Rituals that Rev Up My Writing Engine **
Part of the journey with my own ADHD was discovering specific rituals I do when I want to ignite my internal writer. One of them is exercise. It has a way of slowing down the velocity of my thoughts, especially when I am having a brainstorming session that usually results in a bombardment of creative ideas that can be very difficult to process.
Exercise is my natural system that provides me with a comfortable and healthy way of gaining clarity in my brain. Exercise always eases the speed of my thoughts so I can catch up to them. It gives me the opportunity to gain a new perspective that allows me to prioritize the ideas with the greatest value.
Exercise ignites the creative electricity in my brain and helps me make new connections that facilitate an expansion of the concepts with greater substance and depth.
Over the last decade, hundreds of my coaching clients have told me how exercise has had a dramatic, positive impact on their abilities to manage their brains’ processing speeds, stabilize their moods and levels of anxiety, so they could actually focus on ideas forming in their heads. It also helped them with their memory and ability to prioritize ideas swirling around in their heads.
I usually ignite my writing engine by saying: “Just write, right now.” Saying these words, reminds me to let go of having to have the perfect sentence, which sometimes can stifle and even paralyze my efforts.
Since my ideas come quickly, I don’t try to write down all of the words and sentences bombarding my brain. I use a visual mapping software program available at http://www.mindjet.com. It is wonderful because it provides different templates you can use to insert key words or visual symbols.
Visual maps are an excellent tool and linking device that connect ideas with your memory for easier access. They also help you organize ideas so you can prioritize them. Visual maps help filter out unimportant details so you can focus on the essence of your ideas and not get distracted by irrelevant details.
When was the last time you had an idea you converted into something you value or was helpful to those around you?
What are the best ways for you to capture new ideas?
Is it with key words on a mind map program?
Is it to record your ideas with a Dictaphone and have them transcribed?
What are the best ways to process the bombardment of ideas that have been locked up your mind and set them free?
By honestly answering these questions, you will begin to develop a system for capturing your creative ideas so you can develop them later.
Giving yourself permission to write, right now, facilitates a flow of unedited, creative ideas. Over-editing your work can sometimes lead you to cut out your best and most creative ideas, though they may still be rough around the edges.
Stream of consciousness writing, as it is sometimes called, can also become the foundation for a new source of innovative ideas which can eventually lead you down a fulfilling path, a better profession, business or other new opportunities. There is a treasure chest of great ideas hidden deep in your subconscious mind. They are just waiting for you to write about them. Right now.
