Last month, I introduced my new feature ‘Happy Habits’. I kicked off with introducing the habit of reading for half an hour every day. After a month of reading, I decided that I will adopt the habit permanently from now on.
This month, I’m trying on a new habit:
Take a pen and idea notebook everywhere I go
What is your pencil?
Twyla Tharp has a number of exercises in her book ‘The Creative Habit’. I took a picture of one of them, which is the base for my habit of this month. Read the following excerpt, the paragraph below if you like:
I want to figure out what my pencil is. When I started brainstorming about it, I ended up with the options of carrying a 1. Notebook, 2. Sketchbook, or 3. Camera everywhere I go. Although I’m still not completely sure if a notebook qualifies as the best option to be my pencil, I’m willing to give it a go. I would like to discover if carrying an idea book has any influence on my creativity and ideas.
From my 1001 ideas, you can probably tell that I don’t struggle a lot with a lack of ideas. The problem is that sometimes I have a great idea, but in the everyday chaos they can get lost (also not having enough hours in a day to carry out all my ideas). From now on I want to put more effort into capturing my ideas ‘while they’re hot’. I like to have an appropriate place to store them without them getting lost, even if I don’t do anything with them directly.
My notebook should be small and light
Compact. Practical. I don’t want to add anything to my bag that is too heavy or bulky, because I know it will become an obstacle in carrying it around everywhere I go.
I will write down anything that I want to remember and that sparks positivity or creativity
One of the reasons to keep an idea notebook, other than capturing ideas that would have been lost otherwise, is to create an inspiration resource. When I go through the pages, I would like to get an instant urge to start creating and making fun things. So that’s exactly what the idea selection should be based upon. Every idea that I draw or write down should be something I am enthusiastic about. I should feel a desire to carry the idea out, at least in the moment of capturing it. Hopefully it becomes a little book that I can use whenever I would like to make something, but am not sure what to do or to make exactly.
I picked a small notebook from my drawer and jotted down a first few ideas (by making tiny illustrations). So now my idea book is official.
I’m curious to see what this new habit will bring me. Are there any new behaviours you would love to train yourself to carry out?
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6 Comments
Carly and Moth
August 3, 2015 at 11:37
I LOVE THE GIF IDEA. I started carrying an idea book around with me a little bit ago but I stopped at some point; it was so helpful to have all my ideas in one spot though! I’ll have to make another one. I absolutely adore yours and the ideas in it!
magicaldaydream
August 6, 2015 at 09:25
I tend to create a new notebook/sketchbook for everything I do. The problem is that often I’m enthusiastic in the beginning, but never fill them up. I have sketchbooks for: travel, diary, adventures with Joran. I have notebooks for: gratitude, ideas, to do’s, self love, morning pages, blogs, and many more haha.
Amanda
August 3, 2015 at 20:50
I’m currently reading Tharp’s book, on your recommendation, so I’m enjoying seeing how you’re putting things into practice. My pencil is almost literally a pencil. I always need to have a pen and something to write on, for lists, ideas, budgets, things people say….basically anything I want to be able to refer back to gets written down somewhere.
magicaldaydream
August 6, 2015 at 09:26
Oh that’s great! I’m curious to hear what you think. I’m the same, I’m always writing down lists and ideas (although they are usually scattered over the place).
Courtney
August 4, 2015 at 01:52
I always carry a notebook; actually 2 small ones. One for notes/ideas and one for all the good restaurants in NYC (when I need a new place to eat). I don’t always write in the first notebook, I tend to forget to do so. I need to make it a habit to always write in it and to always carry my camera with me.
magicaldaydream
August 6, 2015 at 09:27
Ohhh, a restaurant notebook sounds perfect! I’m always bummed when something awesome is happening or I see something pretty and I would love to record it and I don’t have my camera with me.