Playful Creativity
Do you ever feel like there are too many choices? Like when you get the menu at a restaurant and it’s several pages long – too many choices and suddenly hunger is replaced with overwhelm.
I may be great at peeling back the layers to get to the essence of both my design work and in my home. But in my daily life, I can still make things more complicated than necessary. Simplifying requires thoughtfulness, patience, and care.
I struggle with a desire to do so many things, but at a level that I often can’t maintain. There are simply not enough hours in the day for me to accomplish everything I want to do. And so, it comes down to releasing control (easier said than done) in order to make the time to soak in the simple pleasures of life. Yes, I actually schedule “down time.”
I recently had a few lunch dates with different friends and these outings reminded me just why taking these breaks is so important! The simple pleasure of sitting down and sharing a meal with someone reminded me that I often get tied up with chores, leaving little time for life. I learned quickly that putting these dates on the calendar gave me permission to relax! Scheduling fun may sound a little counter-intuitive, but ironically it’s the structure that allows for the relaxation. In January, the CED team got together for a weekend of strategic planning for the coming year. As part of our strategy, we focused on creating space for beauty and the simple experiences of life. We took walks, we paused to observe light, color, and sound. I realized I thrive on observing nature, spending time with friends and family, seeking beauty, creating, and helping people.
Our method turned out to also be our overarching vision for the year – which is to make space for rest, for silence, for being present, for the unexpected, and for replenishing imagination to encourage more playful creativity.
I’d love for you join us on this journey of more playful creativity this year! Tell us what you’re doing to bring a little more color into your life in 2019!
