This month, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks living in a beautiful apartment in the heart of San Francisco. Now that I’m an empty nester, Trusted House Sitters (a site where you can provide pet sitting in exchange for lodging), has become incredibly enticing– it’s fun to switch up my environment from time to time. And this time, I found myself in a gem of an apartment with a 17-year-old Tibetan Shepherd, Cocoa Bean, for company.
In San Francisco, I visited with old friends, saw the sights, and enjoyed daily street-art-filled urban walks. I also worked. That’s one of the amazing parts of having a remote company; I can work from anywhere, so long as there is wifi and coffee. It’s been really fun and fulfilling to embrace the digital nomad lifestyle, allowing me to prioritize both work and adventure.
I’ve always loved San Francisco – it’s where I dreamt up the concept for CSM and launched my business. I lived there for a time, and so did all of my best friends. Now, when I have the chance to return, I love being able to visit with everyone. On this trip, I’ve realized just how filled up my tank gets from the social inertia of being surrounded by great friends in a place that I love.
Maybe you’re feeling this way too if you’re traveling and visiting friends for the first time since COVID began. It can’t be understated how creatively inspiring it is to be around friends– when your well is dry, they fill it up. Sometimes, you might not even realize how stuck you’re feeling until you get that quality time with people who inspire you to be your best, most creative self.
Daily Habits for Creative People
Forming habits to help you pursue creativity more intentionally.
- Experience life outside your comfort zone– Routines can be great, but creative minds thrive on variety. Challenging yourself to have different experiences, new conversations, and even trying new hobbies will only fuel your creativity.
- Set time aside to seek out inspiration–Take a little time to daydream– it allows your brain to stay engaged in a way that’s not demanding. Some of your best ideas might reveal themselves when you actually have the time to think.
- Connect with other creatives – No matter the medium, Instagram DM’s, Zoom, or in-person, take the time to connect with other creative people and share ideas. Talk about what’s inspiring you and find out what’s inspiring them.
- Keep an ideas notebook– If you feel like you have so many great ideas in the moment but it’s hard to keep track of them all, this one is for you. Putting pen to paper and getting your ideas down in a physical way can help improve your creative process and bring your ideas to life.
- Learn to work from anywhere– If you’re waiting to find the perfect place to get work done, you’ll be waiting forever. When you can work anywhere, you set your creative self free. Working from anywhere certainly has its benefits… like traveling!
If I’ve learned anything during my trip, it’s that we’re not an island of our own minds– great ideas and great successes happen when you form meaningful relationships.
There’s a reason that COVID has felt so hard– we were isolated from each other for longer than we ever have been. The friendships we forged on Zoom helped us stay sane, but now, adding the in-person component back to our relationships has been life-giving.
Relationships are the seed of work, and as creatives, it’s important to lean into relationships, in all their forms, so that we can truly get to know one another and inspire each other. There’s a reason artists and creative thinkers have stuck together throughout history: mutual understanding. Creatives respect creatives and their processes, we can act as springboards for each other, and we get inspired by each other’s energy.
When you build lasting relationships and learn great networking skills, you are strengthening your career. Networking is vital to your success as a creative and an entrepreneur, so building up your relationship and networking skills will undeniably aid in your career success.
When your relationships are better, your business is better, and when your business is better your life is better. So, take the time to invest in relationship building– the results will speak for themselves.
