The Creative Magpie
Magpies love all the shiny things. They are considered one of the most intelligent birds in the world. They are best known for their avid collection of shiny objects. They will snag tinsel and bobbles to adorn their nests.
If you are a creative person with ADD, I imagine that you can find use or inspiration in a lot of different things that other people would just toss out. This can cause us to hold on to too much stuff because we see the potential of it. This leads us to have more clutter and stuff.
And just like a magpie who fills her nest with shiny objects. Our homes become a living Project of awesome things we will definitely do one day…when we have time.
You can relax…I’m not going to tell you to toss away that collection of pull tabs from college. I’m sure the lamp shade you are going to make is going to be amazing…am I right? It’ll look great with the mosaic table top you’re going to make with all those CDs you still own.
What I do wanna share is that I have the same affliction. I think it is a common trait for people with ADD. If you are a minimalist with ADD…you’re probably cured. And I’d like to meet you.
I can see potential in anything. I can also argue that I am on some noble quest to save the planet- one cookie tin at a time.
In episode 4- I mentioned that we create our own distractions because it is our nature. Here is another take on our nature:
When I was first diagnosed my doctor share her warrior theory. In essence, she stated that my ADD might be a genetic left over from my tribal ancestors who had to be keenly aware of their surroundings and didn’t spend time focusing on smaller things, but instead had to observe constantly to ensure their survival. Sounds awesome. I’ll accept that.
New Year resolutions: for the last 10 years…get in shape and get organized have been my top two commitments. I don’t even have to date it…I could pull out my list from 2009 and it would still apply. So as I sit her on the eve of the eve of the New Year…I am recommitting myself to the task of decluttering.
The doll in the fire….
there is no sense in transcribing the entire story. Take a listen if you haven’t already and really want to know about this.
TO DO: take some items that are hard to part with and put them in a bin with an end date labeled on the bin. Put the bin out of site until the end date. Determine then if the item is really something that you can’t live without. If so, return that shiny thing to a prominent place in your nest.
Update: In episode one, I told you about my tambourine aspirations. I thought you might like an update….it’s coming along very nicely. Thank you. The tambourine is a great illustration of what I imagine I’d like to be…it has shiny jingles that are all paired together and spaced perfectly… they know their purpose. They don’t try to be something they’re not. You shake it and it makes a sound…every single time. It’s the tambourine’s simplicity that makes it so reliable an instrument.
Today I’m going to take a lesson from the tambourine, I’m going to keep it simple, I’m going to keep the beat and I’m gonna jingle…Happy New year!
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