I’m back to sharing weekly motivational quotes! If you used to follow my “mantra mondays” blog series, this is similar except it’s on a different day of the week. I’m focusing on inspirational quotes and mantras for all you fellow boss ladies, freelancers, and creatives out there. Which means I’ll be sharing designs from other lovely ladies whom I’m super excited to be collaborating with. From art prints to wallpaper downloads, we’ll be sharing quotes that you can save, print, or share. Hopefully, they’ll inspire you every day to love yourself, to be kind, to slow life down, and to think positively.
I wanted to share a little philosophy I’ve been trying out lately. It’s all about doing things differently. I used to only work on my computer at home. After 5 years of blogging, this became really mundane. With no change of scenery or pace, my routine got boring and my inspiration disappeared along with my motivation.
That’s why I stopped blogging last year, combined with being crazy busy planning our wedding. But we moved apartments a couple of months ago, which was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Along with the change in scenery came a change in my routine and my mindset. If you saw my latest Instagram post, you’ll see I started exploring new neighborhoods which was just one of many changes.
You don’t have to move apartments to change you perspective, even the smallest change can make a big difference. Here are a couple of simple tips to help you escape the ordinary every day.
Go somewhere new
Whether it’s a new workplace lunch spot, coffee shop, workout location, or even route to work, try to go somewhere different. We normally get so stuck in our routines that you’d be suprised how much a little change in your day-to-day can make a difference.
When I get bored of my morning run, I’ll go on a 30 minute hike. When I find myself going to the same cafe back to back, I’ll force myself to try somewhere new. I’m a creature of habit, so the biggest deal for me is to change my location which in turn changes my daily perspective.
Try a new hobby
I was talking to Julian about really wanting to take different “creative-focused” classes in Hong Kong. My hobby has always been reading, but I wanted to push myself to try something new. So we signed up for cooking classes!
It was the best decision we’ve ever made. We went to our first class this month, where we learned to make Japanese bento boxes with sesame spinach, marinated grilled eggplant, yukari rice & sweet glutinous rice balls for dessert. I love the appearance of simplicity of Japanese food, which actually comes from perfecting a somewhat complex technique. And it’s always so yummy!
Pushing yourself to pick up a new class , workshop, or skill provides a fun way to escape. I’m thinking of taking a ceramics class next. When you find a new hobby you actually enjoy, it’s like a burst of fresh creativity!
Set aside time to brainstorm
Brainstorm. It doesn’t matter for how long. But get an “idea notebook” and sit down and start writing. Write down any new goals or ideas you may have. It doesn’t need to be perfect or fancy, just put pen to paper and start writing things down.
I always find myself at my most creative when I go running or in a workout. But then I get back home, shower, and forget where my mind was headed.
I used to dread the idea of brainstorming. It was kind of nerve wrecking to me. Like the “creative geniuses” out there would somehow find out and criticize my notes (lol). Honestly the biggest thing that gets in the way of you achieving your full potential is often yourself. The fear of criticism or failure.
But honestly there’s no need to make a big deal out of brainstorming. It can be as silly as drawing stick figures or writing down what you currently are loving.
I find that actually writing my ideas down as they come to me helps me process and sift through them all. Otherwise I feel lost and without direction, with a million ideas jumbled in my head. From business plans to content strategy to my personal brand, I write it all down and then slowly narrow it down from there.
I hope you like these tips for escaping the ordinary in your daily life! If you want to download this wallpaper, here you go (yes they’re free!) /
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