The power of new environments

I’m sitting here, early morning, enjoying a very hot, very strong piccolo.? The sun is hitting my back in just the right spot, making me feel like doing a cat-like stretch of satisfaction.

It’s beautiful.

It’s the little things.

I’m looking at familiar surroundings from the window of one of my favourite cafes, having returned home yesterday from nearly 2 months away.?

There are a lot of people around, meeting friends, writing solo at tables, walking their dogs.? This exact scene is happening at the moment, all over the world. It’s one of the most gratifying things about travelling. You get the familiar, in new, different environments.

Removing yourself from your normal routine is powerful.

Shaking yourself out of the everyday, out of a routine, mitigates complacency and prevents you getting stuck in a rut.

This might be finding a new café, or a new country.

By changing your environment, you’re enabling space for greater creativity.? You can’t stay the same when you create difference for yourself, when you create opportunities to observe the people around you, how they behave, what they’re doing.?

I love taking myself to different cafes to write or meet friends (not quite as much as I love travelling to different countries) but you get my point.

Even more, I love the opportunity to immerse through new foods, geographies, buildings, city layouts, smells. Working in new surroundings, eating later, going to be bed later, lingering over meals and sharing with new-found friends.?

And, trying on new languages. To constantly challenge myself as a lifelong learner as I string some words together to communicate with the world.?

It’s always interesting how people respond.

• Will they be pleased you’re trying?
• Annoyed you’re stumbling?
• Confused by your non-sensical words, supported by the universal language of charades?

It’s great to try on new experiences as you take on the spirit of a new environment?

London’s pace and noise can be assaulting. The feeling of too many people competing for too little space, on the tube, at the lights, in the high street.? Moroccan medinas are busy and frenetic in a different way to big cities, with the promise of becoming hopelessly lost around every corner. ?The beautiful and orderly boulevards of Paris designed by Haussman to mitigate stench and disease, are a marvel, supporting millions of people living and visiting everyday.

Being able to integrate yourself into different ways of life everyday, enables you to learn what you like and what works best for you.

This approach can be applied to how we write and create products.

Sometimes we get into a rut.? We get used to creating and speaking in the same way, offering the same products at the same price points.?

Maybe it’s time to try something different? Experiment with a new environment for your products? Offer a different take, a different price?

• How might that feel?
• What could happen?
• Try something new to see what it’s like.
• Will you get a different outcome?

Sounds like a good prompt for me to go and redesign a couple of my products, from a different cafe.

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Will there be something to interest you?

1.??????? If you’re currently looking for a new role, I’m running a campaign over the next 2 weeks #Iwillgetanewjob based on my end-to-end job search approach. DM me if you’re interested in joining this virtual sprint

2.??????? If you’re thinking about how to live and work differently, or maybe you’re interested in a portfolio career, let’s chat.? The next cohorts of the ‘Career on your Terms’ Masterclasses and Bonus Accountability Community are starting in September and October. DM me to chat

3.??????? If you’re already working as a Portfolio Careerpreneur, you may like to come along and meet others like you, and other generalists, for lunch in Melbourne on Friday 23 August.? DM for details. Sydney and Brisbane dates to follow.

4.??????? And, if you’re ready to combine your passions, travel and paid work, to create a life that feels good to you rather than one that looks good to others, then let’s chat. I’m opening 5 coaching slots for people looking to create their own version of #6:3:3. I work in seasons: Work - 6 months of the year, Travel - 3 months and Create – 3 months.? I’d love to work with you to help you create your version of 6:3:3

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Hello, I’m Penelope.

I help people create portfolio careers where you can flourish, have greater freedom and more fun.

I’m an Advisor, Author, Innovator, Transformation Exec and Technologist, living my best #6:3:3 life.

DM me to learn more.