From Sarah, With Joy

*Poet * Author * Wanderluster*

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Record one moment every day

TED talks always make one think. But I saw one a bit ago about a man who records one second of footage every day and makes it into longer videos and I've been thinking about it ever since. One second from every day. The idea is that this helps to remember things, remember your life, and take notice of the different things that happen every day.

I think a lot of times, for me at least, the days all blend together and you get to the end of one and think, nothing really happened today. I don't think that's the best way to go through life. Every day should be meaningful and important.

Obviously some days stick out a lot more than others. You are going to have more exciting things to record and report after a day at Disneyland than you would after a day of sitting home sick watching reruns of Friends.

The point though, and the reason I like this idea, is that it forces you to find something special and interesting even in the stay home on the couch days. It forces you to be observant of what's going on around you and notice the little interesting things. In fact, it may even inspire you to create something interesting, to go out and do something so you'll have an interesting part to your day.

And it doesn't have to be video recording. It can be jotting something in your notebook, putting a picture on instagram, blogging an interesting story, tweeting something funny you heard. A lot of us do these things already a lot of the time, but I think making a conscious effort to do it every day, and thinking of it in terms of recording an interesting or significant moment of your day, will make it stand out and feel that much more important. I don't think it even takes anything major to make this work. Something as simple as seeing a deer on your way home from work, or getting lunch at the new cafe down the street, or talking to someone interesting while you wait at the DMV.

Days do sometimes feel the same, and blend in to each other. But I think keeping our eyes open and recording daily moments like this will stretch our writers eyes and leave us more open to creative inspiration. I'm going to try to do this every day, whether taking a picture or jotting down a story.

Do you think this is a worthwhile idea?

Sarah Allen

8 comments:

  1. Sarah:

    Its a worthwhile idea for future reletives. My grandmother, who is now passed, kept a journal in shorthand. I have yet to decode it.

    Hugs and chocolate,
    Shelly

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  2. Everything I notice is in my head, in fact my head is so full that I'm sure facts are falling out. At least he's only recording a second - I don't understand those people who seem to spend their whole lives recording stuff, because surely they can't be appreciating it.

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  3. One of the reasons I love hiking is that it slows me down and brings me into the present. Nice post.

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  4. I love the thought of finding something fun or meaningful every day.

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  5. Sarah - I think this is a great idea, if only I could remember to do it! Maybe if I put my journal right by my bed?

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  6. I would have loved to read journals or anything from my parents and grandparents. Even snippets.

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  7. This is a great idea! I've been wondering what to do re. my writing once my current project is finished and this could be it :) And it could end up as something to pass on to my daughter one day...

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  8. Yes, I really do like this idea. I can't imagine a whole day sucking. There has to be at least a few minutes of joy, relief, or something else.

    This idea makes us look for that moment. It changes our perspective slightly and sometimes that is all it takes to lighten the load. :-)

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