thoughts on cultivating life

1. Research ideas until you find a method that makes sense to you

Now that we’ve chosen to remove value judgments from art and to stop saying that we could never do something, go find something you want to do or create and figure out how to do it. You might need to search the internet for a while or go flip through some books on the topic until you find an explanation that works with how you learn, so get to it!

2. Keep paper and pencil handy.

I used to remember everything, well, everything except things I’d been asked to do, go figure.  But now at the venerable old age of 30, I just can’t do it.  So I would miss out on all sorts of great ideas if I didn’t have pencil or paper handy.  Have lots of good ideas in the car?  See if your phone has a memo function, buy a digital voice recorder, or sign up for jott.  I also try to have a notebook or pad of paper with me or near me at all times.  Small Moleskines are good for this because they fit in pockets and purses, and you can keep things all in one place.

3. Give yourself downtime: permission to do “nothing” with any measurable productivity results in some of the best ideas.

If you fill all your time with stuff, you limit your creativity.  That being said, you don’t necessarily have to sit around and do nothing.  Often doing something manual or physical stimulates your brain while not engaging it in such a way that is distracting.

4. Make something from scratch that requires stirring or something else repetitive.

I find making a roux to be very contemplative.  If you’re not used to cooking grab a copy of Alice Water’s The Art of Simple Food.  She’s good at explaining things as well as giving you recipes to follow.  Heck, grab a copy even if you are used to cooking, she’ll push you to a new level of yum!

Also, one of my favorite bloggers, The Pioneer Woman, just came out with a new, blog-style cookbook.  She has pictures for every step along with a few funny stories sprinkled alongside, so if you’ve ever wondered what it meant to beat egg-whites until they formed stiff peaks, her picture cookbook will not just tell you the steps, it will show you the steps.  Pretty cool , right?

5.  Turn your TV off while you cook.

If you tend to have the TV or music on in the background while you’re making dinner, turn it off.  Cooking is a great time to let your brain relax while you’re working with your hands.

6. Weed your garden if you have one, or plant one if you don’t.

Don’t have space for a garden, or think that the middle of October is a weird time to recommend this? Start an indoor herb garden with a couple of pots, some herbs or herb seeds, and bright sunny window.  If you buy those fresh herbs in the little bags at the grocery store for a recipe and never use them up, try sticking them in vase of water and letting them root.  Then you can pot them.  They won’t all root, but it’s worth a shot, I’ve got some sage in my kitchen that started that way.

7. Go for a walk by yourself with no iPod.

Find somewhere beautiful or interesting and be alone with yourself, God and the great outdoors.  Wander with your feet and let your mind wander.  Oh, and bring along one of those notebooks and a pen or pencil, you might be surprised what you think of if you give yourself the space to just wander.

8. Rock in rocking chair and drink a warm drink on a nice day.

It’s relaxing, what can I say. I’m a fan of mini-vacation and anything like this is very good for the old noodle.  Porch swings and hammocks also qualify.  Napping is allowed.

9. Exercise: take a martial arts class or some other form of group activity that requires learning something new.

Muscles and brains are connected so exercise, especially exercise that makes you memorize something will help expand your brain.  And in the case of martial arts classes, will help you kick a potential mugger’s butt.

10.  Read a book about something wholly unrelated to anything you’ve read before.

Like I said in the last post in this topic, innovation begins at the intersection of ideas, so branch out, find something that piques your interest that you’ve never explored before, and go explore it.  If it bores you, drop it and pick another something to explore, there may be connections you never thought of.  The possibilities in this approach are endless.

11. Drink plenty of water.

Did I call this post “10 ways…” ah well, here’s a bonus, or perhaps, a creative way of looking at the number 10.

Seriously though, stay hydrated, everything works better when you do and you’ll feel better.