Plot Twist: Silence Didn't Kill My Ideas

AI generated image of Mary with ideas running crazy! Also - always with music playing in her head…

Ok ok, hear me out on this one…

MAYBE my whole “I have ideas all the time and my brain is constantly producing” thing isn’t actually a sign of brilliance (insert laugh here).

MAYBE it’s a sign of overwhelm. Maybe even anxiety.

I have Ideation® in my top strengths. I’ve always treated it like a superpower — and honestly, it is. But lately I’ve been wondering if the “dark side” of it shows up when I’m running on fumes and the ideas run wild with no real thought or direction.

Yesterday I went to a silent retreat at a local retreat center. I didn’t know what to expect, but I did know one thing: it might be hard to get my brain to hush. Not because I’m spiraling or worrying, but because it’s always producing. Always generating. Always reaching for the next idea.

I wanted this time to be still. To rest. To draw close to God.

At first, I was scattered. Wandering the property. Grabbing a water. Avoiding eye contact like a pro (but still seeing what they were doing in their time). Eventually I found a blanket and sat on the grass overlooking the pond. I laid down, sat up, shifted around — trying to find the right spot. I was hot, then cold. Do I need another blanket? 

And then something shifted.

I got still.

I breathed slowly. In….out….in…out…with intention.

I sank into the ground. I watched how the leaves danced on the trees with glimmers of sunlight shinning through. 

I closed my eyes.

I even dozed off for a moment.

What I noticed was my mind was quiet.

Not producing.

Not planning.

Not pitching me the next great idea.

Just quiet.

Just breathing — if a mind can breathe.

I felt the closeness of God through creation.

Here’s the thing: my Ideation brain has always felt like my superpower. But the truth is, I often get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of ideas. There are so many that I often end up doing nothing with any of them — not even the good ones.

So hear me out…

I don’t think Ideation is bad. I adore my Ideation. But maybe, just maybe, it needs silence to flourish. Maybe the quiet isn’t the enemy of creativity — maybe it’s the soil.

Silence didn’t shut me down.

It brought me back to life.

Maybe when my ideas are running wild with no real direction, that’s my cue to step away. To get still. To retreat. And maybe — just maybe — the best ideas rise to the surface after the quiet.

If you’re a fellow Ideation® human — or someone whose mind never stops — here’s your invitation: step away for a moment. Let the noise fall off. And when you come back, tell me what surfaced. I love hearing how other brains breathe.

Your Strengths Coach - Mary H.