I haven’t sat at a desk for 2 weeks, and my creative, free spirit is thriving because of it!
I’ve been fortunate to be in Montana for 2 weeks. The first week was a glorious week of disconnection from WIFI while fostering connection with myself and loved ones at a family cabin on Swan Lake. Summer days at the lake are long and begin early with large mugs of steaming coffee, while looking out over the glassy water with its early morning paddle boarders and kayakers. After a slow morning of reading, chit chat, and breakfast, it’s time to hit the lake for wakeboarding and water skiing while the water is still like glass.
By the time we come in off the lake, the sun is hot enough to strip off layers, and the remainder of the day is spent sunning on the beach, laying on the dock to be rocked by the water and dangle your feet to cool off (or jump in if you’re brave enough to tolerate the cold), play on paddle boards and floats, and venture inside just long enough to grab food periodically.
Dinner is eaten outside on the porch, in the shade of the trees, because who can go inside while the sun is still high? 7:00-8:00 PM often feels like the hottest part of the day there, so evening activities like a lakeside bonfire don’t begin until about 9:00 when the sun is finally dipping behind the mountains.
And then the stars come out. The stars that seem to appear in larger clusters and shine so much brighter in the Montana sky. Mind you, after a full day of sun, water, and fresh air, I tuck in early, but even dreams are different there…more vivid, vibrant, and colorful…as if the clear mountain air and cold water are just the shock your soul needs to revitalize. It’s amazing what a week of disconnection can do for creativity and aliveness.
We left the lake to spend our second week in Butte, Montana at a breathtaking ranch property. Located down in a canyon, surrounded by wide open spaces and wildlife, but now with a WIFI connection, we could open our computers and get back to work, but with a refreshed sense of health. Taking work calls on a gorgeous back porch overlooking endless greenery, water, and distant mountains offered the exact refreshment I was needing to show up better for clients. It’s as if my soul was receiving exactly what it needed to refuel and be able to pour out again, not to mention, serving clients who were on East coast time meant I was done working by 3:00 in the afternoon, with plenty of Montana summer day left to enjoy.
About that time each day, we would all just sort of find our way back to that gorgeous deck for happy hour. Unwinding from the day, sharing stories, connecting through conversation, and making dinner plans with a glass of red wine in hand somehow made life feel easier. There’s something about working all day in a breathtaking setting, knowing that later that day, you’ll be back in your favorite spot on the deck discussing when to hit the music festival, which hike to take tomorrow, and what time is the art show that stirs the creative juices in profound ways.
I’ve never been a desk person. My best work doesn’t happen there. I actually feel restless and confined when sitting at a desk for too long. I show up as my best self when I can move among locations. It’s as if shifting my surroundings also shifts any stagnation I’m feeling inside and helps to spur new ideas and clear frustration or confusion. I especially need to be able to venture outside and work from there from time to time.
The movement in the air moves my thoughts and feelings and helps me see new perspectives. The spaciousness causes me to feel limitless and inspired to take action on new ideas. The colors, sounds, and textures of nature ground and focus me without making me feel restricted. This is where I feel free. Free to be, free to dream, free to take action.
I’ve sat on the deck of the ranch house and written blogs, taken calls, scheduled meetings for my return to Florida, and planned for upcoming retreats. I appeared as a guest on a podcast, with the expansive stone fireplace as my backdrop, and as I shared my story, I thought about the shy, quiet, small girl I was talking about and how different her life is now. The girl who once dreamed of experiencing oceans, mountains, deserts, and all sceneries in between has now done all of that. The girl who couldn’t imagine being brave enough to speak and be visible now seeks out opportunities to do so.
The girl who initially channeled her creativity in nature by running barefoot, making mud pies, and stringing daisy chains and dandelion crowns still finds her creativity and passion there for her business ventures. The girl who grew up feeling connected to nature still returns to it for her guidance and inspiration.
Tomorrow, we fly home. Home to St. Augustine, FL…a city I adore and to which I am always excited to return. With me, I take renewed energy and refreshed creativity that only the fresh mountain air and expansiveness can give. And I know that this time has planted seeds of inspiration that will only continue to blossom in the weeks and months to come.
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