Creative Adventures Await for Your Summer Vacation (*and a summer reading list!)

Posted on July 10, 2023

Are you taking a short break or staycation this summer? What a perfect time to engage your creativity!

And better yet? You can do it without lifting a finger (not even a pinky finger!) while you drink your cold beverage of choice.

Take a few minutes a day to engage these 5 habits this summer and you will start linking more dots, solving more challenges, and finding some ease in your day.
And even if you identify as “left-brained,” there are a wealth of benefits to creativity that will help you to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world.

Here are some ideas to help you to incorporate some creativity into your routine this summer:

DAYDREAM: Discovering Inspiration in Everyday Moments

Creativity isn’t limited to grand gestures or extravagant displays. It can be found in simple moments.

Amidst the summer sun, allow your mind to wander and indulge in the magic of daydreaming. Give yourself permission to drift away from reality and explore the realms of possibility.

Let your imagination run wild or think about a problem you’re trying to solve and take in the vibrant hues of the sunset, the rhythmic pattern of waves crashing on the shore, or the petals of a flower you’ve never seen before.

TRY THIS

Find a moment of solitude during your vacation (or find some time) and go on a walk in nature. Even gazing at an image of nature works.

Let your thoughts flow freely. You may even surprise yourself with a “Eureka!” moment!

Summer Reading Recommendation:

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

“[Gilbert] digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration.”

AMBIGUITY: Embracing Uncertainty

TRY THIS

Leave room for flexibility in your itinerary – drive without a rigid plan and stop when something tickles your fancy! (Not on vacation? Become a tourist of your own city!)

Embrace detours, explore off-the-beaten-path locations, and allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised.

Summer Reading Recommendation:

Deviate by Beau Lotto

Deviate is a fascinating, mind cracking read about how perception alters reality. Beau challenges the way we think about what we “know” and how our perception tricks us.

Beau also challenges us to consider less about getting from A to B, instead focus on going from A to “not A”, to sit in the ambiguity of the unknown instead of rushing to resolve it and move on.

NOVELTY: Seek Inspiration in the Unfamiliar

If creativity is a fire on the beach, novelty is the kindling.

Embrace the spirit of exploration and seek our new experiences!

TRY THIS

Challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone and engage in activities that push your boundaries.

Find a summer event you’ve never been to, visit a museum you wouldn’t usually be interested in, attend local cultural events, or participate in a workshop to open your mind to novel perspectives and creative expression!

Summer Reading Recommendation:

Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell

A collection of 8 marvelous short stories.

Within these pages, a community of girls held captive in a Japanese silk factory slowly transmute into human silkworms and plot revolution and in the marvelous title story, two vampires in a sun-drenched lemon grove try to shake their thirst for blood and come to terms with their immortal relationship.

CURIOSITY: Cultivate an Inquisitive Mind

Approach your summer adventures with a sense of wonder. Curiosity us a foundation for creativity, if you don’t wonder about how things could be different, nothing would ever change.

Have a random question pop in your head? Follow the rabbit hole and see where it goes!

TRY THIS

Engage with the people and places around you.

Initiate conversations that ignite curiosity, ask locals for their favourite spots, delve into the history and heritage of a new place, and try local foods and specialities!

Summer Reading Recommendation:

How To Be An Explorer of The World by Keri Smith

Artists and scientists analyze the world around them in surprisingly similar ways, by observing, collecting, documenting, analyzing, and comparing. In this captivating guided journal, readers are encouraged to explore their world as both artists and scientists.

EDIT LATER: Embrace the Process

Perfectionism is no bueno for a creative mindset. The key is to adopt a mindset of “edit later.”

No bad ideas. Easier said than done? Allow yourself to explore, create and fail.

Creativity is like a boot camp for embracing ambiguity and failure, when it doesn’t really matter. Embrace messy and imperfect moments as stepping stones on your journey to creative genius.

Check out this drawing I did while I was in San Diego! (click to watch)

There is something so liberating and joyful about laughing at your own mistakes. I lol’d at my waves. Can anyone tell me how to draw waves? Anyone?

TRY THIS

Engage in a creative activity without self-judgment.

Write in a journal without worrying about grammar or structure or sketch or paint without concern for perfection. Embrace the joy of creation and worry about refinement later (or never, you don’t need to become a professional artist or writer!)

Summer Reading Recommendation:

How To Be An Explorer of The World by Keri Smith

Did you know 80% of people who try something creative get joy from it, even if it fails, is ugly, or doesn’t turn out how they wanted?

As summer runs headfirst to kiss you on the lips, remember that creativity is not just about the end result, but also about the process of exploration and self-expression.

Challenge yourself to see the extraordinary in the ordinary and unleash your inner creative genius!