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!
Recent Comments
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Love it, today I wrote a post and had 3 hours trying to solve, my issues with adsense. I then had to clean the house and pick up, the children from school. Before I did that I put Annie Lennox 'Little Bird' on and danced on my own in my kitchen, like a crazy woman. I felt great.
Listening to music has always been my happy place, a place of transforming moods, or reflecting them.
It is true we can create place, time, mood, atmosphere all in our minds, in our creative space and music is a great way to shortcut that transportation.
Thank you for this wonderful post, that has reminded me to create the beach, or the mountain feeling right here, right now. The freedom to escape the stress, the 'reality' is always there to be created.
Thanks Sara!
I think we have to use imagination, music, and visualization as tools. We used to as kids all the time, so why not as adults?
Last year I had a plan to buy a projector for outside to project Youtube videos of tropical beaches. Unfortunately, cheap projectors can't compete with daylight.. so it's on-hold. But if I can make it happen, I'm gonna grab some beach chairs, wear my Hawaiian shirt, put on some Buffett and drink pina coladas in my backyard. My neighbors will think I'm nuts =)
-Wayne
Hi Wayne, as I was reading your post I had Bob Marley through the headphones, singing 'One Love'. I might not be at the beach but it's close. I was swaying in my chair. Good thoughts.
Haha, nice! There you go! We got to take ourselves to the beach more in our minds :)
I keep trying to convince my wife to go FULLY beach themed in our house. Years ago I got a strong "NO! This isn't the beach!" Last year she was up for hanging beach pictures in the hallway, so we're getting closer!
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Hey there Wayne, good feelin post here :)
It has inspired me to decorate my workspace with that tropical beach vibe for sure! If I can enjoy just a little sand and relaxation for now, that will keep me feeling positive and hopeful. Especially with the feel good music :) Turning on the tunes now :) Ah, yep, thats the good stuff.
Woohoo! Glad to hear it, Amelita!
If I can inspire one, I could inspire millions! lol.
That reminds me of when I worked in a cube farm, with dozens of other cubicles all around me. Bland, 70s looking fabric walls creating this really depressing atmosphere. I kept telling people I was going to bring in bags of play sand to dump on the floor and put a fake palm tree in the corner with xmas lights on it. That would have made me happy, but don't imagine I'd have worked there long :)
Oh my gosh, I truly found your post at just the right time.
Kids are home for summer break now and an two unruly boys have me a little stressed while trying to work. LOL
It is raining out here and a tiny chill in the wind but I still opened the window by my desk and the sound of the wind, rain, and now Jimmy Buffet is making my work day much more relaxing.
Plus, I now have a cold brew to sip on :) Hey, its Five 'O' Clock somewhere ;) hahaha
I like this sand and tree idea. Though, I would likely look up to find the kids dumping water in the sand to make mud and then I would just have to join them 😂