Hello there - hope you are doing well. Here in Texas we are in the midst of our annual “Winter Weekend” - colder temps and a light dusting of snow - should be cleared up in the next 24 hours or so. Here are a few things I bumped into this week that I though were cool:
Good mail day from Tim Gough
I have been a fan of Tim Gough and his work at Dirty Hands Studio for a while. My 7yo son and I were looking at his work and decided to snag matching enamel pins and a little guy holding an “Icee” looking thing called a “Wooder Ice?” Also, really digging the free stickers tossed in, like that “Old Man Skate Club” - right up my alley!
2. Pay Attention to what you pay attention to.
I recently came across this quote by Jose Ortega Y Gasset (above.) Is it possible to understand someone by understanding what they give their attention to? Their time, their thoughts, feelings - what can we learn from ourselves and others by paying attention to what we pay attention to? What do you pay attention to?
3. Shinrin-yoku
Known as “forest bathing” or Shinrin-yoku in Japanese is the idea that time in nature in tremendously good for us and washes off the negative effects of an ever-invasive modern life. “Forest bathing” or even just time in nature has been scientifically proven to improve our mindset and mood. The average American spends 93% of their time indoors and away from nature’s nourishment.
I heard about this concept years ago and have been fascinated by the instant positive effects that nature and the outdoors elicits. There are also so many studies to show that nature or even just a walk outdoors can boost creativity as well.
The past few weekends, we have enjoyed a great park close to our home and spent time walking the trails in the forest. Our dog Mixie loves to join us as we meander through the trees, taking in the amazing design of nature, the forest and sunny weather (Texas winters allow for 70 degree weekends.)
How do you like to enjoy nature? Is there a way you can take a “forest bath”?
Learn more about "Forest-Bathing" here
4. Early Morning Rituals
I am an early riser. I like to get up early before everyone else and get my “introvert” on. I’ve developed a new morning ritual in which I get my cup of coffee and retreat to my little studio-office (studioffice should be a word!) and begin my day listening to the podcast “Bible in a Year” by Father Mike Schmitz (which I mentioned a few weeks back.) While I listen I usually have been doodling along in my 2022 Moleskine sketchbook.
I’ve been trying to fit in 30 minutes a day of drawing or painting (same thing to me) and I think I have hit upon a good ritual, routine or system. I find a goal is good but if you don’t have a system or ritual to make that goal happen - it ain’t gonna happen.
The image above of my sketchbook was a doodle started on Jan. 20th and I just slowly kept pushing it along. Sometimes I’ll toss in snippets that I hear from my listening but most of it is just a mash up of my imagination, memories, stuff I’ve seen and who knows what else…
Here’s the same image inverted… (such a fun feature to mess with)
5. Little Gifts
Every so often I will find various little gifts left by my 7yo son on my desk. Sometimes it will be a little treat like the Jolly Rancher above. Other times it will be a sticker that he wants to share with me (we both love stickers.) Best of all are his little drawings he will leave on my desk which I keep and treasure.
Although I haven’t thought much about it - I am starting to see gift-giving as a highly creative activity and artform itself. In one sense, all we create is really a gift to others - however I think just giving a little gift itself is powerful and creative.
Creative Challenge: Think of a way you can leave a little gift for someone to find on their own time. Design the gift in such a way to increase their surprise and delight.
As always - thanks for reading - my goal with “What Was Cool Weekly” is simply to pay closer attention to life, be present in the moment, and share that with others in hopes they will pay closer attention to their life. Thanks! - John