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5 Tips to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Are you out of ideas? Thinking creatively is no easy task, and many of us find ourselves at a loss when our brains get tired of generating ideas. Need to spark your imagination and develop something new? Refresh your mind and gain a different perspective with these 5 tips to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Change your scenery
Go for a walk. Fresh air clears your mind and being outdoors stimulates your senses. Plus increased circulation, even from light exercise, results in more oxygen to the brain, which is always a helpful boost when you’re stumped.

2. Break your routine
Sticking to a routine is a great way to stay organized, but doing the same thing day in and day out can leave you in a rut. Drive a different way to work, spend some time in the library, or go to the park to switch up your routine and get inspired.

3. Write in a journal

Keeping your daily thoughts bottled up leaves little room for creativity, because your brain is focused on remembering that doctor’s appointment or meeting a deadline at work. Journaling is an easy way to get these off your mind, with the added benefit of teaching you to process information differently.

4. Tidy up your space
De-cluttering your actual space almost always frees up head space. Take some time to neaten up your desk – a less chaotic office becomes a welcome mat for innovative thinking.

5. Turn off your gadgets
Being inundated with media stifles creative thinking. It’s much more challenging to come up with ideas when there are other outlets doing the thinking for you. Shut your phone, television and computer off, even if only for a minutes, and give yourself an opportunity to be present with your own thoughts.

Source: American Express

 

List of Public Beaches and State Parks

Through Labor Day (September 3rd): 

1) Grayton Beach State Park: https://www.visitsouthwalton.com/listing/grayton-beach-state-park
2) Topsail Hill Preserve State Park: https://www.visitsouthwalton.com/listing/topsail-hill-preserve-state-park
*Offering free day-use admission (generally 8 a.m. to sunset), compliments of the Walton County Tourist Development Council.  

State Parks: 

https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-regional-map/northwest

Okaloosa County Parks and Beach Access Ways:

http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/pw/parks/list

Links to Destin Beach Access and Destin City Parks:

http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/pw/parks/list

https://www.cityofdestin.com/DocumentCenter/View/11536/City-Facilities-and-Parks-11×17

Need a New Roof? Check Out This Sustainable Option

Look up! Does that roof of yours need replacing? Eco-friendly options are out there, including the now popular metal roof.
 
What makes metal green? According to the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA), 100 percent—that’s right, all—metal roofs are comprised of at least 25 percent recycled aluminum or steel, and can be recycled again. Metal roofs also outlast their competitors, with warranties that can stretch more than 50 years. That’s longer than a lot of us plan to stay in our homes!
 
Installing a metal roof is less harmful to the environment overall, too. Many can simply be laid right over an existing roof, cutting waste. (To compare: Eleven million tons of asphalt, which is a common roofing material, clog up landfills every year.)
 
Metal roofs, in addition, are a solid foundation for other green features, such as a rainwater recycling system or solar panels. Plus, they have the ability to save you some green—up to 25 percent—on utilities, thanks to their reflective quality.

 

Per the MRA, 11 percent of homeowners added a metal roof to their home last year—a percentage that’s only growing. Will you be next?
 
I can get you under a new roof. Contact me today for help with your real estate needs.
 
Source: Metal Roofing Alliance

3 Ways to Get Creative with Lighting

When designing a space, don’t settle for boring lighting. Below are three ways you can up your lighting game with minimal effort.

Light unexpected spaces. There’s no need to settle for simple overhead lighting. Up ambiance and interest in a room by lighting a strip along the floor or beneath a kitchen counter. Place rope or strip lights along the edge of your staircase for easy navigation in the dark, or add indirect lighting under or above cabinets in the kitchen.

Light in layers. When planning lighting design for a room, think lighting in three main layers: overhead lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. Think a chandelier or ceiling fixture to cover overhead, table lamps for task lighting, and a few specialty spots for accent lighting—frame lighting around the bed frame in your bedroom, for example, or light a few of your favorite pieces of art to draw attention to them.

Don’t forget to dim. Considering that dimmer switches run a scant $25, there’s no reason not to have them in your home. Control your space’s mood and ambience for a small cost, and enjoy a slightly smaller utility bill – the American Lighting association sites that a dimmer switch saves an average of $30 a year.

Helpful Hints

Fundamental Packing Tips

Whether you’re taking a solo work trip or loading up the kids for a family vacation, you’ll need to pack a bag (or three). The following tips can help you pack smarter.

Invest in packing cubes. Organizing your items by type and packing them in separate, smaller bags saves space and makes unpacking and finding your items easier when you arrive at your final destination.

Roll clothes to save space. Folding takes up more room than rolling. Rolling can also help keep your items from wrinkling. 

Transfer your toiletries to travel-sized bottles. Many toiletry travel kits contain spill-proof bottles that you can fill with your own body wash, shampoo, etc. The bottles in these kits often come in transparent, TSA-approved bag, saving you time and effort in the security line. 

Pack a mesh laundry bag for dirty clothes. It’s a great way to separate dirty clothes from clean ones, and it’s easy to grab and toss the contents in the washer when you get home. 

Between Friends

Health & Safety

Get better sleep

Insomnia affects millions of Americans, but studies suggest that mindfulness meditation can help you get a better night sleep. 

According to a clinical trial appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers studied adults who had trouble sleeping and asked half to complete a mindfulness awareness program. The other half were asked to complete a sleep education class teaching them tips to improve their sleep habits. Those in the mindfulness group had less insomnia, fatigue, and depression at the end of the study. 

Meditation increases melatonin, the neurochemical that induces sleep. Studies also show that mindfulness meditation practitioners have enhanced REM sleep periods, the same stage in which humans are thought to process and learn new information. Getting an adequate amount of REM sleep each night allows you to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. 

So, the next time you’re having trouble sleeping, just relax and focus on your breath. Don’t worry about the way you’re breathing or how long you’ve been lying there. Let go of the negative thoughts. Just close your eyes, relax, breathe, and drift off to sleep.