How to capture your thoughts and unlock your potential.
I was working outside recently and had a flash of insight. It was a powerful thought that seemed to come from nowhere, but in reality, I know it bubbled up from my subconscious. The topic was personal, so I won’t share the specifics, but this thought was exactly what I needed to hear at that time so I could move forward on a difficult situation. Our minds have an uncanny ability to distill wisdom and deliver it when we need it most. We all know what the flash of insight feels like.
The next time I went inside, I scribbled a couple of sentences about this experience in my journal. At that moment, the process of remembering deepened my understanding. The act of writing it down allowed me to make new connections and cement the new realizations in my mind.
This got me thinking about how important it is to capture our insights before they flit away. I’m seeing it as a sign of self-respect to honor these gifts from our subconscious mind by recording them, right now. Even if I never read those words I wrote again, the act of writing them made an impact on me.
What sort of difference might it make for you to practice recording your insights when they are fresh?
You should know that I haven’t always been someone who journals. In fact, for years I was someone who wanted to journal. Some of my entries are just a few words. Many are barely legible, even to me. I choose to write in a cheap Moleskin notebook. With its plain cardstock cover, it is the antithesis of a fancy journal. It’s thin and light, so it travels well and it comes in packs of three. For me, this low-pressure way of journaling has helped unlock my ability to write.
What form of capture works for you? If you prefer to go digital, EverNote and OneNote are excellent formats for recording your insights. A Word doc or the Notes app on your phone are fine options. Speaking of apps, there are loads of journaling apps out there that are designed to reduce the friction so you can just write. Maybe you want to use a gorgeous journal, or perhaps a simple spiral notebook is your jam. Try different things until one clicks for you.
If you are interested in having more structure with your writing, try Googling Journaling Practice and you’ll find lots of options for specific prompts. This can work well if you prefer a framework to help you get over the hurdle of a blank page. With a structured journaling practice, you can enjoy the satisfaction of completing an assignment and checking something off your list, if that lights you up. Again, what’s important here is that you find what works for you.
There is so much fast-moving energy available to you in those powerful thoughts, those powerful moments. The flashes of insight are like lightning. Your work is to notice and capture them, or like lightning, they may leave just a fleeting flash in your memory. Once captured, they become lightning in a bottle, harnessed and ready to work for you.