I recently read the book Secrets to a successful startup : a recession-proof guide to starting, surviving & thriving in your own venture by Trevor Blake. The first task he assigns in his book is time outside in nature and twenty minutes a day of quiet time. Fortunately for us city dwellers, the time outside in nature does not have to be any more than a patch of grass, a small pocket park or a view of a river. He teaches that with those two components your creative juices will flow. This was new to me, but I understand it now because when you give your mind time to relax creative thoughts emerge. On a sunny day in August 2019, I found my quiet time while running down a bike path on Nantucket and I realized that Running is My Detox. I felt so creative! I came up with a cool message that a “Detox” is an activity or time alone, a time to clear your head, a time to think, a time to heal, a time to decompress, a time to allow the creative to juices to flow and a time to let the negative narrative in your head dissolve (ok, you get it, I am starting to sound like the Byrds). It is super important that everyone finds an activity that is the springboard for their personal meditation (which my spell check changed to medication – but isn’t it? It is your personal medication that suits your brain and your soul). Most of my ideas for this company come during my morning run through the park. As I listen to music and I watch the birds, the new leaves unfold on the trees, the boats sail up the river, I find the creative thoughts start flowing. I used to try to remember them but like a dream evaporates as soon as you realize you are awake, so too do my creative thoughts when I return home. So now I just take out my phone and record them. They are too precious to lose. So go out there and find some nature. Give yourself the gift of 20 minutes of quiet time. Let your mind settle so your creative thoughts can flow.
p.s. for Nantucket lovers we have some great merch coming so come back to the store soon!