A glass of sweet tea on a hundred degree day. A powerful embrace from an elementary school friend. A full day spent devouring a book.
All different experiences, yet ways in which we refresh ourselves: physically, emotionally, mentally.
You go to yoga class. You go to church. You take a long walk.
All different approaches to restoring ourselves in a physical and spiritual way.
You sit in silence for five minutes. You take the day just to be. You spend a weekend reveling in creativity. You take a week’s vacation to go on an adventure. You declare a sabbatical from social media, and spend several days completely unplugged.
All purposeful choices to find balance in your world, to refresh your mind, and restore your soul.
Welcome to Refresh & Restore, our 6th issue.
When we were choosing themes for Modern Creative Life, “Refresh & Restore” seemed like the perfect attitude to bring into the summer months. I was always a lover of going to school, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t welcome Summer Break, and the way those days away from school made me hungry for my eventual return.
Now that we’re adults, most of us don’t get the summer off (from school or anything else), so we must carve out ways to restore our own hunger. And there are so many demands on our time and attention – many of which are attractive choices – that we can so easily find ourselves in overwhelm.
Part of living a creative life is the understanding that we must refill our own wells in some way on a regular basis, otherwise, we find ourselves resentful of our own lives. Without the time or space to pursue our creative ways, we will burn out.
Our souls demand that we uphold the responsibility of using our gifts.
But what does Refresh & Restore mean when it comes to Creative Living? How do our own creative processes restore our very souls? How do other makers refresh their minds and the ways in which they create?
How do each of us tend our hearts and fuel our own creative spirits?
These are the questions we are exploring in this issue. As well, we’ll consider what we must we say no to in order to carve out the time and space to refresh our bodies and restore our spirits, and the various ways in which saying yes to what matters most can help us reconnect with our art, poetry, and love of beauty.
In this issue, you’ll get a peek into the daily lives of other creative folk in our Studio Tours and Typical Tuesday series, and meet people walking fascinating creative pathways in Conversations Over Coffee. With photos and fiction, poetry and prompts, essays and enlightenment, you’ll find a deeper understanding into all the ways in which you create.
As always our mission at Modern Creative Life is to honor the pursuit and practice of joyful creativity. We believe that the creative arts enrich our everyday living, enhance our environment, create lasting connections, and sustain our souls. Please join us as we look to other creatives for ways in which they nurture and tend their own creative life so that they regularly find their process – and lives – feeling nourished instead of parched.
As we share the stories of other makers, use their experiences to illuminate your path into your own Modern Creative Life.
What lessons might you have to share with the world? Share your stories with us, serving as the example or others to learn from and get a sense of permission to take time to restore their own hearts and minds. We are open to single contributions as well as new regular contributors. Email us at moderncreativelife@gmail.com.
About the Author: Debra Smouse
Debra Smouse is an author, life coach, and Editor in Chief here at Modern Creative Life.
She resides in Dayton, Ohio.