Running For Answers

What physical exercise clears your head?  

I like to run. It appeals to my practical side: it’s free, effective exercise and it has the added benefit of leading me to solutions.  

Like many creatives, I have a lot going on inside my head. I get overwhelmed by all the things I need to do, and the details of the projects I’m working on. In the morning I’ll sit at the piano, or the computer, then eventually get distracted by some problem: a technical glitch, a lyric I can’t finish, a document I can’t find.  

So I go for a run. There’s something about the fresh air, the movement, the deep breathing, and the meditative effect of running that helps me to relax. And just when I start to forget about my problems, a solution, a new idea will come to me.  

I run back home and get a fresh start, with a slightly new perspective.  

What helps you to clear your mind, and see things in a new way?