Dare to Stand on The Ledge

Imagine what you can see from that view.  Are you the type of person that has created a strict daily routine and you’re now stuck? You get up, get dressed, get ready for work and then drive the same path you take every single day. There is no change or creativity to your routine. You are probably so good at it that you could do it with your eyes closed. Yes, even the drive.  Where are the adventures?

All of a sudden, one day during that same boring ride, you happen to glance over and notice something new, something you haven’t seen before. What? Wait! Where did that come from? How did a building pop up right there in front of me without me even noticing? There is a beautiful lake there, too?

You think to yourself, oh my, what else haven’t I noticed these last 10 years during this trip on the same streets? What else am I missing? Why haven’t I been looking around and noticing all the beautiful things around me? I can answer that question – you, my friend, are stuck in rut. You’re oblivious to the things around you. It’s knocking but you’re not answering.

My suggestion is take the wrong turn. Do it! Add a few more minutes to your drive in the morning and swing by the ocean. The ocean can have many positive affects on you.

“We are beginning to learn that our brains are hardwired to react positively to water and that being near it can calm and connect us, increase innovation and insight, and even heal what’s broken,” Nichols writes in Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do, published in July. “We have a ‘blue mind’ — and it’s perfectly tailored to make us happy in all sorts of ways that go way beyond relaxing in the surf, listening to the murmur of a stream, or floating quietly in a pool.”

If you don’t live near an ocean identify another local landmark that will take your breath away. You can find these special places in every city and town. I would love to hear about them.

Don’t stop exploring, even if it is only on your ride to work. These moments will bring inspiration that can last you throughout the day. When you are in the thick of your day, you can lean on these special moments for a bit of inspiration.   Get yourself lost. Drive through neighborhoods you’ve never seen before, shop at a new grocery store, eat at a different restaurant, cook a new meal, buy something special you have been wanting to buy. My point is do something new that will help you take notice of the beautiful things around you. Routine is good but don’t let it suck the inspiration out of you. Make the wrong turn and wake the sleeping lion.  I dare you!       `

Credit this wonderful shot to https://twitter.com/EarthPix