As you read this, I’m on day two of a ten-day vacation—aaahhh, the joys of technology that we can play with time and schedule things to be delivered in our absence. I’m writing the day before I leave for a sailing trip along the coast of Turkey.
For the first time in many vacations, I’m leaving my computer at home. I’ve created an out-of-office email response. I’m planning to toss my phone in my suitcase and not get it out until the day before I return to check in for my flight.
I love my work as a book coach, and I’m so looking forward to taking a break. I want to sink into a book or two; I have dozens to choose from (and will let you know what I read when I get back). I know that after a pause from the day-to-day, my body, brain, and soul are refreshed, my creativity renewed, and my perspective changed.
In The Artist’s Way Julia Cameron writes about “artist dates,” recommending one a week—in addition to the daily morning pages—to generate ideas and keep your creativity active and, well, creative. I find longer breaks even more stimulating. My brain has time to observe patterns and find metaphors for writing in many places.
For example, some years ago I was in Northern Italy in the Piemonte region. I went to a cheese-tasting lunch, we began with mild cheeses, and with each course moved on to a stronger, older cheese, passing through aged parmesans and finishing with pungent creamy blues like gorgonzola. Each cheese course was paired with an appropriate wine. I was struck by the varieties of robiola, a mild, soft cheese with a slightly citrus undertone. The ingredients are the same—cow, goat, and sheep milk—yet each cheese maker creates a slightly different cheese, the nuances of flavor changing with the various quantities of each milk.
This made me think about originality in writing and ideas, or any creative effort. We begin with the same words and similar ideas but our expressions of them are different. The way we combine the same ingredients results in different outcomes. A painter begins with a canvas, brushes, and paints yet every painting is different. Every songwriter has the same notes to work with but the combinations and resulting songs are seemingly endless.
Creativity comes forth in the expression of those combined elements. If we work without pause, forcing our creativity, we risk repeating ourselves or becoming stale. Taking a break opens up space for new creative expressions to form. A break offers a new perspective. I can’t wait to see the creations that come forth for me in these ten days.
How do you stimulate your creativity? Do you practice morning pages and artist dates?
Thank you for reading. Until next week, keep reading, writing, and using the right word.
Barbara