Let's talk about the difference a single word can make in your journal.
One changed word or turn of phrase can transform how you see an experience, how you remember it, and, ultimately, what it means to you. (Needless to say, this is what I absolutely adore about journaling!)
With that in mind, I'm experimenting with a new, two-part prompt in today's And Other Things journal page. It begins with one thing about your day, then asks you to change one word or phrase and write your answer again.
Can one word really make a difference?
Let's try it right now!
Here's one thing about my day so far:
This morning, I took my pup for a lovely walk in the cool air.
Okay. Let's change one word.
After reflecting on our meandering journey through the woods, here's my new answer:
This morning, I took my pup for a lovely wander in the cool air.
You know what? This is much more accurate! She's always wandering off the trail and into the brush, following her nose and ears. (Plus, I loved using wander as a noun!)
Now that I think about it, there's one more change I can make that truly describes our experience this morning:
This morning, my pup took me for a lovely wander in the cool air.
This is such a fun way to remember our walk – I mean, our wander! I know it will make me smile when we head out together again. Maybe I'll even have a little more patience for her inevitable detours.
Want to try another one?
I do!
Here's another thing about my day so far:
While I was out and about, I ran into someone I hadn't seen in years, and we had a wonderful chat.
This entry is a little more complicated than the morning walk because it was such a surprise, and it evoked forgotten memories and emotions.
Here's my answer again with a change of phrase:
While I was out and about, I ran into a person I hadn't seen since before Covid, and we had a wonderful chat.
Here's one more change I made after thinking a little more about our chance meeting.
While I was out and about, I ran into a person I hadn't seen since before Covid, and our wonderful chat brought back precious memories and sparked new ideas about future adventures together.
I love how this prompt gave me a second chance to look at two small parts of my day. I pulled out my journal to write more about the unexpected meetup and my feelings around the slow return of some extracurricular activities that used to be a huge part of our lives. In the end, I felt an enormous wave of gratitude for the chance to reconnect!
Overall, it felt like a playful approach to serious work. :)
Now it's your turn!
Here's a peek at today's page, the third in the series, with our “change one word” prompt in blue toward the bottom:
If you'd like to play with this page, click here to download it now.*
And if you're keen to share your thoughts, I'd love to hear them in the comments below! Let me know what you think about the page, or share how changing one word made a difference in your journaling.
P.S. If you missed the first two pages in my And Other Things series and would like to give them a try, you'll find them here and here!
* The pdf file includes two versions of this journal page (colourful and greyscale) and two page sizes (letter and A4). For instructions on printing one or more pages, visit my shop welcome page and scroll to the bottom.