A Self-Help Book I Really Love--So Far
At the suggestion of laira1, I picked up Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher from the library. It's yet another self-help book, I've been reading a lot of them lately though the other ones were church focused. The the "Look Inside" feature on the Amazon page I linked has a lot of info on the book, but here's an excerpt:
Sher identifies someone she calls The Scanner-someone who frequently has a multiplicity of interests, but finds it hard to create a successful life he or she loves because their passions and abilities are taking them in so many different directions. Sher identifies 7 types of Scanners-ranging from the Serial Specialist (someone who learns all about one subject, only to get bored and need to move on to the next) to Sybil (a person with so many areas of interest, she can+t finish a thing). Contrary to popular wisdom, Sher tells Scanners that theirs is a unique ability, not a liability. She also states that they must do everything they love, not zero in on one pursuit at the expense of all others.
This is so me, and because my unofficial resolution this year is to get a handle on my projects, so that I feel like I'm not going to forget all of the projects in my head, which will allow me to focus on a few that I want to work on right now, the book is actually very timely.
The book suggests using a Scanner Daybook to record projects, etc. (the book explains it in depth), and I really have way too many paper journals as it is, so I decided to start using the Blogger account that I set up so I could comment on the journals of friends from church who don't use LJ. It's working wonderfully, there is a release of anxiety when I record an idea, no matter how crazy or ambitious. Sometimes just recording it is all that I really want to do for that project, but it's no longer taking up brainspace, a concept introduced to me by raisinfish and a great description for me. Clearing it out helps me to better concentrate on what I'm currently doing, without worrying that I will forget something if I don't keep rehashing it.
EDIT: Ah ha! I see that sleeping on something does help you remember it. The tag is blockquote, not quote.
Sher identifies someone she calls The Scanner-someone who frequently has a multiplicity of interests, but finds it hard to create a successful life he or she loves because their passions and abilities are taking them in so many different directions. Sher identifies 7 types of Scanners-ranging from the Serial Specialist (someone who learns all about one subject, only to get bored and need to move on to the next) to Sybil (a person with so many areas of interest, she can+t finish a thing). Contrary to popular wisdom, Sher tells Scanners that theirs is a unique ability, not a liability. She also states that they must do everything they love, not zero in on one pursuit at the expense of all others.
This is so me, and because my unofficial resolution this year is to get a handle on my projects, so that I feel like I'm not going to forget all of the projects in my head, which will allow me to focus on a few that I want to work on right now, the book is actually very timely.
The book suggests using a Scanner Daybook to record projects, etc. (the book explains it in depth), and I really have way too many paper journals as it is, so I decided to start using the Blogger account that I set up so I could comment on the journals of friends from church who don't use LJ. It's working wonderfully, there is a release of anxiety when I record an idea, no matter how crazy or ambitious. Sometimes just recording it is all that I really want to do for that project, but it's no longer taking up brainspace, a concept introduced to me by raisinfish and a great description for me. Clearing it out helps me to better concentrate on what I'm currently doing, without worrying that I will forget something if I don't keep rehashing it.
EDIT: Ah ha! I see that sleeping on something does help you remember it. The tag is blockquote, not quote.