I find it really important to periodically get out of what I'm in. Seeing the same people, doing the same things, following the same routines, reading the same kinds of books, not only gets boring but also keeps you in the same mindset. Creativity arises out of fresh inspiration. That's why we travel, that's why we take a pottery or ballroom dancing class, or anything else that's a bit out of our comfort zone, just for shits and giggles. Key here is "out of our comfort zone." It's about building some new brain synapses. It'll always be more comfortable to stay home and relax, aka vegge out. But going on an adventure is energizing.
This past Sunday the weather was miserable, it was actually pouring, and I was recovering from a bad cold. A good day to stay in, right? But we had tickets to two dance performances at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College. So we went. Lo and behold, I was soooo glad we went for soooo many reasons. First of all we got to see Frank Gehry's architectural masterpiece. Second, we watched two zany contemporary dance theatre performances unlike anything I had ever seen before, one of them unanticipatedly participatory. Thirdly, we discovered the teeny tiny cute and trendy town of Tivoli. Fourthly, someone in Tivoli gave us a recommendation for the nicest restaurant we ended up for dinner. Fifthly, I came back feeling way better than in the morning, more energized, and totally inspired - and I still draw from it.
Moral of the story, sometimes you've got to pull yourself up by the boot straps and go off on a limb. You'll never know how much of life you miss out on if you don't get out of bed and live it.
