We all need a break from our everyday life and often enough we will choose to do
things that are not actually that different from the norm. Why do we make predictable
choices? The way we think for much of our time, controls the choices we make when
we select a break. The old saying “It takes me a while to switch off’, how many times
have you said that to your friends and family when you are on a vacation.
The psychology behind taking a break is often doing something or indulging in an
activity that is different and requires a different mindset. Something that takes us away,
mentally and physically. A break allows us to explore our passion for something new or
previously buried in the past as we ‘no longer have the time for ourselves’ or ‘it just feels
selfish’ to spend the day being creative and away from our responsibilities.
With today’s online engagement between people we lose so much just from the rush to
produce content, sharing as quickly as possible and counting the ‘likes’ we’ve received
from our pictures, often fake or filtered – of ourselves, places, food and drink. We lose
sight of real engagement and the value of unwitnessed private conversation and
experiences. Conversation around what you really love about art or music, food and
drink, how your holiday made you feel rather than what you felt you had to share on
social media. I mean really… let’s just imagine we take a break from that too, when you
plan your next break for a day or a long weekend, SWITCH OFF from that unsigned
contract with social media and expectation. Allow yourself to be immersed in a new,
creative and stimulating environment and take in as much as you give out, creatively
speaking.
Experience before you have to share. Don’t feel guilty to enjoy a break with friends or
family painting, sculpting, riding horses or chasing waves and not immediately finding
ways to capture and share, enjoy the moment. What’s more, you will see the views you
paint and taste the food you eat differently, particularly when you are in the company of
a celebrated local artist who can share the secrets of the area, its history and teach you
about painting and capturing the spirit of the moment.
Creativity and curiosity are at the core of a mindful break, away from the mundane and
predictability of the everyday. We all need inspiration and different trains of thought by
experiencing something new in order to rediscover ourselves and what makes us
happy. Taking a break is a way of giving yourself the chance to reflect and indulge in
doing what you love most. It is vital for our mental and physical health to allow ourselves
this gift. Artists have interesting lives built on the basis of different philosophies that
create alternate universes for the very few to become a part of.