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Little pieces floating back to the edge of consciousness.  Samurai reviews old pages.  Review your notebook, change your mind.

I just finished reading Talent is Overrated through my five minutes every morning method.   I find it inspirational to read something that challenges or inspires me to use my mind or time better before I launch into my morning writing and Japanese study.   It’s all part of my part of having “one hour a day” to do what Steve Chandler encourages people to do in 100 Ways to Create Wealth:
#4 Use One Hour a Day
Set aside an hour a day for your creative thinking time. Set aside all distractions, think about what you can do to shift towards fulfillment and purpose.
I was thinking of moving on to my book proposal or WordPress books, when I was noticing that I was bumping into old samurai notebooks in my locker at the writers room.  I’ve been noticing them and feeling guilty because, hey, I wrote the blog about reviewing your notebooks!

Samurai Notebook–Spend Time With Your Old and New Friends

Anytime you feel hesitant about a task its time to break out a timer and the attitude of discovery.   I realized that if I can read someone else’s words for inspiration, I can also look through my notebooks for five minutes each morning.   Furthermore, my samurai notebooks are full of positive potential projects and quotations from inspirational or insightful books, so really it is like reading an inspirational book.
A samurai review is not homework.  It is a chance to visit with old friends (thoughts, ideas, facts) and have a conversation with them.   It’s an opportunity to let goals and ideas come back to play, to float back to your consciousness and even float around your subconsciousness.   Even if you don’t do anything with your old ideas, they get the opportunity to kick around your dream scape once again.

Consolidation Station

Reviewing your notebook also a chance to consolidate.  If you use your notebook to scheme, dream, and skim off the creme of other people’s inspirational thoughts, a review is an opportunity to recharge.  The current notebook that I am reviewing is from November of 2011.   I ran into my old friend Sugita Genpaku again.  He was a Japanese scholar who translated Dutch books on anatomy in the 18th century.  Inch by inch, he took on the Dutch language and was totally stoked on learning and how he could help people.  Now he’s on my shoulder again, encouraging me to continue with Japanese.  (Much cleaner and sanitary than a parrot.)
The review reminds you of where your mind was and where you wanted to head.  Looking at my notebook, I’ve realized that I’ve actually reached some of the goals that I was playing around with–create a blog and finish a book proposal.   Other loftier goals get a chance to bump around my brain.   Since a samurai review is done in the spirit of play, the ideas get to bubble to the surface and get another chance to see the light of day.
Ideas get to wash through your brain in another conscious run.  A relaxing brain washing.  🙂  Review your notebook, change your mind.