Why Escape Is Good (Creative Advice From the Ocean)
“Sponges grow in the ocean. That just kills me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn’t happen.”
- Steven Wright
When was the last time you escaped or took a vacation? Just a little time to retreat and rejuvenate your creative spirit?
One of Steven Covey’s 7 Habits is called ‘Sharpen the Saw’. The idea is, when you work too hard (sawing) eventually your blade becomes dull and ineffective. You feel tired and burned out.
As creative people, we need to sharpen our saws (or pencils) now and then to refresh ourselves and expand our creative potential.
Some people keep sawing even though their blade is worn out. To them, a retreat is a self-indulgent and frivolous notion. They think, “I’ve gotta keep working!”
Not me. I escape to the ocean.
The ocean has secrets to share; tips for a more peaceful creative journey.
You know that sound you hear when you hold a seashell to your ear? That’s the ocean giving you advice. And here it is:
1. Just be.
Some days the ocean is stormy and turbulent. Other days it’s as flat as glass. But all the while, it just IS. Take some time to escape and just be. Be calm, be stormy, be reflective, be distracted, whatever you’ve got to do. Just take time away from the desk for a while. Be in the moment. You’ll be better for it.
2. There’s a peaceful world underneath the surface.
If your mind is busy from working overtime, know that somewhere underneath the surface is peace, stillness, and a whole creative world waiting to be discovered. Take some deep breaths. Meditate. Listen. Write in your journal - that helps me. You never know what imagery will rise to the surface and inspire your creations.
3. Ride the waves
Some days you feel inspired, some days you don’t. Some days you swim gracefully, other days you sink. Nevertheless - each day the waves still reach the shore. As long as you keep swimming, and creating, you’ll be okay.
Just take a little time…
What about you? Where do you go when you need a creative escape? Leave a comment!
I escape by traveling as much as possible but when I cannot, I find a way to “escape” in my everyday life. Sometimes I open the window on a very windy day and I lie on the bed with my eyes closed and pretend I am in Hawaii listening to the leaves blow in the wind. Unfortunately there are times when it feels like there is no escape, particularly when I am going through something painful in my life. During those times I create an escape by playing the game of “looking for the silver lining.” I will search, even if it is through tears for some shred of “silver lining” so that even though I might be “losing”, I never lose the lesson.
Michelle - what a nice, thoughtful comment. Thanks. (Another great escape is listening to comedy, which can really take you away from your troubles!)