Let's Get Clear.

Clarity can come from stillness,
that quiet moment when the chatter stops,
the light bulb flashes and you understand.

It can also come from removing yourself from your normal routine.
Anyone working in a creative field needs to recharge and gain perspective.
We all do.
One way is to get away from life and go on retreat.
A place free of your regular demands and schedule.

As a child, we vacationed in the Sequoias in Norther California.
Giant red woods, some over two thousand years in age,
brought a sense of awe to my ten year old mind
reminding me that I wasn't the center of the universe.

Such outings have the power to change our point of view
giving us a creative surge to think outside the box and solve problems.
Write, paint, create.

If you can't take off for a few days and commune with your muse,
then build an oasis at home.
No television or other avoidance or addictive behaviors allowed.
Stop grumbling, it's only for a few days.

Do things different, change it up.
When you get home from work, light candles, take a long bath,
and listen to soothing music.
Watch the stars and reverence the immensity of the universe.
Do something out of the ordinary.

Physical change opens us up to mental change.

Take a new route to work or the store.
Try using your left hand if right handed.
Go to a different restaurant.
Try a unique hobby.

This can take your mind out of it's rut to new horizons.
Each new experience creates new pathways in your brain.
You become smarter, more able to deal with situations in new ways.
You see solutions.
A definite asset for a writer.

The goal is to retreat from the dull and expected
and break into the untried.
Make a point to try something new every day.
It's a mini vacation.
You vacate the norm.

This week create a retreat.
It can be a few days,
it may be at home, on the other side of the world
or just one opportunity that stretches you.
Any and all are good.

Jot your plan and experience in your journal.
Pen how it feels.
Notice how it affects your creativity and attitude. 

Please share your experience with the rest of us.
If commenting is a new activity for you,
then please feel free to express your thoughts here.

As for me,  I'm starting work on a different writing genre.
Pushing boundaries is freeing.

Free yourself.
You can do it!