There’s so much out there! So much is possible! I can do anything and it’s not half as hard as I thought!
versus
I’m so far behind! I thought I’d be traveling around the world by this point in my life! I’ve wasted so many years and I’m tripping over my own feet trying to catch up!
What can be really frustrating is feeling like I haven’t found MY thing. I talked in a previous post about the benefits of pulling yourself out of the competition by creating your own path. I don’t see the lifestyle design community as competition by any means, but it’s a similar idea of owning what you do as yours.
Now, I am here to say I found it!
(It’s not fleshed out; it’s in its infantile stages, so more on the specifics at a later date.)
What really hit me about the discovery was that I’ve been thinking about this idea for months, just in a different context. Through explaining a completely separate concept to someone yesterday, everything rushed together in my head.
Maybe what creative blocks really need are brain tsunamis that shatter the lens you’re looking through. Everything we see is colored by how we see it. Everything we think about is filtered through a lens of pre-established context.
So, to get the ball rolling, here are a couple simple ideas to tsunami your brain:
• Link your Life It’s not a new concept that we act, think and speak differently according to the role we’re fitting into at any given time. Address your block from the perspective of an opposing role. Are you involved in projects in either role that you never considered combining or transferring?
• Break it to Basic Strip off all the vehicles of communication, all the styling, all the glimmer and glitz. What’s at the core? What’s the very basic message or objective? Ignore all the thoughts of, “But it’s always been done this way, so it must be the best/only way to do it.” That’s exactly why re-examining the message and all the possible ways of conveying it is so important. If something has “always” been done one way, has anyone taken into consideration advances in technology, or changing ideals, or even the differences in how we communicate now?
How do you side-zoom a slump? Or even, how do you spark those creative juices?
serial entrepreneur
explorer and adventeur
self-proclaimed ridiculous person
lifestyle design soapbox talker
Copyright 2009 by dezabulous, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Original GimpStyle theme by gran impetu. Modified Theme by dezabulous.
I don’t think you’ve wasted any time. Those years of working as a character at Disneyland, acting a wide variety of roles on stage, interacting with people, serving people, starting your business, stopping your business, starting a NEW business; these are all such incredible growing experiences that so many people will NEVER have the chance to experience first hand. All the rest of us have is the vicarious thrill that we’ll be living through you!
Tell us more! Tell us more!
Can’t wait to hear more about your niche, too. I can think of several that you could focus on, but I want to hear what you came up with first
Comment by Colin Wright — September 22, 2009 #
I’m looking forward to reading more about the niche you have decided on.
It’s a funny experience when something just hits you like that isn’t it? I’ve had that happen to me a couple of times, including when I started my blog. Brain tsunamis are awesome.
Comment by Nate — September 22, 2009 #
I love the thought processes that went into this entry – I not only see where you are coming from (and hopefully going), but personally I can also take away a tidbit for myself to rumminate on. Aren’t we all looking for that one thing that we hope to do in life, but want to do passionately as well – ahhhhhh.
Comment by Molly Wright — September 22, 2009 #
Heya Kristin!
Cool blog you have here, the design is really pretty
Keep working hard at it, write posts you enjoy and are passionate about and you will get loads of readers:)
Best of luck
Diggy
Comment by Diggy - Upgradereality.com — September 22, 2009 #
@Colin – I’m hoping to have a teaser done by the time I get to BA. So you will just have to wait like everyone else!
@Nate – Agreed! It’s such a thrilling experience of “why didn’t I see that before? and why is no one else doing that!?” I can’t wait to get it up and running too, expect a teaser in the coming month…(fingers crossed)
@Molly – Thank you! I’m so glad you got something to take away from this post. Keep up the great writing over at your site, too, you are a constant inspiration for me. (I still want to read your detective book)
@Diggy – Thanks for the kind words! I intend to do just that
Comment by Kristin — September 22, 2009 #
Hunh?
I see the jargon, but I don’t see any content or context? What’re you trying to say?
Comment by B Strand — September 22, 2009 #
@Strand – Forgive my lack of specifics. I’ve been feeling the need to embark on a creative travel project. It’s something that I likely won’t be able to do for at least a year (yay leases!) but I’ve been itching to start planning now and hoping that whatever I came up with could be test run in my acclamation to Seattle.
So really, at the moment it’s more of a creative project that will push me in the direction to learn some hardcore new skills, ease the transition into a new city and eventually be applied abroad. The style of project was something a group of us had tossed around in LA for a completely different concept, but never ended up developing it. I was secretly obsessed with our idea, but didn’t believe I was capable of pulling it off on my own.
But taking that style, applying it to discovering a new place, new customs, new people, and realizing that it’s actually better if I do it on my own, wasn’t apparent…until I thought about it and realized it was, I just hadn’t stopped to consider it before.
I hope that makes sense to you. Thanks for asking me to clarify!
Comment by Kristin — September 22, 2009 #
Kristin,
I love the way you write! You have such an honest, yet colorful, way of expressing yourself; and it is just so fun to read!
I particularly like the idea of the “brain tsunami.” When I get stuck in anything in life it’s usually because of my tendency to become anxious over what is probably nothing. While my fears are very real to me the majority of them are irrational and innocuous; however, when I let myself feel threatened by them I become completely absorbed by it and lose all focus on anything else. When I remind myself that most of my fears in everyday life will not kill me, and shift my focus to something new and challenging I have found that I can access my creativity and go forward using the best of my intelligence, feeling comfortable and confident. Sometimes it does take a figurative natural brain disaster to clean out the stuff in your head that is getting in your way.
I’m excited to hear more about your plans for your new adventure!
Comment by Sarah — September 23, 2009 #
Hey Kristin,
I love the dichotomies that you talk about… “I should be traveling the world by now” to …”I found it!!” I feel exactly the same way. Keep on preaching. I’m grateful to have found your blog.
Karen
Comment by Karen — September 24, 2009 #
“find yourself lost” this is exactly how I spark my creative side (which is also how I get over slumps).
When I feel a need for some inspiration I take some time off and wander, usually to a library, museum, or Canada, often I don’t even make it that far before I get inspired and side-tracked.
To life and navigating mapless!
Comment by Antoine — September 30, 2009 #
“find yourself lost” this is how I solve my slumps.
When I need some creative solutions I take some time off and turn my senses on. Usually I head out to the library, a museum, park, or Canada. I rarely ever make it to these locations b/c I get to destination inspired first.
To life and the navigating mapless!
Comment by Antman — September 30, 2009 #