Imagine you are a book, your inner content always the same. It’s not of course; your inner content is largely flexible unless you are reading the same pages every time.

Within your inner content you have pages and pages of notes comprising your learning, memory, experiences and more. You also have an infinite blank journal. Your inner source of reference includes a record of such things as your judgments, opinions and beliefs – a place of comparison, of how you engage with both yourself and the world. You might call it the book within – your lifetimes work, constantly amended and updated, some of it similar, some unique.

In your book within, you have entries in pencil and in ink, yet all of it can be changed by you, if you wish, at any time. The inner entries are changed via learning and unlearning, a constant shaping of your story – the story of you; both within and without.

You have the ability and capacity to contain all genres and you can hold all roles – you are author, editor, agent, publisher, seller, marketer and more. You amass a lifetime of learning and have the potential to leave a legacy of meaning.

You are writing the book of your life, every day; constant chapters, editions, volumes, possibly even in different languages. You have sole responsibility for an infinity of choices, an ever-changing landscape of successes and failures. You can entertain fictions, collect and collate facts, create in text or visualise and illustrate in vivid detail. You can read and re-read, practice new habits and drop old habits; all of what you design within and what you present without comes about through choice and focus. You choose what to add or subtract and you choose what to focus on; what to read and what to re-read. You choose what to present. You choose how your inner content meets with the outer world.

You are writing the book of your life; you are that magical book which can be different on every read – all day, every day, and the beauty of it is, you always have those infinite blank pages.

You can always write another chapter whenever you like.

Starting with a central image that best represents the subject being explored; in this case I have used an illustration of a brain and have started to add main branches (initially I work in pencil so that adjustments can be made if necessary before adding ink and colour)

To avoid the Mind Map becoming crowded and particularly if you are using it as a memory aid, it is preferable to have no more than 11 main branches

I start to consider what a Curious Brain is.

The easiest way to investigate this is simply to start adding keywords and branching out without too much contemplation or the mind starts to think in a linear fashion.

The beauty and diversity of using Mind Maps is that it encourages radial thinking which uncovers wider and more interesting ideas.

From the starting point of “invent” I travel quickly to other words (it is best to use single words as a phrase can stop the train of thought)

I add the word think as another main branch and then progress again by adding more main keywords

Look comes to mind, so I then add that keyword and branch out further

Same again for the word write

And positive

Followed by experience

I could have added more main branches and even more words to each branch, as the system of Mind Mapping creates infinite possibilities, yet I decide I have enough branches for this particular Mind Map.

I have covered Curious Brain in my own unique way if anyone else had Mind Mapped this subject they may well have formed an entirely different set of keywords and that is another fantastic element of Mind Mapping.

To make the Mind Map more memorable and exciting to look at I add sketches and illustrations, concentrating on simplicity. I always have in mind when adding pictures what is the best or easiest way to represent the words and concepts. It is not necessary to illustrate every word and in fact, it is just as likely that the images get created when adding the keywords. I have split the tasks here for demonstration purposes only. Because Mind Maps use a combination of words and images they are far more brain-friendly than a list of text; brilliant for memorising information and fun to create.

Here is the Mind Map with sketches added.

It is preferable to colour each branch differently. In this case, I used a very thick pen to create the branches and that helped when it came to filling the colour by computer. Normally the main branches from the central image would be thicker working out to thinner branches as you add new words so that it is easy to see the main points.

I then add colour to the rest of the images to highlight the Mind Map.

Two brilliant tips here are to use light colours and spread the colours fairly evenly throughout the Mind Map so that there is a good balance overall.

Here are some basic Mind Mapping rules (in the Tony Buzan style)

Details extracted from WikIT the Wiki for Mind Maps (Visit http://www.informationtamers.com/WikIT):

Start in the center of a landscape sheet of blank paper.
Use a picture for your central idea.
Use colors throughout.
Connect your main branches to the central image and connect your second-level branches to the first and so on.
Make your branches curved rather than straight-lined, the central lines being thicker, organic and flowing, becoming thinner as they radiate from the center.
Use one keyword per line.
Use images throughout.
Develop your own personal style of mind maps.
Use emphasis and show associations in your mindmap.
Keep the mind map clear by using radiant hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace your branches.

Mindmaps ® were invented by Tony Buzan

You might like to use these keywords to help generate probing questions or simply glance at the words and use them as an idea jogging mechanism.

Also of interest, check out my E-Book for encouraging ideation called “Idea Creation” – this illustrated E-Book contains over 20 mind maps.

See also:

Power words Mind Map

Mind Maps ® were invented by Tony Buzan

Mindmapping helps us progress from linear (one-dimensional) through lateral (two-dimensional) to radiant (multi-dimensional) thinking.

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.

Eric Gill used fine line work often with intricate detail. He made excellent use of light and dark and depth and perspective in his illustrations. The characters he drew were often gangly and he was deeply inspired by nature, creating many floral designs and leaf based patterns.

Eric Gill’s illustrations show exquisite line work, delicate, sensitive and accurate. He created striking compositions through the use of overlap, depth and perspective and clever use of space and he occasionally used silhouette to great effect. Many of his designs suggest movement and action; snapshots of scenes and life in motion. His flowing designs ranged from bold and expressive through to fine and intricate.

Sculptor, engraver, typographer, writer, artist, illustrator, Eric Gill was a master of his craft. I recommend the following book should you wish to explore the fascinating style of Eric Gill: “The Engraved Work of Eric Gill” (1963) ISBN 0112902715

Links of interest:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Gill

See also:

Creating an ink only Mind Map
The Beauty of Line Mind Map

A single bird

A single hand

A single sky

A single sun

A single cloud

A single moon

A single star

A single planet

A single flag

A single message

Unity – one

Related themes:

Pulling the Planet Together & How to have World Peace

Mixing Problems to find Solutions

Shortcut to Answer Mind Map

Peace Mind Map