Some people sense a surge of guilt when they purchase a new pair of shoes or a new set of clothes. Others may feel this same kind of guilt when they acquire yet another gadget. Then, there are those who may experience the same guilt when they indulge themselves with chocolates or fastfood.
Me? Well, I love ‘em shoes, clothes, gadgets, chocolates and food. But, I think I’ve learned to manage my cravings for them over the years. Sure, I still give in to impulse buying every now and then. But, I don’t do it that often so I can always find some justification. 
However, there is one big source of guilt I have that I find difficult to curtail. It’s a source of great joy – and absolute frustration.
And they’re… IDEAS.
Yes, blasted ideas.
They come to me in REM sleep, the shower, while caring for the kids, or in the midst of doing some other task…
I begin to think of possibilities. Do research. Come up with lists and plans.
Then, I get excited. Obsessed, even.
If there is such a thing as an ideaholic, then that would be me.
Mind you, they’re not always great ideas. I think a lot of them are crap, really.* 
But, when they get a hold of me, I feel like I’m in the verge of… Well, you know that feeling of pure anticipation and reckless abandonment? That’s how I feel when I come across a new idea.
But, what’s so wrong about having ideas?
Well, for the most part, they’re great. It’s how I come up with blog posts, projects, business concepts, paintings, crafts…
The problem comes when I need to complete lesson plans and 2,500-word essays for major Graduate School assignments – and I end up researching about world-building and language creation… and beginning to write novels that rack up about 5,000 words (without even starting Chapter One!) instead.
The idea-generation begins to bug me when I ought to be focusing on finishing a project… and I end up getting all distracted with another project. So, instead of… say, focusing on writing A novel during my “spare time”, I end up starting about SIX novels… And, I end up running around in circles.
Or, I end up having so many ideas, I don’t know which one to work on first. Or, I end up second guessing myself.
It also starts becoming a hassle when I have yet to spend a couple of hundred dollars (or more!) on books or idea-related items that I end up pursuing very rarely… or hardly at all. Not that that’s too bad, as I do enjoy skill/hobby-collecting.
And yes, it may all be a part of being a Renaissance Soul. I already said that I’ve been learning how to accept all that… and embrace the whole concept.
That’s why recently, I had another idea (surprise, surprise!). Instead of fighting the whole “idea overload” thing, I’ll give in to it. To a point, of course. So, in my next post, I hope to share part of this system that I developed on how I plan to manage my ‘ideaholism’.
But, before I share all that, perhaps, you can share with me YOUR own system for managing your ideas. What do you do with them? How do you act upon them?
Also, since we’re on the subject of guilty pleasures, perhaps you’d like to share yours?
Image source: SXC (slightly edited)
