I have found the greatest tool for the vast amount of information swirling around in my head. Many people may have heard of mind mapping before. But I just discovered it for myself.
Lists work to a certain degree for me, but I find after a period of time goes by, I recreate the same old list over and over again. I find that a list doesn't necessarily help me to put things into perspective, even if I number/prioritize. It is just too linear for me.
Mind mapping is a term that I have been hearing from time to time as other people have mentioned it. Although, I have never taken the time to investigate it.
A psychologist, Tony Buzan, has been the man accredited with coining the phrase in the '70's. Honestly, I have done this in creativity classes at university and it worked for brainstorming ideas and getting a quick idea of relationships. I, however, have confused myself in the use as, I place a bubble in the wrong place or end up with a very visually chaotic view of what is going on in my head. (Which, is the problem in the first place)
My friend P. mentioned it to me the other day and sent me a link to a website she had found a few weeks back. After meeting with her and E. on Saturday, the topic came up again and I realized, now is the time to check this out.. it could help me get organized to determine what I want next for my life.
Wow! I spent the morning researching different software available and there are a great many out there. Tony Buzan also has a website and software available from free to paid versions. www.thinkbuzan.com/
I finally chose Freemind as the download to use. There are a handful of others as well, Xmind, Mindmeister, and websites that compare them all...
I spent the day yesterday, just organizing all the things in my life that are important to me and building branches, getting more and more detailed. The concept is like that of a tree. So, for my first mind map, I am the center. (I am, of course, the center of MY universe, the one that I create for myself- as you are of yours!) We all create our own experiences and choose how we will respond to them. The key is realizing each situation is a DIFFERENT ONE! So responding or reacting as most people do in the same old way... is not a choice... it is auto pilot and this is when life passes you by... you become present to nothing but the same old thing, blah... blah... blah...
So, when I finished what I could yesterday of my personal mind map... I realized it is really the ROOTS of the tree..the things I have listed are all things that nourish and give me the experience of being ME... not someone else!
I feel liberated.. this morning I did a couple of other mind maps.. I mapped out my wardrobe and I mapped out my current sewing projects.. the process is right there for me, easy for me to follow and maximize my creativity, while minimizing overwhelm. When I get to that point, I just need to go and look at my map and VOILA! I see it all in perspective, I see clearly the area that will have the most impact in forwarding my experience of being ME!
I haven't figured out how to get a sample graphic on here to show you but this is the greatest discovery I have made in a while... what a fabulous tool for creatives especially.. and I am just starting...
All of the projects that I want to do can be documented and the information specified. I can see, that looking at my map for a particular area of my life or a specific project will help to re-ignite inspiration for taking action.. the timing is sometimes off and you have to tend to something else first or there are skill sets that need to be learned, perspectives to be acknowledged and paradigms to be shifted!
Check out the mind mapping for yourself... let me know what uses you are planning to get from it?
This is just the beginning!
Lists work to a certain degree for me, but I find after a period of time goes by, I recreate the same old list over and over again. I find that a list doesn't necessarily help me to put things into perspective, even if I number/prioritize. It is just too linear for me.
Mind mapping is a term that I have been hearing from time to time as other people have mentioned it. Although, I have never taken the time to investigate it.
A psychologist, Tony Buzan, has been the man accredited with coining the phrase in the '70's. Honestly, I have done this in creativity classes at university and it worked for brainstorming ideas and getting a quick idea of relationships. I, however, have confused myself in the use as, I place a bubble in the wrong place or end up with a very visually chaotic view of what is going on in my head. (Which, is the problem in the first place)
My friend P. mentioned it to me the other day and sent me a link to a website she had found a few weeks back. After meeting with her and E. on Saturday, the topic came up again and I realized, now is the time to check this out.. it could help me get organized to determine what I want next for my life.
Wow! I spent the morning researching different software available and there are a great many out there. Tony Buzan also has a website and software available from free to paid versions. www.thinkbuzan.com/
I finally chose Freemind as the download to use. There are a handful of others as well, Xmind, Mindmeister, and websites that compare them all...
I spent the day yesterday, just organizing all the things in my life that are important to me and building branches, getting more and more detailed. The concept is like that of a tree. So, for my first mind map, I am the center. (I am, of course, the center of MY universe, the one that I create for myself- as you are of yours!) We all create our own experiences and choose how we will respond to them. The key is realizing each situation is a DIFFERENT ONE! So responding or reacting as most people do in the same old way... is not a choice... it is auto pilot and this is when life passes you by... you become present to nothing but the same old thing, blah... blah... blah...
So, when I finished what I could yesterday of my personal mind map... I realized it is really the ROOTS of the tree..the things I have listed are all things that nourish and give me the experience of being ME... not someone else!
I feel liberated.. this morning I did a couple of other mind maps.. I mapped out my wardrobe and I mapped out my current sewing projects.. the process is right there for me, easy for me to follow and maximize my creativity, while minimizing overwhelm. When I get to that point, I just need to go and look at my map and VOILA! I see it all in perspective, I see clearly the area that will have the most impact in forwarding my experience of being ME!
I haven't figured out how to get a sample graphic on here to show you but this is the greatest discovery I have made in a while... what a fabulous tool for creatives especially.. and I am just starting...
All of the projects that I want to do can be documented and the information specified. I can see, that looking at my map for a particular area of my life or a specific project will help to re-ignite inspiration for taking action.. the timing is sometimes off and you have to tend to something else first or there are skill sets that need to be learned, perspectives to be acknowledged and paradigms to be shifted!
Check out the mind mapping for yourself... let me know what uses you are planning to get from it?
This is just the beginning!
Shelly, I've been meaning to really sit down and play with mind mapping, as I think it may be just the right tool for a large project I'm starting that has lots of branches. I'll have to check out Freemind. Thanks for writing about this.
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