Having a Traveler Mindset at Home (And Why It’s Good For Creativity)

Jul 1, 2019 | Creative Inspiration

I’m no stranger to the reality that travel isn’t a possibility for everyone. More often than not I’m in Arizona, working away and not traveling at all. Family, work, finances, health, and school can all keep us anchored down to the place, and that’s just how life works for most of us. But we get stuck in routine, in the scroll-cycle, and in the habit of our comfort zone. But we often forget that we don’t have to be on a new continent to meet new people or see things differently. You don’t have to get on a plane to find cool places to take pictures. You don’t need to have an excursion booked to have an excuse to learn a new language. You don’t have to travel 10,000 miles to stand on a new street surrounded by new possibilities and things to explore. You can do all of those things wherever you are now.

So this is just your friendly reminder that there are hiking trails and restaurants and museums right in your town that I bet you’ve never been to before. So go to them. Download Duolingo on your phone and learn a new language, even if you might not use it that much right now. Volunteer somewhere local–you don’t have to travel to a third world country to find people who need your help. Cook new foods and learn new skills. Read a new book. Watch a new documentary. Be mindful of what you do in your downtime and do things that matter to you. Wake up early to fit more in to your day, or stay up late to watch the sunset. It’s the same sun that you ooh and ah over when you’re on the beach in Mexico.

I’m working hard at this, too. Trying to go out of my way to do things for other people, get better at learning about the places right around me, and trying to consistently work from new locations, even if I have to drive a little further. Where I am right now is beautiful and worth exploring, even if it isn’t where I pictured I’d be. And you know what? It’s working for me. Adopting a traveler mindset here at home is showing me new places that are quickly becoming my new favorite places to hang out and work, and I’m making friends, too.

The biggest place this change is impacting me is in my creativity. I’m more aware of what’s around me, who I’m designing for, and I’m having bigger and better ideas for my photography clients that are really helping me to transform my business. When you are constantly seeking out the remarkable, you’re able to find it, and you’re able to create it where there is a need.

So make it a goal this week to explore somewhere new, to slow down and watch the sun set, and to find something interesting about a building you walk by every day. You’ll fall in love with your home in a way you never have before.

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Hey! I’m Moriah– a commercial and editorial food photographer and creative entrepreneur who is perpetually drinking coffee and covered in dog hair. I write this blog from New York City where I run my creative agency, The B Edit. I write this blog in the hopes that you can one day have your creative dream job, too!   

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