, and a new sense of direction and motivation. I'm so glad that I made the choice to get out of my comfort zone. It opened up new conversations, gave me inspiration, and that place now feels like a new muse for me.
TREASURE
Discovery, exploration and getting out of my comfort zone isn't always the simple route, and it isn't always as rewarding as this experience, but it seems that the good things often take some work, some risk, and lots of turns. But when I find those little treasures, I see that they're worth the effort.