Half-a-Notion #8: Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is important because it facilitates ______________.

The e-mailed replies this time are:

• itself.
• wisdom.
• growth.
• a stepping stone to growth.
  
• change.
• self-confidence.
• everything else.
  
• intelligence.
• all learning.
• knowing your own weaknesses.
• interactions with other people and being honest with oneself.

Half-a-Notion #7: On Trust

The starting place for trust between two people is _____________.

Responses via e-mail:

• communication.
  
• trust!
• honesty.
  
• mutual respect.
  
• openness.
• complete & true honesty.
  
• kindness & love.
  

Half-a-Notion #6: Drawn to a Quality

All of the people I've felt most drawn to in my life have a quality about them that I can describe as _______________.

And the e-mailed responses are:

• indescribable!
• integrity.
  
• inspiration.
  
• positive.
• empowering.
• musical.
• filled with gratitude.
  
• understanding.
• forgiving.
• "I need help!"
• "I love life and I'm a go-getter!"

Half-a-Notion #5: Personal Freedom

Because we don't generally consider it a threat, ___________ is a true danger to personal freedom.

Some responses that came in via e-mail:

• selfishness
• complacency
• indifference
  
• marriage
• a poor leader
• poor self-control

Half-a-Notion #4: On wisdom

Wisdom and ___________ are incompatible states.

Some answers that came in via e-mail:

• prejudice
• ignorance
• apathy
• indifference
• impatience
• hatred
• youth
• immaturity
• laziness
• bad choices

Half-a-Notion #3: On comfort

Never mistake comfort for _________.

Thanks to all contributors!

Many cool comments have already come directly to the blog--so take a peek at those. Others that came to me via e-mail are listed below in no particular order.

ONE FUN SURPRISE:
A couple of respondents included a note expressing the wish that the idea of wanting (or having) comfort wasn't so somehow connected to the idea of "being a slacker."

They wanted to know---Why should suffering under life's assorted burdens & discomforts be (by logical extension) proof that someone is working hard and doing the right thing?

So to those---thanks for the reminder that when we DO find comfort or comfort finds us, it CAN be a gift; it doesn't have to be a statement of our human worth through productivity!

(What kind of effect might that perspective have on CREATIVE productivity?)

More food for thought from e-mail responders:

• Accomplishment.
• Reality.
  
• Joy.
  
• Life.
  
• Common/easy to come by.
  
• Well-being.
  
• Peace.
  
• Sitting down.
  
• Safety.
• Food.
• Contentment.
• Necessity.
  
• Ease.
  
• Security.
  
• Happiness.
• Chocolate.
  
• Convenience.
• Negligence.
  
• Complacency
• Never mistake comfort for apathy . . . just enjoy it!
  

Half-a-Notion #2: The Happiest Humans

Human beings are happiest
when their minds are _________________.

Lots of posted comments on this one, too! Here are some of your answers that came in via e-mail:

Human beings are happiest
when their minds are. . . .

• free from negativity.
• alive.
  
• active.
• free from oppression.
  
• engaged.
• full of gratitude.
  
• blank.
  
• free.
  
• clear.
  
• free from negativity.
  
• filled with great memories.
  

Half-a-Notion #1: Joyful Hope

The difference between "joyful hope" and "foolish optimism" is ______________.

The most frequent responses, in descending order, were:

• your perspective; your outlook on life.
  
• faith.
  
• attitude.
• wisdom.
  
• experience.
  

Several responses were a little longer. The difference between "joyful hope" and foolish optimism" is . . .

• in the mind of the observer.
• preparation.
  
• attitude, based on wisdom.
  
• a measure of common sense.
  
• seasoned wisdom.
  
• a measure of realism; logical thinking.
  
• responsibility and experience.
  
• whether you take a positive or negative approach.
  
• the first is faith WITH works, the second is faith WITHOUT works.
  
• "real optimism" and "real pessimism."
• one can become reality; the other everyone else knows will never happen.
• Whether the roulette wheel stops on black or red.
  

The majority of responses were unique; only one person said that the difference between "joyful hope" and "foolish optimism is. . .

• ignorance.
  
• nothing.
• blissful ignorance.
  
• almost negligible.
  
• confidence.
  
• divinity.
• character.

And we got some welcome comic relief. The difference between "joyful hope" and "foolish optimism" is. . .

• seven inches.
• sufficient sleep.
  

Amen!

Editor's note:
Exploring all the different platforms that a variety of answers can come from is one way to stimulate thinking creatively. Pick an answer you disagree with, for example. What sort of circumstance would it take to make you offer that response? Do believe your present answer will always hold? Was there a time when it was different? Why did it change? Would you want your children to live by the same belief?

Did any of the responses surprise or inspire you? Share a thought!

Little Bits: What Could Be

"SHOULD" can defeat genuine possibilities. Contemplate what your idea COULD be---if it wasn't governed by ideas of what it "should" be.

Half-a-Notion: Introduction--What Have I Got to Lose?

The opposite of the word "keep" is _______________.

This unfinished thought went out to a panel to gather responses. The top answers appear below.
1. The opposite of "keep" is RELEASE; LET GO.
2. The opposite of "keep" is LOSE.
3. My favorite answer: The opposite of "keep" is GIVE.

Try This: Change One Word

When ideas just won't come, pick a KEY word in the problem & change it to something different. What ideas tumble out now? Rinse & repeat!

Little Bits: Bad Ideas

Allow yourself at least 10 bad ideas for every GOOD one.
Succumbing to frustration after just 3 ideas will guarantee creative block.