The rush of new ideas

“My ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living.”
- Anais Nin

There is no better feeling than when a fresh new idea strikes. That feeling of intense inspiration feels like a rush and I admit to feeling addicted to that feeling of adrenalin running rampant.

Each week, I am swarmed with new ideas both original and those I learn about on the Internet. I have so many ideas that I’ve recently taken to emailing some of the ideas to myself just so I feel I have given them an outlet,  a place of their own. Often, very often, I move on and never act on those ideas. And, just the same, the clog of too many ideas leaves my mind feeling cluttered and scattered because all I can think about are new ideas, which means I’m really living in the future and not The Now. My to-do lists are like excavation projects — long, dark and cave-like and hard to dig through. I usually get frustrated in the middle and abandon quickly.

While I implement many simple and easy-to-do ideas into my personal life and home, I don’t act enough on the bigger ideas that I have about our society or my big picture plan. Just writing this blog post and meditating on the spiritual aspect of new ideas has led me to realize that I do not take enough of my ideas and turn them into reality.

Perhaps because of fear? Or lack of energy?

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.”
- Buddha

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately on Buddha’s teachings. {Reading is often when I get most of my ideas.} And one thought in particular has struck  me: the power of getting an idea and just sitting with it and not acting on it. A large part of my mind is relieved to realize that I don’t have to act on them all and, therefore, I do not have to feel guilt for not putting a new idea into action.

And yet, I also know that acting upon the best ideas helps lead us to success and productive living.

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced.”
- Swami Vivekananda

This post idea came to me on Sunday during a small group discussion. One friend said she doesn’t get many ideas but when she does it’s all she can think about and nothing can stop her. Another said that he views ideas — the ones he acts upon — as his legacy.

And I love that thought. In fact, I used to think that way along time ago — before children took over most of my thoughts.

So just how do we idea-obsessed folks handle all the ideas? I have scoured the Internet in search of some great ideas on how to manage Too Many Ideas Syndrome.

• Well, we sign up for Pinterest, for one. Right?
• And, this list over here at Lifehack is pretty great.
• I also really love this list of 9 Ways to Overcome Too Many Ideas Syndrome at Writer’s Digest, particularly because it is just for writers with too many ideas. Hello, that’s me!
• Of course, if we are feeling true abundance and at peace in our life, we won’t really care if we have too many ideas. Creative abundance is always a good message. You can read about that here.

I guess the message is that if we are blessed with one really good idea that consumes or dozens of small ones, we should feel honored that we are the ones carrying these ideas. It’s our job, one day at a time, to carry them into fruition.

Maybe we can’t agree on what happens after we die but can certainly all agree that what we do here while we are here matters a whole lot. What ideas are we leaving behind? What ideas are we closing a door on today? Where is the courage within us to reach inside and pull out that one really good idea that might impact the world, or at least ourselves for a while?

And, better yet, are we ready to just let ideas rest until we know they are worth pursuing?

How do you handle your ideas? Please share both on how you archive them but also how you implement them and put them into action.