I think when you look after yourself and nurture yourself, that’s when there’s a movement and flow through your own body, and that’s what allows the inspiration to flow through. When you’re in that space, anything and everything is so beautiful.”
- VICKI LEE, ARTIST
I've always been a day dreamer. Albert Einstein was a fan. He thought imagination was more important than knowledge. "Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
It's only now, seven months into running my own business, that I feel guilty for taking time out to allow thoughts to wander. It's crazy really, day dreaming and creative visualising is what allowed me to create The Sweet Meadow in the first place!
Psychologist Sigmund Freud saw day dreaming as a way of achieving experiences that were out of reach in everyday life. I was recently reading through a story in one of my favourite magazines, Fete Life, who wrote that "dreams offer an escape, an altered state of consciousness that removes thoughts from the stresses of real life. Scientists are only just beginning to understand that people who allow their minds to meander are improving their ability to perform complex mental tasks and are actually more creative and productive than those who don't."
I then realised many of my best ideas and sources of inspiration have come when I have escaped the white noise of life, most often while traveling.
For example, the pastel-hued homes along the coast of Italy and Greece inspired the colour palette for the decor and interiors at The Sweet Meadow.
The green-filled alleyways throughout the villages of France and Croatia motivated me to create a space that was dripping with plants.
Inspiration doesn't always have to come so far away from home. The kitchen garden at the beautiful Harvest restaurant in Newrybar, New South Wales, highlighted the importance of using local, seasonal food and growing our own harvest where possible. Their sign is pretty special too!
My favourite place to day dream is always in nature. We literally couldn't live without plants. Our lives depend on them - food, medicine, clothing, shelter and fresh air, not to mention improved mental health and wellbeing. I find myself always returning to The Conservatory in Bendigo, Mount Major in Dookie, and of course, the family orchard in Kyabram.
So, I'm not going to feel guilty anymore when I choose to spend a day off reading or walking or driving or simply being. In fact, it's probably going to be the catalyst for taking my business to the next level. Happy dreaming!
“Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.”
- HENRY MILLER
