“Things happen to people by accident,” she used to say.
“A lot of nice accidents have happened to me.
It just HAPPENED that I always liked lessons and books,
and could remember things when I learned them.”
-Sara Crewe from A Little Princess, written by my great great grandmother: FHB
Unlike Sara above…I don’t just HAPPEN to remember things when I learn them. I have to WORK at remembering. It is how I am wired…how I was made. And it wasn’t until college that I FINALLY figured out that: I am a “see it-say it-write it” kind of girl.
The more times I touch a lesson, using as many of my senses as possible, the better the chances are that I will actually soak the material in deep enough to simmer a while in my creative brain.
Back then I would listen in class, take notes, then make flash cards from my notes in bright colors, and even sing out-loud the flash cards to help me remember the material. (So sorry to my sweet college roommates!) And while I am no longer reading books and listening to podcasts or lectures for school reasons, I still have to work just as hard to REMEMBER THE GOODNESS being poured into me from these various avenues.
So, I’ve been doing a new thing these days.
For now I am calling them NOTE PAGES until something more creative strikes my fancy. Below is the general process…but find what works for you:
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Read, listen, or watch something new. (I’ve done this with podcasts, lectures, books and more!)
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When you feel your head begin to bob, your heart begin to beat faster, or your soul begin to sting a bit…MAKE A NOTE!
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Underline, highlight, and/or make notes directly into the book(this is what I do), or take quick notes on paper or directly into your phone…wherever is convenient for you in that moment.
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Then take all of those golden nuggets and create a journal/notes page where all of that “good stuff” can now live in one place. I use a 9 X 12 mixed media spiral of thick blank pages so my Crayola super-tip markers won’t bleed through, but you could use anything really…just make sure it is large enough to capture it all.
MY SUMMER BOOK PAGES
Below I have shared the actual note pages that I created for a few of the inspiring books I read over the summer. PLEASE NOTE: These are not book reviews. These are simply my notes…the things that spoke directly to MY heart from each book. They are not meant to “look” perfect, but only to capture the goodness so that I might remember it deeper and savor it longer.
Your note pages may look VERY different…with your head bobbing and heart thumping in VERY different places. I encourage you to try something new and to go for it! Read them yourself, make your own note pages…and soak up the goodness that is intended inside each one…just for YOU.
Click Here to read more about: CULTIVATE
Click Here to read more about: BIG MAGIC
Click Here to read more about: PRESENT OVER PERFECT
Click Here to read more about: The Turquoise Table
Click Here to read more about: FALLING FREE
ON MY NIGHTSTAND NOW: Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker
A friend sent me a link to this podcast recently where the author of Present Over Perfect, Shauna Niequist was interviewing her friend Jen. My sweet friend texted this along with the link below…
“Listened to this today and thought of you-they mention The Secret Garden towards the end!!!”
I’ll admit that have not read any of Jen’s books yet, but they have always come highly recommended from friends…I’m just clearly coming late to this party. So far, only a few chapters in…I think she may be one of my new best friends and I can’t wait to see what this blank NOTE PAGE will hold in the end. 🙂
Click Here to read more about: OF MESS AND MOXIE
I hope sharing my new fun pages will inspire you to capture your head bob moments in a new way or perhaps encourage you to read something new.
Seeing, Saying, and Writing to You with Love,
FHB and Especially Me
P.S. My note pages were originally inspired by Roxanne Glaser, AKA Super Doodle Girl…who shared with me this fun page that she doodled while watching me speak about Living A Life in Full Bloom last fall at Lucky Star Art Camp.
NOTE: Super Doodle Girl will be teaching her fun lettering classes at Rockin’ Reality Retreats THIS November and December!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
