WEBVTT - Keep a one-line idea list

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is to keep a one line idealist. When you

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<v Speaker 1>hear something that sparks your thinking, write it down. It's

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<v Speaker 1>possible that it just might come in handy someday. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip comes from prolific novelist Serena Bowen. From her interview

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<v Speaker 1>for this podcast last year, Serena explained that she's always

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<v Speaker 1>on the lookout for ideas she finds interesting, such as

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<v Speaker 1>things she reads in news stories that capture her attention

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<v Speaker 1>for some reason. Perhaps it's a police case that's solved

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<v Speaker 1>in an unexpected way, or a couple that meets under

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<v Speaker 1>truly bizarre circumstances. Serena says it is wise to recognize

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<v Speaker 1>ideas that intrigue you and to find a place to

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<v Speaker 1>record these ideas, or to keep them close. As she

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<v Speaker 1>puts it, Serena has a page at the back of

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<v Speaker 1>her planner called one Line Ideas. Sometimes she will write

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<v Speaker 1>a book that has its seed in one or more

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<v Speaker 1>of these little musings. But even if you are not

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<v Speaker 1>a novelist, it pays to keep track of ideas that

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<v Speaker 1>interest you. Serena explains, what you write down are those

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<v Speaker 1>things that tickle you for a second. She says, it's

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<v Speaker 1>the act of stopping to say hold on, that's different,

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<v Speaker 1>that's speaking to me. So, for instance, a teacher might

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<v Speaker 1>keep track of bizarre news stories and use the situations

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<v Speaker 1>as short story prompts. A person who loves to entertain

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<v Speaker 1>might keep track of ideas for decorps, food, or waves

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<v Speaker 1>of fostering interactions among guests. A poet or novelist might

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<v Speaker 1>keep a list of images, situations, or insights that captured

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<v Speaker 1>her attention. Even if you don't have a specific outlet

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<v Speaker 1>for the ideas in mind, I think there can be

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<v Speaker 1>value in recording interesting ideas anyway. Keeping a one line

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<v Speaker 1>ideal list can make you a keener observer and can

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<v Speaker 1>foster reflection or imagination. You might be able to start

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<v Speaker 1>interesting conversations with people or draw new connections when you

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<v Speaker 1>see something else in the future. There's no need to

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<v Speaker 1>make this list fancy. You can keep it in a

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<v Speaker 1>notebook or on your phone, perhaps in Apple notes. As

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<v Speaker 1>Serena explains, the benefit is simply in the act of

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<v Speaker 1>stopping recognizing moments of interest and meaning, rather than just

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<v Speaker 1>plowing through your day without much reflection. Maybe the ideas

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<v Speaker 1>you save will end up serving as seeds for your

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<v Speaker 1>work in the future, but regardless, they'll make you more

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<v Speaker 1>sensitive to life as it is going on. If you

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<v Speaker 1>try keeping a one line ideal list, I'd love to

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<v Speaker 1>hear about how you track your ideas and what you

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<v Speaker 1>do with them. You can reach me at Laura at

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<v Speaker 1>Laura vandercam dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of

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<v Speaker 1>our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've

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<v Speaker 1>got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at

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<v Speaker 1>Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a

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<v Speaker 1>production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeart, please visit

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<v Speaker 1>the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to

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<v Speaker 1>your favorite shows.