Find Your Happy Place For Creativity

Today I was reminded how important it is to "Find Your Happy Place" in your mind. You don't have to live at the beach, to feel like you're at the beach.

While keeping thoughts positive can help out tremendously in life, it doesn't always lead to a completely relaxed feeling. But you know what does? Finding something you enjoy so much that it gets your mind completely off those to-dos and tasks, or beating yourself up over and over again for not making the major progress you expected to on something.

Today's reminder for me? I put on some Jimmy Buffett music.

WOW.

Immediately I'm transported to my mid-20s, a time in my life that felt easier-going and more relaxed than I've ever experienced since.

Summer BBQ's and beers with friends, where we'd have Jack Johnson, Jimmy Buffett, and reggae music playing. I'd often sit back in a chair, close my eyes & let a light breeze transport me to this feeling of actually being at the beach when it was hundreds of miles away.

That island life thought, that couldn't be beat. Truly peaceful, easy feelings.
Back then I was "playing around" a lot more in life -- creating websites, experimenting with electronics, trying to learn all kinds of musical instruments, playing games, being inventive -- all for the PURE JOY of learning and experimenting. I created websites to help others, without any expectation. None of it lead to any huge financial success, but the feelings, the optimism, the relaxed attitude, could not be matched.

Then something happened a few years later, and life totally changed. A new job in Corporate IT, a new house, a mortgage and bills, house projects, housework, another business with customers and goals. Frustration after frustration, trying to keep up, be responsible, make productive use of time.

Where did that peaceful, easy feeling go? I lost it long ago.

Every time I've actually visited the beach, I'm thinking life can be more like this at home, because we can create that beach life in our mind. And it's true. WE CAN do that. We can feel positive effects just by visualizing relaxing thoughts and good times in the past.

My best creative and productive moments have been when I was super relaxed. Times where I was doing something completely FOR ME and not feeling pressured. Even in recent years, some of my most successful projects / products were when I was in this relaxed state of mind.

Figuring out how to create that more often? Well, that's been the challenge.

But today, I've just been reminded. It only takes a bit of music and adopting a feeling of being at the beach, to relax the mind. Jimmy Buffett brought me back to a relaxed way of living, even if just for a few moments. And that's powerful stuff.

So remember, Find Your Happy Place when you can. Use it as a tool to create those relaxed, easy-going, care-free feelings. Oddly enough, it might just be the creative boost you've been looking for!

Now excuse me as I track down my Hawaiian shirt. After all, today, I'm in paradise!