“So you see the imagination needs moodling—long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering. These people who are always briskly doing something and as busy as waltzing mice, they have little, sharp, staccato ideas. . . . But they have no slow, big ideas. And the fewer consoling, noble, shining, free, jovial, magnanimous ideas that come, the more nervously and desperately they rush and run from office to office and up and downstairs, thinking by action at last to make life have some warmth and meaning.”

“I learned…that inspiration does not come like a bolt, nor is it kinetic, energetic striving, but it comes into us slowly and quietly and all the time, though we must regularly and every day give it a little chance to start flowing, prime it with a little solitude and idleness.”
Brenda Ueland, If You Want to Write

Wow! I love the whole idea of “moodling” — letting your mind creatively wander. Brenda penned the words of wisdom quoted above in 1938 in a much-beloved inspirational guide called If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit, but they’re as fresh and true today as they were back then.

Brenda, a feisty independent and highly successful journalist was both prolific and prophetic: New research totally bears out her belief that we need plenty of quiet time and unfocused, seemingly aimless activity in order to let the different parts of our brain make the connections that lead to exciting new ideas. She primed her own creative pump by walking six to nine miles a day.

From all I’ve gathered, Brenda was a huge believer in the power of words and in the innate gifts of expression that we all have. She sounds like an encouragement coach extraordinaire. Can’t wait to order a copy of If You Want to Write — it sounds amazing. I will definitely keep you posted. Write on!