Priming Your Passions
It’s no secret that I love chocolate and I love to travel. So I look for every opportunity to combine those passions. And that is what I’m doing this week in St. Lucia as I attend the Chocolate Festival at Jade Mountain and explore the delicious cacao cuisine at Hotel Chocolat Boucan. The images of these two stunning resorts have taken control of my mind for the past several weeks, prohibiting me from thinking of much else.
it’s important to prime our passions in order to refresh, refuel, and refocus.
It’s really important to fuel our passions by priming the pump with happenings and events that stimulate our creativity. But what happens when our desire to satisfy the passion supersedes our ability to discipline ourselves and complete the tasks at hand?
It’s likely that nearly every creative has struggled with this, particularly authors of longterm projects such as the book I am working on. Having been a freelance writer for nearly 20 years, now working on a book project on which I’ve had to focus my time, energy, thoughts, and productive time for more than three years has been a challenge — not only to the pocketbook, but also my ability to concentrate.
So I am here, hoping that the new information I am gathering, and the awe-inspiring nature will bring me home with new-found focus and the drive to complete the first edition of Chocolatour without further distractions.
How do you handle distractions in your creative work? How do you remain focused, when life and the world around you act as temptresses to tease and distract you?
We all have to prioritize our desires, passions and responsibilities. I always take out time for my passions even if it is the smallest thing as going for a drive. If we let go of our passions; life gets dull.
You’re so right, Fatima. Our passions are what keeps life interesting and exciting.
Good tip about allowing ourselves a small diversion to refuel our passion. I’m hoping that my latest research trip to St. Lucia is exactly what I need to move forward with my book.
Thanks so much for taking the time to drop in to the blog and share your thoughts.
You are definitely a chocoholic Doreen, I’ve seen many posts of yours where you feature the decadent, ageless treat. As for this article, it is very important to do what you love, and make an expert out of yourself with your passion. Good luck with your future endeavors!
Thanks so much for your comment, Kristine.
I prefer to think of myself as a chocolate enthusiast, vs a chocoholic. I can honestly resist commercial grade chocolate forever. I have quite a bit in the house, but it doesn’t entice me. What I really love, is the handmade artisanal chocolate, where the flavours are so intense they pop. I love pure, bold flavours in chocolate, just as I do in coffee and wine. Stay tuned for more discussion on that in the book. Happy Holidays!
I am trying to make distractions part of the process. Sometimes it’s not a bad thing to be pulled back into LIFE when WORK begins to take over (not in a good way). I would so love to get to a point where it all flows easily and effortlessly. I have experienced (very) brief moments of this exalted state and it is glorious! So it does exist; it’s a matter of capturing and holding it. Thanks, as always, for your inspiration, Doreen.
Thanks so much for your comment, Christine, and for YOUR inspiration. I’m so glad we’ve met thru TWUC.
I know what you mean about life taking charge. That is what has been happening in my life for the past couple of years. Work (my writing) has had to take a back seat because of other obligations and commitments. I keep trying to move forward with my work, and I am making progress. Just not nearly as quickly as I’d like. So be it.
Sounds like you are having a great time.
It was absolutely magnificent, Bindhu. Thx for dropping by the blog, and for your support. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!
Sounds like you are having a break you need Doreen. One thing I always found with long term projects is to break it down into small steps at the beginning as it help to keep going.
Thx, Susan. Yes, just one more day and we will be leaving St. Lucia. It has been a remarkable experience. I hope I return home focused and refreshed. Best of the season to you.
Distractions? Sometimes I find I’m more distracted in my own little quiet home office than I am in a bustling cafe. It takes self-discipline to focus and concentrate on the job at hand. I don’t know that there are any tricks, it has to come from inside of you. That said, deadlines do help! : ))
Hi Krystyna: Yes, definitely distractions at home can become too much to handle. I’m hoping that when the holidays have come and gone, I’ll be able to just focus and get the job done. Good luck with yours …
Doreen, You’re an inspiration. I’ve always wanted to start a business where I could somehow get paid to travel. I have had an idea rattling around in my brain for ages and have yet to implement it. As you say, there are so many distractions! I have yet to find a way that completely does the trick. The best I have found that works for me is to work in silence – and without the cats on my keyboard or on my lap. 🙂
I hear you, Sherryl! Cats are indeed a HUGE distraction, but I can’t imagine living without one. Definitely miss mine here in St. Lucia. Lots of birds, but not too many cats.
Travel is always a most-welcome and inspiring distraction! But I know what you mean when it comes to the day to stuff, and I’m still learning what works for me. I think I went overboard this year by cutting out too many distractions. My goal for the new year is to find a better balance now that I’ve had some small writing and editing successes.
Hi Jeri. Yes, balance is the key to it all, isn’t it? Thx for stopping by, and al the best in maintaining balance in your own world.
Its definitely hard, especially with long term projects, but what I try to do is just get started with the smallest beginning. Once I jump into it and just starting doing what I know I need to do, I often find that I gain momentum and motivation to keep going. Hope you’re having a wonderful time in St. Lucia!
Thx, Kelly. I am indeed having a marvellous time. I just hope I can crack the whip when I get home and move forward. Cheers!
Ya know when you live with ADD (a common thing with cooks and chefs… probably a good reason why many of them can survive in professional kitchens) distractions are pretty much a way of life. The trick is figuring out how to use the distractions creatively. With me it is usually having more than one project going at a time. This way when a stray thought occurs involving something outside of what I am currently doing I can move something else a step forward.
Is it efficient? No not really, but efficiency is not always the answer.
Right on, Jon! Efficiency is definitely not always the answer. I’m glad of that. 🙂
Gosh, I have been struggled with the very same thing. I have worked so hard this year that I think I have worn myself out and need to step back and take a break from myself… LOL What you say is true. The fact is we need to put ourselves in a different space and place at times to renew our creative juices and keep the flow of all it gives us alive. 🙂
Have a great time and come back with all your cylinders pumping my friend.
Thx, Susan.
Yes, sometimes we just need to recharge our cylinders and decide to forge forward. I know how hard you’ve been working. You’ve been quite the inspiration to us all on BHB.
I find listening to others success and persaverance fuels and reenergizes me.
Can’t wait to hear more St. Lucia stories
Thx, Patrick. there will be lots of St. Lucia stories on diversionswithdoreen.com/. Stay tuned!
Doreen,
How lovely to be in St. Lucia exploring chocolate! I’d take a chocolate vacay right about now. Sounds amazing.
To avoid distractions the first thing I do is put my phone away (oh, how I love and hate that little device/vice). And when it comes to writing, I have to close other browser windows – especially my e-mail – so I can concentrate fully on the page in front of me.
Thx for your comment, Nicole.
Yes, social media and e=mail are such huge distractions. When I get back to work, I’ll really have to limit those distractions.
It’s very hard to keep focussed all the time, but I think combining business and pleasure which your current trip is doing is a great way to recharge without totally losing the plot so to speak. That said I am looking forward to the 2 week break I’m going to take from all things blogging etc over the holidays. All work & no play…Hope you’re having a great time.
Thx, indeed, A.K. St. Lucia is a dream destination. No other words for it. I hope you enjoy your Christmas break.
The temptress is not ever present, so I just let her take over when she is, and get back to business when she isn’t. If I can get a solid 5 hours of work in per day- and be quite religious about taking weekends off – that is usually satisfactory on many levels. Everyone is different, but slow and steady works for me, whereas longer, more frenetic spurts of productivity work better for others.
I know you are having a wonderful time, so I won’t even use the word “hope.”
Thx, Virginia, my fellow chocolate traveller. Yes, we are having an amazing time. Hotel Chocolat is superb. Great food and drink, friendly, knowledgeable staff, and a well-organized “tree to bean” and “bean to bar” tour to teach us about growing cacao and making chocolate here in S. Lucia. Wish you were here to enjoy it with us. This is a dream destination.
I’m sure this workcation will inspire you to new heights.
Advice? From me? Sorry, I too often give in to distractions. I’ll be interested to see how others handle this challenge.
Thanks, Linda. Workcation is a great word! We made our own chocolate bars today at Hotel Chocolat. That almost seemed like work to me!
Yes, I’m anxious to hear others’ tips on staying focused.