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Inspirations, Resources

Weekly Topic Ideas-Week of January 18, 2016

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I don’t know how it is where you are, but around here it’s COLD!  Thermometer was reading zero degrees this morning and is struggling to climb into the single digit range.  It’s a good morning to snuggle up under a warm blanket or afghan and write in your journal!

Starting a new journal this week?  Here are some theme ideas:

  • A weather extremes journal.  Reminisce or give live updates when the weather is doing unusual things.  These can be your own stories or your thoughts on unusual weather from other times and places.
  • A poetry journal.  Find and read a poem and then respond to it for your entry.
  • A descriptive writing journal.  Write down your best descriptions of everyday items that engage all five senses.  How vivid can you make your writing?

And if your creativity is frozen to the floor, here are some prompts that you can write about this week:

  • When was the last time you saw a face in some inanimate object?  Does that happen to you a lot?  Does it have any special meaning for you?
  • Choose a knickknack that you have in your home, and write the story of how you came into possession of it and why it’s special enough that you keep it around.
  • What type of weather do you find most soothing?  Most exciting? Most interesting? Most frightening?  How often do you experience it where you live now?
  • What was the last television show that you watched all the way through?  Why did it keep your interest? Will you watch the next in the series?
  • Look around your home and find a pile of clutter (c’mon, we all have them somewhere even if they are hidden in a little-used drawer).  What’s in the pile?  Why is it there?
  • Choose a memory from your school days and write it down.  Did this experience impact your life or was it a mundane sort of an event?  Why did the memory stick with you?
  • Describe your favorite physical sensation in the whole wide world.  How often do you get to experience it?

Enjoy!

Inspirations, Journaling Motivation

Weekly Topic Ideas- Jan. 11, 2016

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How are you coming with that resolution to write more in your journal?  We’re heading into the second full week of the New Year, so I hope you’re still writing.  And don’t panic if you’ve missed a day.  Just pick it up again next time that you can, and keep going from there.  Your “resolution” is really a “goal,” and those can’t be “broken,” just postponed a little bit.

Starting a new journal?  Here are some ideas for themes:

  • Things you learn each day
  • Things you wish you had learned earlier
  • Consumerism-what did you buy today?

And here are some prompts for the week if you need them:

  • What connection do you feel to the natural world?
  • Choose an appliance or machine that you use regularly. What would your life be like without it?
  • Where do you like to go for peace and quiet? How often do you get to do that?
  • What is your favorite plant? Why do you like it?
  • How have you changed in the past ten years? The past twenty?
  • Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
  • What is your favorite day of the week? Why do you choose that one?
Faithful Journaling, Inspirations

journaling the hymns

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For many people, music is very, very meaningful.  This especially holds true for sacred music.  Music holds such a special place in some people’s lives that they recall music long after dementia robs them of every other conscious memory.

The hymns or other Christian songs focus on distinct aspects of our faith, and you can derive a lot of comfort from them.  They also succinctly express many of the feelings that we associate with our Christian walk.  No wonder they are so important to us!

Now put the power of hymns and sacred music behind the power of journaling, and you have an energetic combination for self-discovery.  You also have a nearly endless source of writing inspiration.  Sacred music will speak to you in different ways at different points in your life.  There is an endless supply of different songs to consider, and they are as close as your church’s hymnal or your favorite Christian radio station.

Here are some prompts that will get you started journaling the hymns:

  • What is this song saying to you today?
  • How has the meaning of this song changed for you over the years?
  • Does this song tell a story? How does the story relate to your life today?
  • Can you find a Scripture reference to go with this song? What is it? How does it expand or clarify the meaning?
  • Put the message of this song into your own words.
  • How does this song bring you closer to God?
  • Which song would you choose to share with a nonChristian friend to help him or her understand your faith?
Inspirations, Journaling Motivation, Tips and Tricks

Journaling on the Go

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If your life is like mine, it’s usually pretty hectic.  Sometimes it’s hard to find the time to sit down and write in my journal like I want to.  I rush through my days, and then in a few weeks I realized that I haven’t cracked my journal in far too long.  Who knows what insights I’ve lost, what tips and tricks I will never think of again, or what memories did not get recorded?

‘One solution is to set yourself up for journaling on the go, so to speak.  We all have little corners of time when we COULD write something down, but we just don’t have the resources or tools right then.  Handle that hurdle by equipping yourself to jot down notes, thoughts or entire entries, no matter where you may be.

The old-fashioned way to accomplish this is by tucking a small notepad or a miniature journal book into your pocket, purse, tote bag or glove box of your car.  Keep a few pens there, too, so you’re not caught without a writing implement.

If you’re feeling high-tech, for most of us the answer is in our cell phones or tablets.  We almost always have these within reach, and there are some great journaling-friendly apps out there.  In fact, I did a post a while back on free iOS apps that you might want to check out (you can find it HERE).  Android and Google have similar tools, and if you’re willing to invest a little cash, all of the platforms have some pretty fancy apps that will definitely suit your needs.

Are you one who likes prompts for journaling?  Be sure to pack a few or add them to the Notes feature on your device.  That way, if your muse is having trouble keeping up with your schedule, you can still jot down a few ideas.

However you choose to outfit yourself, the next trick is to be mindful of the small corners of time that happen when you’re out and about, then choose to use some of them for journaling.

Are you a parent? Do you ever find yourself waiting to pick up a kid?  There’s a corner of time!  Got an appointment today? I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who knows how to keep to a schedule.  Take advantage of that wait time and do a quick note to your journal.  Sometimes there are lags while you’re waiting for programs to begin, and sometimes you have a few free moments at work over your lunch or break time.  These can be worthwhile chunks of time to consider.

There are so many benefits to journaling!  Don’t let your busy schedule get in the way of taking advantage of them!

Inspirations, Journaling Motivation

Weekly Topic Ideas-Jan. 4, 2016

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Welcome to a brand new year!  Here are some ideas to keep you writing in the next few days:

If you’re starting a new journal or creating a new section, try:

  • Writing down places you go each day and how that impacted your life, sort of a “journey journal”
  • Make a doodle journal. Instead of writing, create a doodle that expresses your mood, your day or anything else you wish.

And here are some prompts if you want something to get you started on any particular day this week.

  • How is the weather affecting your mood today?
  • If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
  • What was the first thing you learned to cook? Do you still make it?
  • Tell about the last book you read, or the one you are reading right now.
  • What do candles make you think of?
  • Describe the taste of the water from the tap at your house.
  • What kind of animal is the best to pet? Why?

Keep writing!

Tips and Tricks

To Edit or Not To Edit…

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paper-755551_1920That is the question, isn’t it? Do you find yourself wondering how much editing you should be doing in your journal, or even how much censoring? I know I do at times.  The short answer is, edit things that you eventually intend for other people to read and get rid of the things that are only intended for your eyes alone.  Lock them up, burn them, shred them, but don’t leave them lying around for others to find (even after you’re gone).

The details of the answer lie in the reason why you are writing your journal or journals in the first place. Are you recording your life for posterity, so others will know your thoughts and daily routines?  Then by all means do a little bit of editing from time to time. Do some organizing, too. It won’t help your loved ones understand you more fully if your journals are in such disarray that no one can make heads or tails out of them.

Are you writing with an eye toward publication? Then definitely edit. Go back over your work and make sure it’s clear and readable, make sure it follows most grammar conventions, and that it has some sort of organizing theme. Chances of being published and making money from that endeavor increase if you can whittle down to a specific potential audience who would benefit from or enjoy reading your words. Journal editing doesn’t have to be nearly as formal as editing for other books, but it does need to happen.  Very few writers achieve print-worthy prose on the first try.

Are you writing to inspire someone? Edit away. Whether you want to inspire your children or those coming after you, or inspire readers around the world who are experiencing something similar to your situation, it means that you want others’ eyes on your work.  Edit so that they can get your message instead of being distracted by grammar, spelling, organizaional or other mechanical problems.

Are you writing to record your innermost thoughts, rants and raves? Writing down things that NO ONE should be reading besides you? Then no need to edit.  The larger concern is keeping your journal secure. Find a way to store your journal where there is no chance of accidental discovery.

So you see, much depends on the purpose of your writing.  But what to do if you’re not sure yet? That’s easy! Treat your journal like it’s going to be confidential until you decide otherwise.  Then when the time is right, edit, organize and prepare for publication if you wish.  You can always remove things that are too personal or embarrassing while you are cleaning up the spelling and grammar, and there’s no law that says you have to organize your journal by chronological date.  Perhaps you only want to use part of it anyway!  Just make sure that the entries that go out into the world reflect well on you and your writing skills.

Inspirations, Journaling Motivation, Resources

Weekly Topic Ideas-Dec. 14, 2015

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Good morning and happy Monday! Here are some interesting ideasschool-93200_1920 to get you writing this coming week.

Thinking of starting a new journal or looking for a new theme to energize your writing? Try these suggestions:

  • Keep a foods diary. Write down everything you eat or drink each day.  It’s a great strategy for improving your health and managing weight.
  • Create a point of view journal. Choose a different object or item and write about life today from that perspective.  It doesn’t even have to be alive!
  • Develop a character journal.  Choose a stranger that you encountered today and make up a background and persona for that person.  It’s a great exercise in creativity, and could well be an entrance into writing a short story, poem, or novel.

And here are some daily journal prompts to get you writing:

  • What is your favorite Christmas decoration? Why?
  • What motto or saying would you choose to inspire your life this coming week?  How will that affect your actions?
  • Which household chore do you like the best? Which is the worst? Why so?
  • If you could visit anywhere in the world today, where would you choose to go and why?
  • What is most important to you about the Christmas season? What do you spend the most time on? Do the two match up?
  • Where do you like to go when you are feeling bad? How does this place help you recharge your batteries?
  • What was the best, most exciting Christmas present you’ve ever received? What was the worst?
Inspirations, Tips and Tricks

Colorful Ideas

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colored-pencils-686679_1920What pens or pencils do you use to write in your journal? Do you have a favorite, or do you use whatever is handy at the moment? Do you keep a special writing implement just for journaling, like a high-quality pen or pencil, or do you just grab whatever will write?

This week, why not consider adding some colors to your journal? Color is a great tool for expressing yourself-most of us have colors that we associate with warmth, joy, excitement, depression, anxiety or anger.  What would happen if you chose the color of your journal entry based on your predominant emotion when you begin writing? The colors could well become signals that give clues to the entry’s content before you even read it.

Some people also color-code their journals according to some pre-determined key. Hopes and dreams may be one color, and accounts of experiences might be a different one. Practical, bright ideas could be green, and fanciful ones might be a delightful shade of pink. Memories might be purple, and musings from deep in your psyche could be blue.  It’s completely up to you!

What tools could you use to add color to your journal entries? Well, there are a rainbow of inks in pens available, and there are some delightful fine-point markers that just may fit the bill.  Colored pencils offer a wealth of possibilities, too. Crayons, on the other hand, are a bit tougher to write with though a person could certainly do so if they tried.  Even highlighting markers might have their place when you want to emphasize some words, phrases or sentences.

And you’re not actually limited to words, either. Some journals (and some people who journal) are actually set up to doodle on one page and write on the facing page. There are many ideas that are more easily expressed in pictures than in words, or perhaps you are one of those people who thinks and communicates in more visual ways.

This week, why not leave the monochrome world behind and add some color to your journal! Experiment! Try new things and you just may find a style or technique that truly reflects who you are deep down inside.