Common to all these situations is that they involve times when our busy, monkey-minds have slowed down.   Our creative muse visits us most often when we have cleared our minds of all our internal chatter.  Reasoning and analytical thinking works marvelously when all the variables in a situation are known.  But if our goal is novel solutions, innovative ideas, then we need to tap into our receptive mode of thinking.  We need to quiet down and make ourselves open to receive the gifts of our muse. 

Fyodor Dostoyevski, the existentialist/novelist, once remarked that he’s constantly amazed at what his characters end up doing.  To the rational mind, this is nonsensical.  After all, he wrote the story, how can be surprised?  But he’s capturing a profound truth about the experience of creative discovery and insight: it feels more like you received the idea, that you were the vessel through which the work flowed.  Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), in an interview about his work on the soundtrack to Into the Wild, commented that after his intense songwriting sessions he would often emerge with little memory of the process at all.  It’s a kind of altered state he entered in which his normal, rational thinking was put aside in place of this state of intense flow. 

I dabble occasionally with poetry, and my best work has always come to me almost in a flash.  It can feel quite uncanny, because it  seems like I have no part in it, other than to write down what had entered my mind.  One time this happened while driving home, with a rather blank mind.  I had no thoughts of trying to write anything, but suddenly ‘pop’, in flowed a few lines, quickly followed by several more.  I remember trying to pull over as quickly (and safely) so that I could write them down before they left my mind, forgotten. 

That’s why brainstorming is so effective: it involves breaking from the shackles of analysis, and just writing down any and everything that comes to mind.   You can do this by yourself as well.  It’s called ‘free writing.’  Consider an issue or a problem, and then write steady, non-stop for 3-5 minutes.  Write down everything that comes to mind, no matter how silly it may sound at first.  This is a process of getting out your own way, and opening to your own creative intelligence.

So, you decide now is the time for a break.  The decision around how you spend your time then becomes the big question.   And there are increasing numbers of people who have difficulty truly letting go and simply enjoying recreation time.  Technology in particular can be a real obstacle.  People go away, but they bring their blackberries, cell phones, continue to check emails, etc.  Or, sometimes we might fill up all our vacation time with work to be done around the house (renovations, etc).  So, increasingly can we hear the lament, “I need a vacation after my vacation.”  This is the Vacation Burnout.

It is of supreme importance that we take time to separate from our workaday worlds periodically.  Failing to do so only leads to elevated stress and anxiety levels and weakened physical health.   Vacations are meant to be times for us to rejuvenate.  To become refreshed and renewed.  It is a time to reflect as well and become clear about our values.  So here are some tips to help you get the most of your well-earned time away:

1. Separate fully from your work.  Disconnect yourself technologically from work.  Make your emails and tweets of a strictly social nature.   

2. Be clear about what types of activities rejuvenate you.  For some, a packed ‘things to do and see’ list makes vacation more enjoyable; others benefit more from lots of quiet time and more spontaneity.  There is no right way, just be sure that your plans suit your interests and needs. 

3. Even if you’re not going away, getting time away from the home environment is very helpful.  Do day trips, explore your area (I’m still discovering places/things about Niagara that I never knew).  Tenting can be a very economical way of getting away as well.  When we’re around our home all the time, it’s easy to get caught up in an awareness of all the work around the house that we should be doing, and this can interfere with our recreation.  If you notice this, try separating yourself from home, even for a short while.

Ok, this block was unexpected.  Leading up to the launch of this blog, I felt high anticipation.  I had, in fact, assembled in advance a lengthy number of topics of interest.  I felt ready, more than ready: ‘Yeah, bring it on.’ But as a sat down at my keyboard, the well of ideas abruptly ran dry, leaving my mind blank.  Trying my best to set aside the growing anxiety accompanying my realization that I’m actually blocked on the first entry when I’m expected to write EVERY SINGLE DAY (deep breaths, deep breaths), I began to reflect on how I was interfering with myself. 

I realized that at the moment of beginning to actually write, I became preoccupied with imagining what others would like me to write about.  What topics should I cover, what style of writing should I use, and so on.  I had contracted a case of the Shoulds.  Few things stifle our creativity and enthusiasm more than dwelling excessively on how we think we ought to be.   

Like all things in life, it’s a balance because, of course, consideration of others is important. It is my hope that this blog and the ideas I share will prove useful and supportive to others.  But if what I share lacks authenticity, if it isn’t my voice that I share, then whatever comes out will ring hollow.  I’ll simply sound like a bad salesman.  I was sharing my stress about the Blog this morning with Shari Belme (Client Relations at the Group), and she gave me this helpful reminder: “Be real.”  Isn’t it wonderful how a couple words from a friend can help you see clearly what you had forgotten.  Thanks, Shari. 

It’s a very useful exercise to take time and review how you spend your time, and consider, “Who am I doing this for?”  Is it for myself, is this endeavour an expression of my true self, my uniqueness, my genuine interests and capacities?  Or rather, do you find yourself marching to the beat of someone else’s drum?  Saw a bit of the Steve Martin movie Parenthood the other day, in which his character states, “My whole life is ‘have to.’”  There are different kinds of reasons we sometimes abandon our unique call, and this blog will be about that, too. 

Some people confuse the idea of living your truth with being selfish and living for yourself.  Don’t make that mistake.  I’m highlighting the well-recognized truth that in order to care and love for others, we absolutely must have love and caring for ourselves first.  It’s not an option, it’s a pre-requisite.  In this world, I can only share who I am and what I am as a human being.  If I am insincere, contemptuous, uninspired, indifferent, that that’s all I can offer you when we meet.  That will be my legacy.  But, by taking the time to stay connected to my center, when we meet I can then see clearly your centre, too, and all those wonderful characteristics and shortcomings (yup, you have those, too) that make you who you truly are. 

I’m going to end with another quote (For those keeping score, I do recognize the irony of beginning and ending an entry on authenticity by drawing on the words of others.  These are words that resonate with me – that’s my nifty justification.  Plus, nothing beats a good quote!).  These are the words of Leo Buscaglia, a dynamic educator and speaker during his lifetime.  As a young child, I watched his speeches with much interest, while cuddled up on the couch between my parents.  Outside my family, he was my first teacher about life.  We all need such teachers.  Enjoy.    

“The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don’t let them put you in that position.”

Ok, this block was unexpected.  Leading up to the launch of this blog, I felt high anticipation.  I had, in fact, assembled in advance a lengthy number of topics of interest.  I felt ready, more than ready: ‘Yeah, bring it on.’ But as a sat down at my keyboard, the well of ideas abruptly ran dry, leaving my mind blank.  Trying my best to set aside the growing anxiety accompanying my realization that I’m actually blocked on the first entry when I’m expected to write EVERY SINGLE DAY (deep breaths, deep breaths), I began to reflect on how I was interfering with myself. 

I realized that at the moment of beginning to actually write, I became preoccupied with imagining what others would like me to write about.  What topics should I cover, what style of writing should I use, and so on.  I had contracted a case of the Shoulds.  Few things stifle our creativity and enthusiasm more than dwelling excessively on how we think we ought to be.   

Like all things in life, it’s a balance because, of course, consideration of others is important. It is my hope that this blog and the ideas I share will prove useful and supportive to others.  But if what I share lacks authenticity, if it isn’t my voice that I share, then whatever comes out will ring hollow.  I’ll simply sound like a bad salesman.  I was sharing my stress about the Blog this morning with Shari Belme (Client Relations at the Group), and she gave me this helpful reminder: “Be real.”  Isn’t it wonderful how a couple words from a friend can help you see clearly what you had forgotten.  Thanks, Shari. 

It’s a very useful exercise to take time and review how you spend your time, and consider, “Who am I doing this for?”  Is it for myself, is this endeavour an expression of my true self, my uniqueness, my genuine interests and capacities?  Or rather, do you find yourself marching to the beat of someone else’s drum?  Saw a bit of the Steve Martin movie Parenthood the other day, in which his character states, “My whole life is ‘have to.’”  There are different kinds of reasons we sometimes abandon our unique call, and this blog will be about that, too. 

Some people confuse the idea of living your truth with being selfish and living for yourself.  Don’t make that mistake.  I’m highlighting the well-recognized truth that in order to care and love for others, we absolutely must have love and caring for ourselves first.  It’s not an option, it’s a pre-requisite.  In this world, I can only share who I am and what I am as a human being.  If I am insincere, contemptuous, uninspired, indifferent, that that’s all I can offer you when we meet.  That will be my legacy.  But, by taking the time to stay connected to my center, when we meet I can then see clearly your centre, too, and all those wonderful characteristics and shortcomings (yup, you have those, too) that make you who you truly are. 

I’m going to end with another quote (For those keeping score, I do recognize the irony of beginning and ending an entry on authenticity by drawing on the words of others.  These are words that resonate with me – that’s my nifty justification.  Plus, nothing beats a good quote!).  These are the words of Leo Buscaglia, a dynamic educator and speaker during his lifetime.  As a young child, I watched his speeches with much interest, while cuddled up on the couch between my parents.  Outside my family, he was my first teacher about life.  We all need such teachers.  Enjoy.    

“The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don’t let them put you in that position.”

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