I mentioned last time that I have been having some trouble motivating myself – I’ve lost my creative spark a little. BUT, I know it’s returning. And how do I know that?
Doodling. Yep – I started doodling. I put lines on a paper and they developed into more than lines.
What is doodling?
Well – there are a few definitions.
The Cambridge English Dictionary suggests that it means “to draw pictures or patterns while thinking about something else or when you are bored” and Dictionary.com says “to draw or scribble idly”.
These, and others I found, while I kind of agree with them – I think they seem, well, a little negative.
I think doodling is being a little hard done by there – as there is a lot of evidence out there to confirm that it’s good for you.
Yes – it is drawing or scribbling whilst thinking of something else, but you don’t have to be bored. Nor does it have to be idle.
When you doodle, it may look to others like you are just not paying attention, but actually, it’s keeping your brain active – and could be keeping you calm.
When you doodle, it may look to others like you are just not paying attention, but actually, it’s keeping your brain active – and could be keeping you calm.
Think of being on hold for EVER to some kind of call centre, listening to that repetitive awful music. You don’t want to drift off – you may forget why you rang! And you could get a little frustrated (will they ever answer…?)
Instead, of getting annoyed, keep a pen/pencil and a bit of paper handy and make some lines. Straight lines, wavy lines, maybe circles, maybe squares, flowers – wavy lines. It doesn’t matter – literally, go with the flow of the pen and it’s ink. (or the pencil and it’s lead).
And one of the great things about doodling is that there are no rules!
You don’t have to stay inside the lines, nothing has to be perfect – nothing even has to be an actual thing, it’s just marks on the page. And you choose them.
Some of the documented benefits of doodling:
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It boosts energy
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It can reduces stress
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It can also helps process emotions
AND it also helps creativity. (I can vouch for that).
My own doodling started with a square, nothing special. I added a border (just a wavy line really), doodled some words – and then it turned into a kind of doodling word association going through weather, seaons …. something had switched open in that creativity bit of my brain.
So – this week, I encourage you to grab a pen, or a pencil and any scrap of paper you can find and just make some marks… you never know what might happen!
Oh – and my doodle did inspire a new card.. why not take a little peek… HERE.
Happy Doodling! Until next time,
Love Jac and Ted xx
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