During the Bead Hoarder's Hop my dear friend Perri mentioned sometimes what we are hoarding is the idea as opposed to the beads. What? pshhh who isn't?
Wait…..
Jean has been encouraging me to write, to share my ideas. (outside of my comfort zone but I've been working on it Jean!)
Perri hints I'm hoarding those ideas. (oh look! there's my comfort zone!!)
Those two things do not usually go together. One cannot hoard and share at the same time. They are essentially opposites.
hoard : noun
1: A stock or store of money or valued objects, typically one that is secret or carefully guarded:
3: An amassed store of useful information or facts, retained for future use
share .verb [ with obj. ]
3: use, occupy, or enjoy something jointly with another or others:
I immediately took to Google and plunked in Hoarder of Ideas and found these:
"Freelancers are FULL of good ideas, and entrepreneurs are even worse. So I know you have all these little bits of ideas kicking around. You stash, you store, you fill up your hard drive with half-written files and snippets full of good intentions.
Just in case. Because one day you might need them. You’re planning to do something with them.
One day."
http://menwithpens.ca/hoarding-ideas/
I have been self employed my entire adult life, I have ideas for a second etsy store, ideas for this, ideas for that. written down, tucked away, filed for later - and I have started writing down ideas for blog posts so I can have something for later just in case I forget to write - you've even heard me plan that! I have stacks of post it notes filled with sketches of design ideas for jewelry, those I've made and have yet to make. Notes about colors of beads to use, which beads to use, their sizes and even on occasion the exact inspiration for the idea itself.
Certainly sounding like the shoe fits doesn't it? Before my computer died I also had lots of inspiration files hoarded err tucked away in folders on the hard drive - now I have Pinterest and probably have about the same number of files stashed away there. lol But I'm not guarding them, squirreling them away from others, all my boards are public, I freely share those finds and it makes me happy when I get the notifications that someone has repinned one of them.
and then this...
"But there comes a time when we should use them, donate them, share them, or toss them. We should stop treating the products of our research, observation, and contemplation as if they were precious objects. Let them go: Give them to your students, your colleagues, your friends, or anybody who might be able to make something from them.
Imagine what you’ll be able to do when freed from the guilt, the burden, the crowding, the clutter of your old stuff. What might the clarity offer?"
http://chronicle.com/blogs/conversation/2012/08/27/are-you-an-idea-hoarder/
hmmm……
Maybe it is time. Time to organize my sketches, sort through them. No need to keep the ones already brought to life. Could be fun for a look book, from concept to fruition, but would I actually follow through on that? <-- hahaha did you need any more proof??!
OK then! It is definitely time to sort and toss, maybe write out a tutorial or two so I can really share. Clean the clutter from the pile on my desk and brain so I can get back to playing, to creating a new stack of sketches, or even better yet pretties to wear!
So glad you stopped by….. if you've been hoarding ideas too, feel free to share in the comments!
Maybe together we can break the habit and start using our ideas instead of letting them get dusty.
