I have been an entrepreneur for decades. When you work for yourself, you are always on call or in work mode; after all, the buck stops at you. It’s challenging to shut it off. Even now, as I prepare to challenge myself to the extreme, I find myself in learning mode. My mind is in constant motion. Ideas are constantly there: do this, try this, and write about this.
Too Much Thinking
Take a week off, Stan. You don’t need to accomplish anything this week. Nothing. Just relax! Just stopping for a week with no plans is very difficult for me. This week in 2023 has Christmas and New Year together, so we decided to shut down for the week. No demands coming in for a week. No need to keep the phone on or be available 24/7. The weather has been very foggy and rainy here. So it’s conducive to watching some movies and not venturing too far.
Content Creation
However, when creating content for a blog, newsletter, or YouTube channel, you constantly think about what to post next. It seems impossible to turn this off. My blog is about me and what I do to accomplish an enormous feat. I am not a tech writer or a photographer who only writes about photography. I write about what is going on in my life. What my plans are, what training I am doing, what I am eating, what I am doing daily.
Don’t Think
Okay, so back to taking time off. When you take time off, the goal is to not think beyond what is needed for your day. Watching a movie, playing video games, and hanging out with the grandkids accomplish this. The idea is to free your mind of thought.
Mindfulness
One option (for Me) is to practice mindfulness and be present in the moment. This could involve simple activities like walking, listening to music, or just sitting and observing, which I will often do if possible. My apartment has a room that allows me to swivel my chair and look out floor-to-ceiling windows. It takes some practice to not focus on anything.
Exercise your Creative Brain
In the past, I exercised my creative brain by photographing anything challenging. Using models interacting with flour, milk, dance, paint or some other creative format. I have found that I don’t think about work or anything else when exercising my creative brain. Even flying my drone accomplishes this. I find that I really only use my drone as a flying camera. For the most part, I have downsized my photography gear and have been trying street photography. Shooting only extra small B&W photographs is an interesting challenge brought on by Eric Kim. (renowned Street Photographer)
Modify or Not
Not only do I love to photograph people and things, I also love to modify the images. Sometimes, I will turn the photo into a digital painting not with a filter but by actually repainting it with Procreate or Corel Paint. Lately, however, I have been seeing what AI does with my photographs. Some photographers prefer never to modify an image, but I love the creativity of the post modifications. I will dedicate a post in the future about some of my practice with AI. In the meantime, though here are some other variations based on that original photograph.
White Christmas – Rain & Fog
Of course, it is also Christmas time, and foggy and rainy, so going out is not as attractive as other days. It can be fun to shoot in the rain because of the reflections. Or the depth of field. It rained a lot when I was in Dublin, and I ventured out quite often there.
Creating takes Time
Writing a blog post takes a lot longer than I thought it would. My blog is entirely about me and my activities, and although I sometimes use AI, AI doesn’t know anything about me unless I tell it. So far, writing this post has taken me about three days off and on. Everything in my blog is inspired by something that happens to me daily. I was challenged on Saturday to put a date on this row. Instead of just saying I will do it at some point in the future. Put a date on it.
AI Researches Stan Hudecki
Based on the information available, it appears there are at least two individuals named Stan Hudecki, each with their own distinct backgrounds and professions.
- Stanley M. Hudecki (1916 – 1988): He was a Canadian surgeon and politician, known for being a Member of Parliament for the riding of Hamilton West from 1980 until 1984. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and professionally worked as an orthopedic surgeon.
- Stan Hudecki (Active as of 2023): This Stan Hudecki seems to be an individual distinct from the historical figure mentioned earlier. He launched a blog in April 2023 and expressed interest in travel, spirituality, photography, and personal transformation. His blog suggests a lifestyle focused on personal stories and experiences, stepping out of comfort zones, and engaging in activities such as rowing.
These descriptions point to two different people, each with their own unique journeys and contributions in their respective fields.
Register Now or Next Week?
So, rather than enjoying my week of freedom from any demands, I have been trying to register for an Atlantic row (which I will discuss next week) because I am supposed to be off on a holiday week. Free of any mental demands. Apparently, the universe agrees because a fee needs to be transferred as part of the registration. It failed to transfer three times. (Wait till next week to sort out). It is a clear message.
Last Friday of the Year
Tomorrow (Friday), I have a Pilates session for 50 minutes in the morning, and then I am free again of any commitments. So, I spent my week writing this short post and watching movies. I have lacked imagination this week, as in this past year, I would often jump on a plane and fly somewhere.
Movies:
- Jerry Maguire
- Terms of Endearment
- Assortment of Star Trek – movies
- Some corny romance Christmas shows
- And a variety of favourites
