Do you journal?
And if you do, how often do you do it?
I tend to be a “when I need it kind of journal writer”.
If I’m upset, worried, or angry, journaling helps me work things out.
Sometimes I journal to mark a significant event in my life and sometimes I just have some things that need to get out of my head.
And I try really, really hard to do a gratitude journal every day. It can be just a short list of what you’re grateful for each day. It’s probably one of the easiest and most important kinds of journaling that you can do.
It puts a positive spin on your day, no matter how bad it was, because it forces you to look for good things. And by doing so, it changes your outlook on life. You’re a more positive person and that’s great for your self esteem and overall well being.
I’ve been journaling for years, in all kinds of ways.
Way back in the day, when The Oprah Winfrey Show was still on TV, Oprah had an online journal. You could create an account for free, and then check in whenever you wanted to add your thoughts. She even provided beautiful images to add to your journal and maybe journaling prompts; I’m not sure about that one.
For many years, I did something that was so much fun and that I really enjoyed.
Each December (hint: you could start this now) I would buy a sketchbook. The link will show you what I mean (and I think they have the best prices).
I like sketchbooks because they are made for a variety of mediums, like ink, watercolor, markers, etc. The paper is heavier than just regular paper.
Then I would set it up for the year.
I would start by choosing a theme for the year.
One year when we had first moved to Indiana and I was feeling displaced, I found a picture of a cozy house in a magazine with a heading that said something about feeling right at home. That was my theme for the year. (You can also choose a word for your theme; a lot of people do that.)
I pasted the picture on the front cover. I think I just used plain old glue, but for the cover you might want something stronger.
Inside, I made plans and goals for the year for different areas of my life and also for my birthday. (I modeled this after a planner I once saw.)
Then I used everything I could find to embellish it: scrapbook paper, magazine photos, markers, stickers, photos, a little bit of everything.
And I included monthly calendars so it acted as my planner too.
I would hand draw the grid at the beginning of each month so that I didn’t run out of pages before the months was over. This way, if I needed 20 pages to journal for January, I had them.
I tied a ribbon with a charm on the end to the spiral to act as my bookmark and added positive sayings to the pages.
I absolutely loved keeping track of my life this way.
I wish I had pictures to show you, but I no longer have the journals. Long story. You can check out my Pinterest board for examples, though.
Another way to do this is by using a deck of cards and then covering them with photos, drawings, etc. You can get the regular sized cards but I like the oversized ones.
Journaling this way allows you to not only express your feelings and emotions, but to give an outlet to your creative side. I really think you would find it therapeutic as well as fun.