…Or is it?

Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to change your perspective. Sometimes it just takes three little words.

I was just sort of brainstorming about my work in progress today, trying to figure out which way the story was going to turn at one point. I thought of something pretty out there, and then I thought, ‘oh, I can’t do that, that’s crazy.’ Then I thought, ‘or is it?’

Just allowing myself the glimpse of a possibility that maybe there was something to that thought, instead of just shutting it out altogether, made me think of what I was doing in a different way. Suddenly, I had a wave of ideas that spun off from the crazy idea I’d just subconsciously tried to stomp on seconds earlier.

I’m a cynical person by nature, and I’ve started to realize while there’s some comfort in cynicism, it can sometimes stunt originality and creativity. Have you ever had an idea, and then you think, ‘That’s lame. That’s impossible, I can’t do that.’ Sometimes I wonder if what that means is ‘That’s really original. I’ve never seen/heard that before.’ Taking a second to just recognize an idea for what it is, and honestly consider it from all sides before casting it aside is extremely helpful for coming up with new ideas and creating. Or is it?

I don’t know, but for the time being, it’s working for me.

I have to mention where I got this notion of giving ideas a chance from. Kyle Cease is a stand-up comedian turned motivational speaker (which sounds corny, I know), but he doesn’t come across like one of those yahoos you see on infomercials. Some of what he says is still a little too cheesy for me (like I said, cynical), but when he talks about creating new ideas, it’s pretty useful. I’m sure not everyone would find him that enlightening, but if you have a few minutes to spare sometime, check out one of his many Youtube videos or  his website.