Drawing Inspiration From Austin
Some days I step into my office raring to go. The engines are firing on all cylinders, the coffee is roaring through my veins, the creative juices are flowing, and I take a red pen to my to do list.
And then other days, my baby is up all night, the line is too long at my coffee place, and the fog in my brain leads me to inertia in my desk chair.
My best solution for breaking through my wall of lethargy is to find someone else being creative and hope a little of it will rub off on me. In Austin, your options are limitless. Here are a few of my favorite ways to draw inspiration from Austin.
Go listen to live music at a festival, bar, or street corner
Summer is around the corner, and with it, the return of one of Austin’s most beloved free music institutions, Blues on the Green. However, you can go just about anywhere and find some live music in this town.
Bang some drums at Eeyore’s statue
Eeyore’s Birthday Party is coming up on April 29, but you can see everyone’s favorite storybook donkey anytime at Eastwoods Park.
Take pictures by the murals outside the Mexic-Arte Museum
Take in the all of the art and inspiration around the University of Texas
Gaze at the collection at the Blanton Museum of Art – it’s free on Thursdays and open until 9 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month.
Go see the first ever photograph or a complete Gutenberg Bible at the Harry Ransom Center.
Get your Texas on at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.
Visit animatronic LBJ at the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum.
Or go… just about anywhere!
Buy some local art at Yard Dog or some contemporary pieces at the AMOA Arthouse. Wander through the Umlauf Sculpture Garden. See a play at the Paramount or the Austin Playhouse. Take a Cajun style dance class at the White Horse. It’s not difficult to soak up a little culture in Austin – it’s almost harder not to.
An even simpler solution for waking up the mind is taking a walk. That can mean through the office halls, or in Austin, it can mean visiting one of the many hike and bike trails or walking paths through the city, the hills, and by the water. I like to practice a simple walking meditation on my daily walks with my kids. It makes it easy to be mindful of every step when you are exploring through wildflowers, big trees, and clean water. I find myself coming home with new ideas and better solutions after a long walk in the sunshine.
I am so grateful to live in a city where one can find inspiration anywhere. Nova Leadership Immersion retreats can be held anywhere in the world, but there is a reason our home base is Austin, Texas. Where else can you combine a laid back vibe, sunshine almost every day, a thriving entrepreneurial scene, and a motivational music and art world to explore?
“There’s a freedom you begin to feel the closer you get to Austin, Texas.” – Willie Nelson
