Inspiration On The Go

You know those days when you are busy running errands, working on a deadline, or doing things for your family, that that's when you get a burst of inspiration.

Those busy days are usually the days when you get your best ideas, and stopping to write or sketch out your ideas may not be an option. If your like me and don't have time to document those ideas they can be lost as quickly as they appeared.

Doing a visualization exercise is a great way to help you keep those ideas fresh in your mind. It only take a minute or two to do these simple steps, to help you remember those really good ideas.

-Close your eyes
-Visualize what you want to create
-Make a list of the medium and tools you want to work with
-Choose the colors
-Visualize your finished piece
-Let you mind return to these mental pictures often

The best part is you end piece may not be exactly as you visualized it, but that's even better, because you nurtured your inspiration and allowed it to develop before it was executed.

"Even if its not possible to act on each moment of inspiration immediately.  It is possible to live in the moment and enjoy your creative soul."
-Pam Carriker

Have you used visualization to remember your good ideas?

September 13 is Positive Thinking Day

Happy Positive Thinking Day!

Today is the perfect day to start making positive thinking and a positive attitude part of your life everyday.

It's easy to get started.

Incorporate these simple ideas into your day.

Affirmations keep you positive - Start your day with "It's going to be a great day!"

Be Mindful - Stay in the present moment, always reminding yourself it's going to be a great day.

Track your gratitude - Keeping a journal of what you are grateful for will only enforce how good life is.

Stay Inspired - Read and Watch motivational and inspirational materials daily.

Surround yourself with positive people - They will help you stay focused and positive.

Be Kind - Taking care of yourself and others will keep you in a positive frame of mind.

Smile - Share your smile throughout your day, because a smile is contagious.

Super simple ideas for a positive out look on life.

What are you going to do for Positive Thinking Day?

Share Positive Thinking Day with your social network

A Quick and Easy Quiet Time Idea

Personalized Journal by moleskinebusiness

When your time is limited, but you really need a break, taking 10 - 15 minutes a day to yourself and your journal is a great way to regroup.

Taking time to do a brain dump, rant about a problem, or simply list what you are grateful for opens you up to discovering something new about yourself.

Daily Gratitude by WhisicalsPaperie

Here are 8 reasons why you should keep a journal
Record your daily life
Fuel your dreams
Gain self-awareness
Embrace who you are
Take a spiritual journey
Vent your frustrations
Make plans
Increase your positivity

Start with a journal you love. You can make one with all art techniques you love or purchase a beautiful handmade on off Etsy.

Keeping a journal is not all about writing. If you prefer you can draw, paint, collage, mixed media, or a combination of the medium of your choice. All you need to do is choose a medium you enjoy and get started.

Monogrammed Journal by OurLittleMesses

Add your journal time to you calendar. Even if you can't or don't want to do it everyday, carving out a time is the best way to commit to your journal time.

Journal time is a good way to take time to yourself quite your mind. After a busy day it can really help you relax and take control of your thoughts.

Do you keep a journal?

I'm Curious

◄▬ I'm taking a poll

Source: flickr.com via Monica on Pinterest

Do you keep a journal?

If so what kind:

Personal - With your private thoughts and emotions.
Business - A book with your goals, business ideas, and tracking.
Art - A sketchbook with your ideas, projects, and inspiration.

◄▬ Choose all that apply

Thanks for sharing!

Journal Your Plan

It's the end of September and Tomorrow is the beginning of the holiday season for selling. Have you reviewed your goals or plans lately?

Pull out your plans and start creating your to-do-list for getting sales.

I have been working on my to-do-list for a week and now I have my plan for my holiday season. I set a goal of 100 sales between now and the end of the year. It's going to require a lot of work, but now that I have a plan I feel better about making my goal.

Have you prepared your plan for the holiday season? Today is the day. Take out your journal and create your to-do-list for your best selling season ever.

Do you have a plan?

Vacation Journal

Next time your on vacation or even a day trip don't forget your journal. Try to take a few minutes everyday and jot down your thoughts of the the day, the places that you visited, inspiring things that you saw, and any new ideas.

Traveling is a great time to let your mind relax and open up to new ideas. All the new sites, sounds, and smells will inspire you.

Not into writing, then try a photo journal instead. Take lots of pictures of inspiring sites, and keep a small note book with the ideas that were inspired by the picture. When you get home you can organize them to have as a future reference.

Do you journal when you are on vacation?

Blogging Journal

One inch 3 ring Oil Cloth Covered Binders by rbtbags

Yesterday was the last day of Inspired Success Week, and it was a week full of ideas to create a better blog. Today I want to encourage you to keep a blogging journal.

I use a 3 ring binder with a blogging calendar, my weekly blog plan, and some lined paper to jot down my ideas. I have learned that if I don't write my ideas down right away it's forgotten forever. So when I read something or see something that I want to share on my blog it goes in my blogging journal.

Three Ring Planner Covers set of two linen blue by CrownBindery

Having the ideas written down gives me the opportunity to expand on my ideas, research as needed, and create an outline for my posts.

Sometimes all I have to do is page through my notes and a word or sentence will inspire me and I can sit and write a post off the top of my head.

Chalkboard Notebook & Chalk Binder Notebook by ArtisanPost

Keeping my blogging journal has really helped me save time with the blogging process. Writing a post 5 - 6 days a week can be challenging. My journal is what I use so the process of writing a blog is more of a pleasure then a pain.

Start a blogging journal and see how much time it will save you in your blogging process.

Do you have a blogging journal?

Journal Prompt - Explore What You Want from Your Journal

I always thought that I did not journal very well. I only did it sporadically, I found it difficult to figure out what to write, and my journal never looked like I wanted it to look.

I realized I was trying to fit into the mold of what I thought keeping a journal should be, not taking into consideration what I needed from keeping a journal.

Once I let go of the idea of what a journal should be and asked myself:  What do you want from your journal? When I discovered the answer the experience of keeping a journal became an important part of my daily life.

I currently keep a business journal. It is a binder with plain and lined paper, pocket folders, dividers, my to-do-list, and a calendar. I spend a lot of my time thinking about my business, and my journal is my place to get all the stuff out of my head and on paper.

I have always been one of those practical people, which I think is what made keeping a journal sometimes difficult.  I would rather make business plans, create lists of ideas, and plan out my week. Writing it all out everyday gives me peace of mind, just what a journal should do.

So have you asked yourself: What do you want from your journal? It may make your keeping a journal and using is regularly a whole lot easier.

What kind of journal do you like to keep?

Journal Prompt - Your Business

During the summer, when business is a little slower, is the best time to prepare for the busy fall/holiday season.

Taking your extra time to build up inventory, plan your advertising and marketing plan, and work on your branding, will make a difference when it starts to get busy.

Get started on that process by spending a little time with your journal.

Use this as a journal prompt: Why are you in business.

This is a good place to start your planning process.  Take your time, if it's easier make lists about your business, draw pictures of what you want your business to be like, cut out words and pictures from magazines and create a collage.  

Knowing why you are in business helps with the decisions you make with your business.

Do you have big plans for the fall/holiday season?

Journal Prompt - Make Lists

You want to journal. You grab a cup of tea and your favorite journal, you find a quite spot to relax. You settle in to start writing and you just don't know where to start.

This can happen from time to time.  

Instead of just writing, create lists.

I write lists every night, about my business, books I want to read, my to do list, people I need to contact, even personal lists for me and my family. It has changed my journal process and now I enjoy keeping a journal.

Starting a list journal is simple, here are a few prompts to get you started: 

- what you did that day 

- ideas of things you want to do 

- places you want to visit 

- people you want or need to see 

- your favorite music 

- books you want to read  

You can get more personal and make lists of how you are feeling, what makes you mad or happy, things that make you feel good, as well as lists for your family. 

All your lists will be personal to you, and a great way to clear your mind.  This is a perfect way to get all the information our of your head and down on paper, with out the hassle of all the filler words. Adding pictures and doodles can personalize your lists and make them more fun.

Once your lists are complete you can review them anytime for ideas, or personal fulfillment.  

Feeling in a slump pull out your list of all the things that make you happy and try an idea that will make you smile.

Want more ideas for making lists check out author Lisa Nola for her variety of book on making lists. 

What kind of lists do you keep?

Create a Word Toolbox

With so many words to choose from it can sometimes be challenging to find the right words to say what you want to say.

To make your writing experience easier, creating a list of words and phrases will inspire you to write more often.

Now your word toolbox does not refer to the words we carry around in our heads all the time. Instead it's a list of those words and phrases that are not as common or don't automatically come to mind when you are writing.

This is a project you can start today and keep adding to for years to come. Use a small or medium notebook just for your word list, and keep it handy.  You want to find it quickly when you are ready to write.

Start gathering word and phrases that make you smile, scare you, jump out at you, sound interesting, make you think, sound beautiful, invite images of action and stillness. These are just a few ideas to get you started.

Try these ideas for finding words for your word toolbox

Open a book to a random page and write down words. Let your eyes jump from word to word, find words that stand out for you.

Buy an old dictionary

Visit your library and look at a variety of books from different sections.

Use magazines 

Start today with a list of 25 words. 

Do your work with a word list?

Journal Prompt - A Collection of Sounds

Everyday we hear things all around us.  Sometimes simple sounds, sometimes sounds that startle us, either way since they are everyday sounds we don't think about them much.

Today take some time and create a collection of sounds. You can write a list or draw pictures of the all the sounds you hear.

Decide if you want to sit inside or outside, and how long you will need to create your collection. There are no rules, this can be done in five minutes or all afternoon.

This prompt is about using your senses as a source of inspiration.  It will become a great reference to refer back to in the future, showing what things inspired you and giving you a fresh perspective for the future.  

What sounds inspire you?

Garden Journal

Do you like gardening?

Consider recording the happenings of your flower, vegetable or container garden. Even if you are not a gardener, keeping notes of the changing plants outside is one way to attune yourself to the natural world around you.

A garden journal is kept to record your daily memories, successes or failures of tending or creating your garden. You can collect leaves, petals or seeds, take photos of your favorites, add in sketches, drawings, or painting of the items in your garden.  Also consider adding in seed packets, diagrams of your garden layout, or illustrations of plants.

Their are so many options.  Do what feels best to you.  You want this to be a fun process and something you can refer to year after year.

Even if you live in an urban environment where gardening is a challenge you can still keep this type of journal. You can grow plants in your home, or go to a park and chronicle their garden.

If keeping a gardening journal is not for you, then grab your journal/sketchbook and take a few minutes to write and enjoy some quite time in a beautiful garden.

What types of things do you like to journal about?

Journal Prompt - Being Outside

I love this time of year.  Watching the trees and flowers come into bloom, the smell of grass that has been mowed for the first time, the sound of the birds, and the warmer weather.  I love to be outside (before the mosquitoes are out in full force) and enjoy a quite afternoon.

This is the perfect time to write and draw in my journal/sketchbook and reflect on the beauty around me everyday.

Take out your journal/sketchbook and spend a few minutes outside just enjoying to sounds, sites, and smells, around you.  Then write or draw about what you enjoy most about being outside.

This is a great time of year to open up and get your creative juices flowing.  Let your journal/sketchbook guide you to new discoveries outside.


What is your favorite thing about being outside?

Recycled Journals

I love journals!  I have a collection of journals that I have never used cause I don't want to mess them up.  I know that's crazy, but they are just to cool to write use.

I spend time every now and then checking out all the cool journals on Etsy.  Today I have a collection of journals by Etsy artists created with recycled materials.  All of them have a little something different to offer, check out there shops to see all their amazing creations.

Eco Art Journal by bellavioletta

Notebook and or Coloring Book cereal by Departika

Zig Zag wood modern black journal bound art by bound2last

Recycled Spiral Notebook 8.5x11 Journal by SlightlyEmbellished

Rustic Eco Journal in Teal Vegan Hemp and Recycled Rubber with pen holder by NaturesCubbyhole

Do you collect beautiful journals?

Journal Prompt - Eavesdrop on a conversation

I have a creative friend who writes, does mixed media, paints, and teaches, and is always creating or thinking of creating.  

She was telling me one day that while she was sitting in a coffee shop with her journal, she would start jotting down sentences from people's conversations.

It was interesting to hear these sentences not knowing what the conversation was about.  She had taken these bits of conversation and used them in poetry she had written. These bits of the conversations made her poems insightful and very expressive.

Take your journal to a location where there are lots of people.  Jot down sentences, figures of speech, or words you hear.  If you would prefer do quick sketches of the things happening around you.  Either way you will have this info for future inspiration. 

I know for me just hearing a word or seeing something is all I need to be inspired, this exercise is the same way. Just hearing a few random conversations, can be a great way to generate new ideas.

Heard any good conversations lately?

Tug-of-War

You know those days when you are really busy, running errands, working, and doing things for your family,  do you find those are the days when your creative juices are really flowing?

There are also those days when you have lots of work to get done or a deadline to meet and no time to let your muse take over. Sometimes its hard to decide if you should stop working and just let your creative side take over or to finish up what needs to be done.

This kind of tug-of-war can make your day challenging and unfulfilling.  I always get a burst of creativity when I am driving on long trips, or have to get something done.

There are a couple of things you can do to nurture your creative ideas, work in you journal/sketchbook for a few minutes, while the ideas are still fresh, put your work on hold and just start creating, or find a way to pencil in some time to create into your schedule.

If you just don't have time to take a break give these tricks a try:
-Take a moment
-close your eyes
-visualize what you want to do
-Make a list of the medium you want to work with
-Choose the colors you want to use
-Visualize your finished piece
-Let you mind return to these mental pictures often

You may find that the end piece is not exactly as you pictured it, but thats even better, because you nurtured your inspiration and allowed it to develop before it was executed.

"Even if its not possible to act on each moment of inspiration immediately.  It is possible to live in the moment and enjoy your creative soul."
Pam Carriker

What do you do when you have a tug-of-war between being practical and getting your work done and being creative?

Non-Traditional Journaling

Do you sometimes find keeping a journal challenging? Changing up how you journal and what you journal about is a great way to enjoy the process again.

Instead of using a book or a note book, why not try journaling on 3 x 5 or 4 x6 note cards.  They are inexpensive, you can buy them in different colors or multi color packs, even with lines or without.

Carry around a thin stack of cards for a week use one everyday to jot down notes, make small collages, do quick sketches, or just for ideas you may have.  At the end of the week you can sort the cards into themes, create a to do list, bind them together or file them away.

Why not try this for a month instead and see what happens.  At the end of the month you will have a whole stack of cards with ides, mini pieces of art, or even projects you can start.

Note cards are also great for creating a travel kit, instead of bring a big book along all you will need is a pack of cards.  You could work on a new card everyday and come home with a trip full of memories.

Using the cards might be a nice break from keeping a traditional journal, what other non traditional journal ideas can you share with us?

Journal Prompt - Spring Plans

Spring is about opening windows, fresh air, bright sunshine, and spring showers.  It's also the perfect time for thinking about renewal, starting fresh, and making new plans.

Take a few minutes this week and start creating lists.

♦ All the things you love about spring
♦ What you want to accomplish this Spring
♦ Places you want to visit
♦ Things you want to create

Lists are easy for creating a plan.  When you are done you will have an outline of a basic plan for an inspiring and creative Spring season.

What kind of list will you be creating this Spring?

Journal Prompt - Almost No Writing Required

This week instead of writing or drawing in your journal consider adding one memento per day.  Add things like ticket stubs,receipts, newspaper clippings, tags from new clothes, photographs, a note from a friend or family.


Travel Art Journal Inside bye lara**

Tape the item to a journal page and add a little text as a reminder about what made that item worth keeping.

When you add items to your journal entries you are adding depth and complexity, as well as new meaning about your daily life.

When you look back over your entries in years to come, those items will spark memories, and maybe a boost of inspiration.


What special things have you added to one of your journal entries?