Think of the solution you intend to accomplish and what answers or outcomes you seek, then choose a random avenue via one of the branches to explore, or work through each branch in turn.

Total solution focus encourages shortcut to answer consider the solution and spark ideas and thoughts via the mind map branches, by asking probing questions such as:

• How can the solution encompass a timeless element?
• How might the solution be more exciting?
• What could be dropped from past unsuccessful attempts at a solution?
• How could the solution open new doors to fresh positive opportunities?
• In what way could the solution be celebrated?

Visual projection allows you to envisage the solution and work backwards like the brief image you have in mind of a meal, prior to preparation and cooking.

This mind map is just an example; you might prefer to create your own mind maps, to act as a turntable or central theme for idea generation and solution finding.

Natural joys surround us daily; only, how quickly we forget them – how soon our thoughts overlook life’s natural wonders and the beauty of living.

Remembrance and reconnection, a few seconds of awe, can lead to deep appreciation and gratitude. Being thankful for simple pleasures and all the marvels and miracles of being alive.

The crunch of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Twinkling stars lighting up the night sky.

Fragrant flowers shining in the sun.

Ripples and reflections on a pond.

Clouds drifting and swaying.

Birds climbing and soaring.

A stranger’s smile of mutual acceptance.

The majestic colours of exotic animals.

The peaceful stillness of grazing cattle.

The sky ablaze as the sun sets on the horizon.

The wonder of your senses connecting you with the world.

All of these and thousands more – natural joys, simple pleasures; and it only takes a moment to notice.

A fleeting glance, a sudden realization, connecting heart to planet; plugging without to within.

The point of realization that life is the journey, not the destination.

So near and yet so far; the distance between two thoughts.

Natural joys surround us daily. Wait for the gaps between your thoughts, look, listen, sense, appreciate.

It’s all within reach to the one who sees it.

Be the one.

The natural joys are waiting – always.

If you are in the Seattle area, be sure to visit the Heronswood Garden for amazing natural beauty!

See also:

Wordless Mind Map
The Wind Cries Mary Mind Map
Dust in the Wind Mind Map

Every day presents a new opportunity to cast aside bad habits and negative thoughts and start anew. Closer than that, every moment is also an opportunity. Right now, this minute, change is possible if you want change.

Negativity is an opportunity to flip to a more positive, helpful and constructive way of thinking or acting. Negativity is useful as a signpost for change.

How?

5 simple steps to flipside:

Notice the negativity
Write it down (or create a mind map)
Explore the flipside
Seek a positive solution
Implement change

Notice the negativity

Instead of punishing yourself for negativity, praise yourself for noticing – the most crucial stage of implementing change.

Write it down

Capture on paper the complete picture of any negativity. Once committed to paper you can become committed to change. After practice, you may not need to write everything down, yet it is always an available option and useful way to pinpoint negativity and uncover solutions. List or mind map all the good and positive outcomes of any negativity – the flipside.

Explore the flipside

Literally turn around the negativity and see in new ways. Explore positive avenues and more useful and helpful thoughts and actions. Unearth the good.

Seek a positive solution

Uncover how to combat the negativity. How to see differently, think differently; act differently – how to succeed in a positive manner. Discover how you can harvest positive change. Work on solutions rather than problems.

Implement change

See the positive – see the potential.
Drop the negative – flipside to positive.
Make a difference – create the change.

Every coin has two sides; visualise negative and positive.

Negativity is an opportunity to make a difference.

Negativity is an opportunity to create change.

Negativity is an opportunity to harness a win/win outcome.

Negativity is often a ticket to a solution.

Almost all negative thoughts and actions carry seeds for positive growth and value not always immediately obvious.

Uncover the positive – make a difference – create the change.

We can’t see thoughts.

We can see simplicity, complexity, shapes, groups, clusters, waves, reach, extent, 360º, 3D, turns, spirals, coils and curls.

We can’t see thoughts.

We can observe depth, overlap, movement, reason, vision, repetition, method, direction, scope, angle, arch, arc, projection, flow, fall, drop, perspective, height, capacity, thickness, tangents, solid, hollow, bulk, thin, connection, proportion, gaps, joins, shadows, background, foreground, strength, shade, light, dark, colour, prism, variation, rainbows, mirrors and reflection.

We can’t see thoughts.

And yet we believe thoughts, think we know what we think, think we know what others think and think “we know” because we think.

We live our lives almost exclusively through thought, often missing out on a beautiful alternative dimension beyond thought.

What is that dimension beyond thought?

A dimension known as silence. The silence beneath noise and in the gaps between your thoughts. A peaceful dimension.

The dimension from which all other dimensions emerge. Tap it, bath in it; that dimension that exists beneath and beyond thought.

I bet most, if not all mindmapping software users also create hand-drawn mind maps. Both methods clearly have huge benefits and advantages and occasions when each proves a better option.

As a hand-drawn mindmapper, I am sharing here my thoughts on the advantages of using the hand-drawn mind map method.

Hand-drawn mindmapping will always exist in the same way books will always exist – technology won’t, in my opinion, replace traditional methods; it will work alongside it. E-Books are an option not a replacement. Mindmapping software is an option not a replacement. Come back in 100 years time and perhaps things may look very different, yet I doubt it! The hands-on and personal feeling and satisfaction of reading a physical book or creating art or writing by hand on paper provides a body and mind connection that isn’t always there when using computers and technology. It could be likened to the difference between playing tennis on a computer or physically.

The hands-on method of hand-drawn mindmapping has a multitude of advantages – not “advantages over software”, advantages of the hand-drawn method itself. Rather than drawing comparisons between hand-drawn mindmapping and mindmapping software, I am focusing here specifically on what makes hand-drawn mindmapping so versatile, in and of itself.

What are the advantages of hand-drawn mindmapping?

Hands-on

You don’t necessarily need a computer screen to create hand-drawn mind maps; grab pens, pencils and paper and away you go! Naturally, scanning, colouring and sharing can be done on the computer, yet that often comes after the initial creation of your hand-drawn mind map or you may use coloured pens and pencils and finish the mind map completely by hand.

The physical creation is immediate and progressive; instantly you can have direct flow from brain to paper and capture thoughts and ideas before you forget them. Hands-on encourages body involvement, feeling as well as thinking, using your senses and combining physical, mental, personal, intimate, tactile and therapeutic elements. Hands-on gives you freedom of personal expression, tapping your unique brainpower and capturing your individuality right on the paper before you. Because you create a mind map from brain, through arm, via pencil or pen to sheet the creation of your content becomes highly memorable particularly when you add your own styling and design; essentially “drawing” how and as you feel.

Unique

Your style evolves as you create more mind maps and the look and feel becomes your personal method of expression much like an artist develops their own identifiable trademarks. Each mind map can be created differently in look, colour, design and style to make it special. You can create quick pencil mind maps right through to artistic, colourful and imaginative mind maps. Any mistakes or errors, as with creating art, can become part of the creation, part of the expression. Developing your unique style encourages both creativity and idea generation to flourish.

Memorable

Creating hand-drawn mind maps is highly addictive. They bring out your knowledge and experiences and uncover your hidden brainpower as well as capturing new learning. Because the creation is physical, pen to paper, your content becomes highly memorable, helping you clarify your thinking and explore and develop your creativity. Keeping your mind maps in a physical folder means you can revisit and review and refresh your thoughts and knowledge. The text and images having been created by your own hand in your own style also assist recall.

Portable

Hand-drawn mind maps offer versatility; you can create whenever and wherever you wish, instantly. Ideas come any time and you can capture them fast. You can also create your mind maps in a relaxing environment of your choice; anywhere quiet and comfortable aids the creation process. It might be a relaxing room or a wide open field.

Pens, pencils and paper are highly flexible – you can create a mind map on a small scrap of paper or a huge sheet. Over and above paper you can explore wipeboards, flipcharts, canvas, even blank walls. Create mind map murals on rolls of paper or walls. Hand-drawn offers unlimited potential to diversify and explore artistically.

Stylish

Developing your own style, you can create original and personal mind maps whether you are creating for yourself or to share with others. Drawing style and ability can be as unique as your fingerprint. You have the flexibility to create your mind map exactly how you want to; hand-drawn means 100% radial, twists, turns, flair and flamboyancy – multi-angle both in terms of direction and dimension.

As you develop your style because you are injecting yourself into your mind maps it encourages both the physical and emotional – it can be moving and therapeutic and really tap your inner feelings and ideas. The flexibility encourages your uniqueness. The connection between mind, body and paper taps your personal expression.

H Hands-on
U Unique
M Memorable
P Portable
S Stylish

Creating mind maps by hand is fun; when I started creating the above mind map in pencil, I suddenly noticed an acronym had developed from the main branches which helped me build a central image and theme. Hands-on, unique, memorable, portable, stylish, created HUMPS – a total fluke and it got me thinking about drawing a camel as the central image. The camel also symbolises longevity and reliability; a bonus association. The “memorable” acronym element came to me through the creation and process of mindmapping.

Of course, another “hump” to creating mind maps by hand might be thinking that you cannot draw.

Further useful links and resources:

Drawing a Mind Map from Start to Finish:
http://www.mindmapinspiration.com/drawing-a-mind-map-from-start-to-finish/

How to convert Text to Mind Map:
http://www.mindmapinspiration.com/how-to-convert-text-to-mind-map-paul-foreman/

Books about Mind Mapping:
http://www.mindmapinspiration.com/mind-map-books/

Try filling in a few ideas on this blank version of the Motivation Mind Map

No need to complete every line – unless you wish; you can add more lines if required. Add some graphics if you like.

Stereotypes present a classic example of labelling; one such is the Zen Master. Initial judgment and analysis may indicate a stern and cold demeanour. Is he a statue? Is he alive and breathing? What is he thinking? Where is he looking and why? How come his dog looks like him – or is it the opposite? Is it an image? Is he acting a “role”? Who does he think he is – Yoda? Endless questions? Endless answers?

After the mind, beyond the thoughts, when the rattling cogs of brain in full speed assessment die down – what really exists? Often simplicity, silence, stillness, poise, peace – often wisdom, often profound, calm, quiet and serene. More words? More labels? More “definition”? Or less words and thoughts?

The takeaway contemplation is: “What exists before and beyond thought?” Not only in the Zen Master example, in all and everything that we come into contact with.

“What exists before and beyond thought?”

He eats hard-boiled eggs, smokes cigars, needs coffee and chilli, drives a classic Peugeot and wears a raincoat, suit, shirt and tie.

“One more thing”

He wins; always.

Why?

Columbo sees clarity through confusion; sense out of chaos and distraction.

He never misses a thing even when you think he does.

What he does miss doesn’t matter.

What matters he uncovers.

Columbo sees what no one else sees.

He hears what no one else hears.

He senses what no one else senses.

He touches what no one else touches.

He feels what no one else feels.

He dreams what no one else dreams.

He notes what no one else notes.

He imagines what no one else imagines.

Columbo thinks differently; uniquely, from a wider perspective, multi-dimensional, multi-directional.

He sees the bigger picture.

He sees with an aerial perspective and 360° view.

Columbo transcends assumptions and the known and reverses all angles, takes and views.

He transcends the expected, the norm, the average; he glosses over the predictable and questions all the opposites.

Columbo asks questions, covers everything, contemplates, ponders; incubates.

He makes associations and notices links, trusts his intuition, visualises, imagines and challenges.

He delves deeper for longer and explores all angles and questions; why, what, where, when, who, how, if, then what and more.

He checks, checks and double checks and sometimes checks again.

Columbo compares old cases, the past and historical and assesses from knowledge and experience all he connects.

Columbo notices.

He remembers.

He recalls.

He reviews.

He observes.

If Columbo needs to quit, he quits, changes directions, explores new avenues and learns as he progresses.

Columbo embraces everything from the major, through the minor to the minuscule.

He soaks up, drinks in and refuses to fail.

He works methodically, logically, thoroughly and tirelessly.

He has patience.

He solves.

He waits.

“One more thing”

He wins.

Columbo always wins.

Written records approximately 5,000 years.

Planet Earth is about 4700 million years old – Happy Birthday!

Man? Us? We’ve been here about 2 million years.

That represents a 2 million year learning curve to get where we are today.

Some curve! Some failure!

Many successes – yet ultimately failure.

If we truly had “the benefit of hindsight” we wouldn’t carry on making the same mistakes.

At our present level of intelligence the 2 million year learning curve could now see dramatic changes; both planet saving and life saving changes.

In our lifetimes man can change very quickly; we have the power, capability, intelligence and technology to do so.

2 million years learning curve?

Time for change.

The Olympics celebrates individual and team excellence; uniting the world and showcasing human achievement. How might the Olympic theme expand into other areas of life and business?

Examples for exploration include; celebrating the Olympics at school and college levels, Olympic “thinking” and other events, competitions, music, concerts, festivals and fairs. Parties, social and community events, charitable functions, sponsorship avenues, hobbies and activities of interest; plus other opportunities for unity and togetherness. The Olympic theme could enter into foods, products, design, advertising and branding.

What of the medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd; Gold, Silver and Bronze? How might the colours of the rings be utilized and incorporated elsewhere?

In what other areas might the spirit of the Olympic Games influence, impact and inspire us?

See also:

Olmypic animals Mind Map
Going for gold Mind Map
Music and Sport are Key to Peace Mind Map
Pulling the Planet Together Mind Map
World Peace is a Peace of Cake Mind Map