What if enjoying your Summer moved your business forward?
Yes, you can rest, play, and still get shit done - I'll show you how.
Summer makes it easy to crave rest and clarity - all at once.
With these longer days, I sometimes feel compelled to keep working - my body feels productive, so why not take advantage!?
And then other times, it inspires me to have impromptu picnics and soak all the juice out of the day.
I’ve been noticing it in myself and in clients: that push-pull of wanting rest but also clarity and focus.
Wanting time off and a sense of direction.
Here’s the good news:
You don’t have to choose between rest and progress.
In fact, giving yourself the space to enjoy your life might be exactly what fuels your next breakthrough.
Momentum without Hustle?
“Rest is not work’s adversary. Rest is work’s partner.”
~ Alex Soojung‑Kim Pang, Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less
Pang’s research shows that intentional rest - like walking, hobbies, and daydreaming - isn’t wasted time. It’s productive time. It fuels focus, resilience, and big-picture clarity.
Okay, here’s the science…
“The best ideas often come when you aren’t trying … that’s the brain’s default mode network doing its magic.”
~ Scientific American
When you allow your mind to wander, you activate parts of your brain responsible for insight, imagination, and long-term vision. That’s why the shower epiphanies and beach-day breakthroughs aren’t random - it’s just biology you guys!
“Happy individuals are more likely to exhibit characteristics and behaviors associated with success, such as sociability, optimism, and perseverance. These traits and behaviors, in turn, are likely to produce success.”
~ Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener (2005), The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect
Translation? Enjoying your life isn’t a distraction. It’s a strategy.
When you cultivate joy, ease, and inspiration - your creative momentum naturally follows.
Why?
Because that spark you feel while reading by the pool, or dancing in your kitchen, or staring at a tree for 20 minutes?
That’s clarity trying to reach you.
When you’re busy enjoying, you’re not-thinking-so-hard-about-your-business.
You have actively created space for inspiration to drop in.
The key?
Take inspired action on it when it arrives and momentum will follow.
Inspiration Doesn’t Thrive in Deprivation
“Mystery is at the heart of creativity. That, and surprise.”
~ Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way
I previously wrote about how Play is Productivity…
“There is a kind of magic in play. What might seem like a frivolous or even childish pursuit is ultimately beneficial. It’s paradoxical that a little bit of ‘nonproductive’ activity can make one enormously productive and invigorated in other aspects of life.”
~ Stuart Brown, Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul
Creative flow needs oxygen. It needs space. It needs you to loosen your grip a little.
So here’s your permission slip:
You’re allowed to wander. You’re allowed to be surprised. You’re allowed to feel good and call that progress.
Because it is.
Ideas to Keep Momentum While Soaking Up Summer
Free-write for 10 minutes each morning, a la Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages - stay curious about what wants to reveal itself to you. Or Journal about what’s working, what’s shifting, or what feels good right now.
Unplug for an afternoon, get into nature, smell some flowers, and notice what your brain starts to crave or imagine.
Take yourself on an “Artist Date” - joyful, playful, unproductive on purpose (thank you, Julia Cameron).
Romanticize your workspace - sunlight, flowers, a delicious drink (a “mouth treat”), or a juicy playlist.
Change your Scenery - Work from a coffee shop or somewhere inspiring.
Say Yes - Give yourself permission to say yes to those invitations in the middle of your work day, get that ice cream after work, get your feet into some warm grass or sand.
Book a Creative Brain Untangling session - Spend 90 minutes getting clear and focused on what matters, so you can work less and play more.
If your ideas are swirling but nothing’s landing…
If you’re craving progress without pressure...
If you can’t possibly think about how you would take your foot off the gas pedal without losing momentum…
A Creative Brain Untangling session might be the ticket.
What it is:
A 90-minute 1:1 session to help you get unstuck, re-energized, and reconnected to your next right move. I will help you get clear and focused on what matters - so you can work less and play more!
How it works:
This session is equal parts creative consulting + coaching. We’ll freestyle based on what’s bubbling up, or choose from:
Creative Reset – Untangle the swirl and walk away with an action plan.
Rocket Fuel – Clarify your goals + reclaim your why.
Mindset Shifts – Gently move through comparison, doubt, or stuckness.
Your Special Sauce – Get clear on what makes you magnetic.
Summer Strategy – A light-touch, aligned plan that works for you.
CCC members get a special discount until July 31.
Psst… CCC is free to join! Learn more below:
Or book a full price session below:
Why now:
Clarity = Momentum.
Your business should work for your life, not the other way around.
And just before I go today - I wanted to let you know that there will be another:
🎉 Back to School week in September! 🎉
I’m so excited to bring this free virtual summit back again (Sept 8-12), and co-host it alongside Alisa Singh inside the CCC community.
We’re mixing it up this year, and want to bring you more workshops, speakers, panel conversations, and juicy tips & strategies you can implement right away - all within a community of like-minded creatives!
Think you might have some magic to contribute? Let us know!
Whether you’re craving structure, a creative spark, or just a little company while you jumpstart your business, this summit will give you the strategies and momentum you need to level up!
We’ll announce the sign-up in August, or you can join us in the CCC now so you don’t miss a thing!
For more creative fuel and behind-the-scenes clarity drops straight to your inbox:
If you have any questions at all, feel free to reply to this email. I love hearing from you!
Until next time…
Summer on, my friends!
xo
Lauren
