Intriguing ideas arise in both mundane and extraordinary times—some as you slosh through everyday activities, others when you’re on a cherished artist’s date at a museum or play, or even while watching 4th of July fireworks! All month I’ve been posting reminders to pay attention to the inspiration that’s all around. Today I’d like to mention ways to catch and save the ideas that bubble up. Thinking ahead is key. Decide whether you’ll jot them onto sticky notes, index cards, or recycled paper . . . and where you’ll put those for later retrieval. Invent a system for when you’ll do so. I hate to admit how many good ideas I’ve found crumbled on the back of a faded receipt at the bottom of a purse when I finally got around to changing bags!
Recently, I’ve been capturing more ideas on my iPhone and/or in Evernote by dictating, photographing, or sending myself an email. Mentally walk through your day and plan how you’ll capture ideas place-by-place and activity-by-activity: in the middle of the night, during prayer or meditation, in the kitchen or the shower, on walks or in the garden, on the phone, at church, while decluttering, swimming, working out in an exercise class, playing with children, or listening to an audiobook or teleclass in the car.** I’m sure you can think of other challenging places to take notes!
You can’t stop to take notes when this is five feet from the side of your car!
**The asterisks remind me to ask you for suggestions on that one! I often drive hours along a winding coastline and there’s no shoulder where you can pull over to jot down a note or take your cellphone out of the glove compartment. So please comment with any good suggestions for this scenario. So far, my only attempts have been: (a) to pause the recording, repeat the idea over and over to myself, or make it into a jingle and sing it repeatedly until I think it’s sunk in (and there’s a 50/50 chance it hasn’t); or (b) to replay the recording. I might need to get a simple voice-activated recording device to hang around my neck, sensitive enough to pick up my voice but not the car’s speakers!
Once you’ve got a workable capture system, you’re apt to notice or be presented with more ideas than ever! Consider starting a physical idea repository — a folder, journal, shoebox, inbox — or an electronic folder or app. In love to journal during my Quiet Time. I put a little circle in the margin next to any idea that comes to me then that’s either an action to be added to my planner or an idea that should go into an Evernote notebook. Once I’ve handled the idea, I put a slash through the circle.
I keep a separate Art Journal for visual ideas, which I also take with me to workshops and art critique groups, and sometimes when I know I’ll have time to sit and sketch, doodle, or noodle on keywords or concepts for a new quilt. This is an area where I’ve been better at paying attention than I have in some other areas. I also paste photos or sketches or what I’ve ripped from magazines. Consider where you pay attention best, where you might benefit from paying more attention; then try to learn from what works . . . and modify what doesn’t.
Happy Fourth of July!
Also, you might make it a regular practice to express your gratitude for what God has gifted you with through your spirit, your body, your mind, and all the moments when you are present and noticing things. Also, let’s all pray that we not take anything for granted. May we all tap into the wonder and awe of the life and creation in which we live, and move, and have our being. Gratitude, wonder, and awe are the best kind of paying attention!
Join me on Facebook in July; we’ll be focusing on the creativity-enhancing notions of Imagination and Innovation.
On July 22, 2015, I’ll be hosting a one-afternoon “micro-retreat” for creative Christian women in Sea Ranch, California. Email me if you’re nearby and would like details and feel free to share this with other local Christian creative women!