Recently, I had the opportunity to ask this question to a group of intuitive painters who were discussing their upcoming travel plans. One person was talking about visiting Egypt, another about her plans to see Japan, and another about her spring break in Portland. As the conversation unfolded, it occurred to me to ask, what excites you about travel? They looked at me with heads tilted and eyes squinted as if I were clueless. It was as if I had asked a question with the most obvious of answers. Here’s what they said: to see something they’ve never seen before, to have new experiences, to explore, to have more adventures, and to be surprised. From where I sat, all of these answers pointed to the same thing, a journey into the unknown.
As I listened to their answers it occurred to me how funny it is that our minds can hold the same idea in two distinctly different ways. When anticipating the unknown through travel, the departure date can’t get here soon enough. When anticipating the unknown through creating, we recoil as if there’s a reason to run. As B.B. King once sang, the thrill is gone! In both situations we’re still stepping into the unknown. Maybe what’s really on offer here, is to not take our state of mind as a barometer of what’s real. It’s a fickle-pickle that is inconsistent, fleeting, and illusory. It may carry the tone of an expert but that’s not a reason to take it seriously. Like the weather in Texas, it will soon change.
If you want to explore a different side to the unknown there’s no need to travel 6,000 miles. Those same goodies are waiting for you on the blank page. Creativity invites you into the adventure of seeing something new, exploring, having adventures, and being surprised. One of the best perks offered through creating is the opportunity to get very comfortable with stepping into the unknown. The unknown is never as scary as it once appeared. You transform your experience of the unknown into one of curiosity and wonder. Much like travel, the more you show up, the more is revealed and experienced.