You know how you can collect something without any premeditation? I
collect boxes. Most of them come to me as gifts or as holders of
something else – cards, candles, cigars. Many of them are beautiful as
well as functional so I keep them around. 
I was alarmed the day I realized that boxes were crowding into my life without my agreement. I felt the same concern when I realized that I was living in a box. My life, my work, my space – all in the box. I’ve been living and working from my apartment since April, 2000.
Eight years in my box. It’s a beautiful box, my home, my world. My box is cozy and colorful and full of great smells and textures. Friends come for happy hours, pizza parties and potlucks. Clients and colleagues come in via phone and email. I have a courtyard and neighbors I know.
This is Boulder’s sweet spot. People rarely know about it, and it’s surrounded by all the best things in Boulder: the creek path, the library, the post office, Wild Oats, the Dushanbe Tea House. It’s not bad, really. But for the past few years I’ve chafed against the walls of my box, wanting out. Finally, as 2007 came to a close, it came to me:
I need out of my box soon. Otherwise all my clothing will morph into expandable waistline sweats, I won’t care if I have bed head forever and I really will be trapped in the Boulder ‘bubble.’
The solution came to me in one cosmic download. One night it became clear to me that I needed to do what I’ve always wanted: travel the world, live in a different country for six months or a year. Long enough to get to know the culture, learn a new language, meet interesting people and connect with new communities. To live large, outside of my box.
Here it is, my home office box.
It’s time to leave the comforts of Boulder for the adventures of the world. I plan to go to Italy, France (join me in Paris in August for my next creativity tour!), Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands. And Turkey and Greece. And who knows where else.
Logically, this doesn’t make a lot of sense. The dollar is a weakling when facing the euro. But I feel it’s a call, the siren song of the road urges me to abandon the comfortable and the rational. I recall a blog post by Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, who wrote about his successes. He listed many of them, including becoming a famous cartoonist and a restaurateur, both notoriously difficult endeavors to succeed at.
The great thing about his post (I couldn't find it on his blog, but if you can, let me know) was that the things he was successful at were the ludicrous fool's journeys. Friends and family all advised him against being a cartoonist and a restaurant owner, gently and wisely guiding him toward something 'practical.' He tried those things and they were the endeavors that he failed at. I take this as proof that the heart trumps logic in living an adventurous life. So I’m going out into the world and inviting the world to meet me.
I’m not heading out on vacation, but because theoretically I can
work anywhere. This is one of the reasons I took on this work of
coaching and writing. I can be anywhere. I’ve coached clients from
French fields, Parisian phone booths with mopeds whizzing by in the
background, California coasts, London suburbs and Swiss ski towns. I
find that my coaching is actually better thanks to the heightened
awareness that comes from being out on the road (or jammed into a phone
booth). I like to think it’s the J
uju
of me living large that calls my clients forth even more quickly and
powerfully to their Creative Leaps. In any case, I know it works and
like any addicted traveler, I want to go further and for longer periods
of time.
There I am, in a Parisian phone booth.
The other part of my eight-year itch is the need to make art. For over a decade I’ve committed (mostly faithfully) to the art of writing. I’ve written twelve drafts of my novel in nine years. I’ve penned hundreds of articles about the writing and creative process. I’ve self-published a book, Create Your Writer’s Life, on building a writing practice, and several e-books have also made their way out of me. But my inner artist is banging against the walls of the box demanding to be let out.
I really felt this when I visited the Georgia O’Keeffe museum
Santa Fe a couple of years ago. O’Keefe has always been a huge
inspiration to me, and standing in the museum surrounded by her art, I
felt an undeniable tug to make art. But I hushed the impulse that
wanted to play with color and paint and composition. I sternly told it
that I had to finish my novel before I could create art.
One of my favorite pieces of art, a pastel I did years ago. the colors make me happy.
Well, I’ve finally finished my novel. I’m submitting it to agents in March. When I pulled out an old query letter, I saw that I was doing this same thing last year. It took a whole year to do another revision. I did hire an editor to work with me on making Chasing Sylvia Beach as good as it can be. I’m done.
Because this is the last version, I swear. It’s time to play with
other arts. I see this trip as my own art school. Six months in Europe
to study and make art.
I’m taking my creative travel tools
on the road. I get to play with color, ink, collage and photography.
I’ll be recording my travels in an illustrated journal and sharing it
with you here.
I'm taking you with me! I’m launching a new division of Original Impulse to inspire magical travel: Journey Juju. Click here to find out more about Journey Juju. I’ve created a few art products to spread the Journey Juju. Travel Shrines
are magical talismans that you can take with you to ensure safe and
inspired travel. I only made 100 of them, so pick up yours today. Join The Shrine Movement and send in photos of your Travel Shrine in exotic locales.
You’ll also want to pick up your Journey Blessings, mini cards to help make your travels powerful, playful and fun. If you've been reading my Original Impulse blog series 29 Ways to Take a Creative Leap, you've seen a Journey Blessing at the bottom of each post.
Check them out here. You'll also want to get your Creative Fortunes, instant inspiration for artists of all ilk.
I’ll be flying to Europe on May 6th. I just bought my plane ticket this week. All along on the Journey Juju blog I’ll be sharing the highs and lows of making a Creative Leap like this. It’s equally thrilling and terrifying, and I’ll take you with me as I dismantle seventeen years of living in Colorado. I’ll share the nuts and bolts of what it takes to launch an undertaking of this magnitude. From finances to relationships to planning how to live and work from a mobile office, you can vicariously live my Creative Odyssey. And hopefully you’ll be inspired to take your own Creative Leap!
Subscribe or visit daily to share my journey. You’ll glean inspiration plus practical tips and resources to enhance your own Journey Juju.
