First off, if this is the first time reading one of my posts, I have renewed my love of keeping a journal recently and have created a pretty consistent habit of journaling first thing when I wake up. Journaling has been essential in my journey thus far and I am sure it will prove to be a habit I keep for years to come.
Today, I wanted to give you a little peak inside what my journal practice entails. For me, it is not just opening a lined notebook and writing on a whim. I am intentional about my practice. I have a plan for all moods so I have very little excuse not to do some sort of journaling.
Bullet Journal turned Morning Pages
First up, my bullet journal. Well…that’s what it was intended to be. I purchased this journal with the intention to create beautiful layouts, write blurbs about my day, and illustrate scenes. That lasted a week or two but before long I began treating it just like any other notebook, writing line after line. No layouts, no illustrations. But that is okay. Perhaps bullet journaling wasn’t for me at the time. It does not mean I won’t try it again.
This is the first journal I use every morning. It is my shake-it-out journal. I write as if I am talking to somebody about the day before or my feelings. Sometimes it is pages of emotion other times it is just about showing up. It kind of became my Morning Pages journal accidently. It is my 2-minute habit. Open this journal, write a few lines, if I don’t feel like going further, that’s okay because I showed up.
Guided Journal
After I have gotten settled into journaling and if I have the desire to go further, I pull out a guided journal. Currently I am using, The Highly Sensitive Person Workbook by Elaine N. Aron. It is guiding me through my personality and self talk and helping me reframe some things from my past.
I work on one prompt per morning. I like to follow them in order, giving each one a chance to bring something out of me. Even when I read it and I don’t know what to really write, I do it anyway. Eventually I get there. Just like this morning. I began writing something kind of superficial and then had a realization half way through and went a different direction. It is kind of fun to let your “spirit” guide you in that way.
Another guided journal I use, is Inner Child Oracle by Amanda Lynn Aisling. It is a tarot style deck with a companion book of journal prompts. I use this one when I want to have a bit more fun with it and am feeling particularly in tuned with the universe.
Memory Journal
I recently began a memory journal. When I have time (not a daily practice) I recount things that happened in my life. Right now I am recounting the day I first met my husband. I decided to do this as a way to preserve my past as I get older. I would also like to involve my kids and parents in this one day and record their stories as well.
I found this journal with a beautiful cover at the dollar store of all places. It’s really thick and has lots of space for all the stories I hope to add.
Brain Dump
This notebook is where I write all my thoughts. It has no rhyme nor reason. There are pages of lists of ideas. Quotes I heard or read. Things I would like to learn more about. Art and DIY ideas. It is basically my imaginative brain on paper.
This book floats around my house with me. Sometimes it can be found on my desk where it should be, other times I have left it somewhere buried under a project or something.
Art Journal/Sketchbook
When I went on my retreat, I bought this art journal with the hope I would sit in a corner painting something as I relaxed. That didn’t really happen. I painted once when I was there.
That being said, I do hope to get more use out of it this summer. But, I have always had a sketch book of some sort nearby. I never really thought of it as a journaling practice but it really is. It gives me a moment to slow down, be present, and use my imagination. This is a on-the-whim activity I pull out while watching TV once and a while.
Reading Journal
This is less a journal and more a few pages I bound together that act as a bookmark and notepad, lol. I keep this nearby when reading so I can record things I would like to remember – quotes, tips, ideas. It’s kind of like making study notes. I can come back to them when I want to remind myself about what I read. It is particularly helpful with self-help books.
I guess there are some habits I learned in school that have stuck with me my whole life.
Why So Many Journals?
You might be thinking “Hey, Ash, why not just stick to one journal at a time? Why make it complicated?” And, well, the answer is simple. By dividing my journaling into different uses I can keep things neat and organized. Because I tend to be scattered as a person, if I were to try to put everything in one beautiful notebook, it would quickly become a mess that I would end up avoiding. By keeping each book to a purpose, I have the one that will inevitably become squashed, glued, or torn (brain dump), the one that will be non-sensical to anyone who reads it (morning pages), the one with a purpose (guided + reading) and the ones just for fun (art + memory). Now I can keep them (mostly) like new and there is never a better feeling than turning a crisp new page.
How many journals do you use? Are you a journal collector (a much better word than hoarder) like me?
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