I woke up about a month ago and realised that I was incredibly bored. Bored with my flat, bored with London, bored with seeing the same things every day. This may sound a little extreme, but it tends to happen every so often.
Different people need or like different frequencies of change, for some, one major change every ten years is quite enough whereas others like to do something completely different every day if not every hour.
Luckily I was able to take a step back, and realise that buying a new property wasn’t really an option purely on the basis that I was a bit bored of the old one (although I admit to having worked out the figures, so it might still happen). I also reminded myself that I have a business that I love, which provides me with constant change and stimulation. But sometimes, it’s still not enough.
So, I booked a flight to New York. And made an offer on a property I couldn’t afford. And moved the furniture around a bit. Luckily the property and furniture could be returned to their rightful places (and owners), but I decided to keep the flight, and it was so much fun.
I have a belief that in the general scheme of things creative people tend to need a higher rate of change than other types of people. Creativity needs to be fed, stimulated and inspired, and when everything remains the same its easy to feel as if you’ve fallen into a vacuum. Where do the new ideas come from when there aren’t any new experiences to fuel them?
Meeting new people, being in a different environment with different rules, creates completely new thought processes. For me having grown up in London, possibly one of the most confusing, sprawling chaotic cities in the world, it was interesting how alien I found the simple logic of the New York grid and number system. The idea that you could calculate everything in blocks just didn’t seem natural, and I began to crave chaos and bizarre street names.
I loved New York, and I can’t wait to go back again. Its one of the most exciting, amazing cities I’ve ever been to, but what is interesting is how much its made me appreciate London. The change was what I needed, a break, and a different perspective. I’ve come back brimming with new ideas and enthusiasm, and, funnily enough, I’m not bored any more.
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