How One Quick Journal Prompt Can Inspire Three Surprising Results

I thought I had today’s And Other Things journal page all figured out.

It was filled with all the things you’d expect, including colourful prompts about things that go together and afternoon treats, and a playful twist in the word search list.

Little did I know that one sneaky prompt held a triple surprise. I can’t wait to tell you all about it — and in a brand new way!

But first, if you’d like to download this page for yourself, you’ll find it right here.*

Okay. Now that you have your page, let’s chat about that sneaky prompt!

I recorded my first ever voice memo on that very subject and sent it out with my newsletter, where I first shared this page.

It's unscripted and off the cuff – a peek at the joy and inspiration that can emerge while discovering new things in your journal.

Click below to listen!

P.S. If you have any difficulty playing the audio file or would prefer to read my message, I've included a transcript of the voice memo below.

P.P.S. If you missed the first three pages in my And Other Things series and would like to try them, you'll find them here, 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.

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Voice Memo Transcript

Hi there, it's Christie.

Welcome to my first ever Newsletter Voice Memo!

Today I'm sharing a few thoughts about the newest page in my And Other Things printable journal page series where I'm taking a playful approach to the serious reflective work we do in our journals.

I hope when you see this page for the first time the playful part will jump right out at you. It's super colourful and filled with hand-lettered prompts that explore lots of different ways we can reflect on our days and get to know ourselves better in our journals.

If you'd like to download a copy of this page for yourself, you can! It's available right here in the newsletter. You just need to click the link above the image.

I wanted to chat with you today about one of the prompts on this journal page that really surprised me. And, of course, it wasn't the one that I thought was going to surprise me.

There were two prompts I was super excited about sharing. The first is at the top of the page. It's a new prompt called things that go together and I was excited to share it with you because it's one I haven't used before. I haven't used anything like it before in my other journal pages, so I was really excited to share it in this page.

There's also a word search. There are other word searches in this series, but this one has a bit of a twist. I've mixed up some of the words in the word list, so you'll have to put them back together before you can find the words in the puzzle.

But neither of those two prompts is the one that surprised me!

For a little bit of background: in each of the pages in this series, I've tried to include at least one prompt that reminds us how strong and capable we are, how much we do every day, what our strengths are. I try to do it in a way that's super specific because I think it can be really difficult – for example, if someone asks you, “hey, what are you good at?” – it's hard, on the spot, to come up with an answer. But if someone asks you something very specific about one of your skills, sometimes it's a little bit easier to reflect on the question.

The prompt that surprised me in this page is: When your day is super busy, one thing you're good at.

The prompt looks for you to imagine one of those super busy days where there are a million things happening at once and you're running in all sorts of different directions. And on those days, you know, what are the parts you're really good at?

When I answered this prompt, I came up with two answers. One was calming myself down when I get a little bit flustered during a busy day and the other one was finding perspective, finding perspective in terms of, what are my priorities for the day? What do I really need to get done? And making sure that at least those things get done even if the rest of the day is very difficult to navigate.

I wrote those two answers down in the prompt and finished the rest of the page. Then I sat back to kind of reflect on the page, review it, and think about what my takeaways might be. And when I looked back on this one prompt, it dawned on me that, yes, these are the things that I think that I'm pretty good at in the middle of a busy busy day, but they're also the things I need in the in the middle of a busy day.

When it's super busy, I need to find ways to calm myself down, I need to be calm in order to navigate it well. And I need to know what my priorities are. I need to have a good perspective on what I want to accomplish on that day. That was part of the surprise of this prompt. It turned out that it wasn't just a prompt about what I'm good at. It turned out to be a prompt about what I need as well.

And then when I took another look at it, I realized there's a third aspect to this prompt. It's kind of a how-to. I've kind of given myself, with those two answers, a little bit of a how-to on a busy day – how to make the most, how to get the most out of a busy day. One is to make sure that I'm calm, that I go into that day calmly and continue calmly through it as much as I can and the other is to make sure I have a good perspective on what I want to accomplish.

So, you know, when I started answering this prompt, it was super simple. It was just trying to reflect on the things that I'm good at. But when I saw it on the page, when I sat back and really looked at it, I saw there was so much more to it.

It reminded me what I need so that I can remember that on busy days and it gave me a little bit of a an action list of things that I can do when I'm in the middle of a busy day and find myself flustered or overwhelmed. 

I wanted to share that with you. I'd love for you to journal this page for yourself and see which prompts surprise you. I hope you'll love journaling this page, and I hope you'll let me know how it goes for you!

How Changing One Word Can Make a Huge Difference in Your Journal

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.

How to turn colourful prompts and puzzles into meaningful journaling

I like to think of my journal work lately as a playful approach to serious work.

Playfulness in journaling, for me, means colourful layouts, lots of free association in my prompts and writing, and following my curiosity and intuition wherever they lead.

The serious work is what happens along the way, including:

• Knowing ourselves better.

• Thinking, dreaming, and discovering what works and what doesn't.

• Capturing important moments, figuring out what they mean, and taking purposeful action.

• Connecting the good stuff out there to our everyday lives – so we can access it easily and often.

• Seeing challenges and their solutions from new perspectives. (Because if we always reflect the same way, we'll always see the same things.)

• Developing our voices so we can advocate for ourselves, others, and the issues we care about.

I've made three hand-lettered pages so far. (You might notice that they look a little different from my usual printables!)

Each page is filled with prompts and puzzles inspired by meaningful reflective practice. Some sections are quicker than others, but they all count.

I hope they'll show you that there are as many ways to reflect as there are words to reflect with!

I'm sharing the first page with you today and will follow up with the next two in future posts. Before I do, if you're wondering where they might fit in your day, here are a few thoughts.

When to use these pages:

• When you want to journal but need a place to start.

• When you're in a journal rut and want to shake up your practice a little.

• When you need a quick pick-me-up in the midst of it all.

• When you want to play with the words and ideas around you.

• When you want to joyfully connect with the things that matter to you.

How to use them:

• Just print and write. I keep my pages in my favourite binder. When it fills up, I move the older entries to bound folders.

• If printing isn't an option, try typing or writing your reflections onto the page on your tablet or in your PDF reader.

• When you have more to say about a prompt or when it leads to new ideas, you can write on the back of the page or start a new page in your notebook or note-taking app. But don't stop there! Share your ideas, follow up on your discoveries, and, where you can, delight in the serious work of embracing a full life with all its gifts and challenges.

If you'd like to play with this page, click here to download it now.*

Next time, I'll share more of my thinking behind this little project – including its title! Until then, I wish you oodles of colourful inspiration in your journaling!

* The pdf file includes two versions of this page (colourful and greyscale) and two page sizes (letter and A4).

Journal pages that don't quite work

A huge part of my creative process involves the pursuit of journal ideas that don't quite work. I know this part very well. Somewhere along the way from initial idea to final draft, a creeping sort of doubt sets in. I find myself staring at the page or screen thinking, hmm, this isn't how I imagined it. Maybe if I try it this way. Nope. How about this way? Also nope.

It takes a lot of nopes, but eventually, in order to move on, I have to concede that an idea isn't quite ready for sharing and might never be. My folders are overflowing with printables and posts in various stages of completion that don't quite work.

Here's an example...

My original idea was to create a variation on my alphabet-inspired pages, with colourful letters serving as writing spaces.

I can't tell you how much fun I had arranging the letters! That little m. Who says all the stems have to be the same length? It was so much fun that I also made a numbers page and a few other variations. I couldn't stop! Writing the prompts was also a treat -- some are easy-breezy and some a little more challenging.

But when the time came to journal the page, writing into those simple letter shapes kind of ruined it for me. The end result looked messy, which is usually fine by me where journaling is concerned, but not in this case. Some letters didn't offer enough space and some offered too much. I mostly sorted it out in a second attempt by writing along the inside borders of letters, but still felt the page needed to be filed away.

Until today.

Today, I thought I'd share it with you anyway.

Maybe it truly doesn't work or maybe it does after all. Or maybe it's a step along the way to a better idea. It's often hard to tell the difference and in the past I've been hesitant to write when I just don't know. But now I'm wondering if sharing what I'm up to, even when it's not quite working, might be an opportunity to chat about our creative projects, to revisit ideas we aren't ready to give up on yet and cheer each other on through the nopes.

I'll start. If you'd like to give this page a try, you can click here or on the image above to download it. I'd love to know your thoughts. Truly. And if sharing ideas that don't quite work -- yet! -- is something you'd like to see more of in future posts, just leave a comment below to let me know that too!

P.S. The pdf page file includes two page sizes: letter and A4.

A new journal page collaboration with Paul Day

Paul and his grandson, Frederick

One thing Paul Day and I share in our approach to journaling is a deep appreciation for the surprises that seem to accompany every aspect of self-reflection. For both of us, each unexpected discovery is its own reward and keeps us coming back to our journals day after day.

Together, we set out to create a set of journal pages that looked for lovely little surprises in the juxtaposition between past and present. Paul was also eager to explore his progress through the years and capture cherished memories, old and new.

The result is a set of pages that seeks out the good things and meaningful moments that shaped us long ago and the ones that are continuing to guide us now.

Here are a few words from Paul about his experience with journaling and our work on these pages:

Hi I'm Paul. About 4 years ago I became aware of journaling and the many positive aspects, especially prompt lead journaling.

About a year ago I stumbled across Christie, and her friendly approach, encouragement, and prompts have allowed me to expand my journaling further, and I've found it very cathartic at times. This opportunity to work with Christie and create these prompts has been a real joy.

We hope you’ll find joy in these pages too! If you’d like to download them for your journal, you’ll find them right here.

L is for Lovely - New alphabet-inspired journal page

This week's alphabet-inspired journal page begins with one lovely thing about being you. It's a variation of a question I've been exploring for a while now: What does it feel like to be you?

I haven't considered the question in quite this way before and do you know what I noticed while I was journaling my one lovely thing? Gratitude. Which surprised me a little because it wasn't my initial intention with this prompt. Originally, I thought it would be more about getting to know yourself from an inward-looking perspective, which I know can be a little uncomfortable, scary even. I thought writing about a lovely thing might be a lovely way in. It was, but it also took me in a direction I didn't foresee, which happens ALL THE TIME while journaling! It's what makes it so worth the effort -- and the scary bits here and there.

And wouldn't you know it, it also gave me an idea for answering this prompt. If looking for one lovely thing about being you it feels a little too sensitive to approach directly or if the answer feels elusive, why not start with gratitude? For example, is there a special someone you're grateful to have in your life? Perhaps that can lead you to one lovely thing about your relationships. Is there a project you're thrilled to be involved in? Perhaps that reveals one lovely thing about the work you do or the adventures you're drawn to.

I hope you'll find all sorts of lovely surprises in your journal today!

If you'd like to journal the letter l with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one lovely thing about being you. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send a reply in return along with the pdf file* so you can keep journaling!

P.S. If you're new to this alphabet-inspired journal series, I'm sharing the process with you -- and these printable journal pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through k, plus some of my other page projects, here.

* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.

Everyday Journaling - How to Make Ripples

I think we’re making ripples all the time. They’re in every word of encouragement, every effort to build something lasting, and every smile directed at someone in the middle of an ordinary day.

Here are 8 quick journal prompts for thinking about ways you can make ripples.

1. One person you can check in on:

2. One thing you can leave better than you found it:

3. One local organization or business you can support:

4. One next step you can take on a project that matters to you:

5. One meaningful issue you can learn more about:

6. One way you can encourage one person you adore:

7. One way you can share your knowledge or skillset:

8. One good thing you can put out into the world:

How will you make ripples today?

P.S. This page is part of my Everyday Journaling series, in which I create on-the-spot journal pages inspired by everyday experiences. If you’d like to create your own blueprint for making ripples, this printable journal page is available in my shop.

Everyday Journaling - How to Listen

I feel like good listening can be hard to come by. Even so, I think we know it when it happens. To be truly heard — to be gifted with someone’s full attention and encouraged to say what you think without interruption or dismissal, even if it doesn’t quite make sense yet — is deeply validating.

I know I can be a better listener. It’s something I think about all the time, mostly after I’ve sucked all the air out of yet another conversation. I can be impatient, distracted, and sometimes more in need of validation of my own perspective than interested in working to understand someone else’s. Often, I don’t recognize that I’ve missed an opportunity for a deeper, more meaningful discussion until the discussion is long over. All of which prompted this journal page — to give myself a dedicated spot to think about good listening and hopefully generate some helpful insights about how to put that thinking into practice.

I found it really helpful to consider elements of good listening in lots of different circumstances. I started to see different layers of listening, one on top of the other, that could lead to better understanding. Going forward, I’m working on giving conversations my full attention and a chance to unfold without jumping straight to conclusions about where they’re headed or what they mean. I’m working on asking better questions about another person’s perspective and experience rather than assuming I already know. I hope it will lead to more understanding and engagement and also more fascinating discussions!

P.S. This page is part of my Everyday Journaling series, in which I create on-the-spot journal pages inspired by everyday experiences. If you’d like to jot down your own thoughts and observations about how to listen, you’ll find this printable journal page right here in my shop.

Everyday Journaling - Even the Stuff that Feels Silly

I can’t decide if this is something I should share. I’ve gone back and forth a hundred times in my mind. I’ve written it up and deleted it twice. I may delete it again. (Regardless, I’m already imagining a whole new page just to sort through the misgivings I’ve had about this one.)

Is it okay to admit that all I want to do is watch TV? That lately I have this distracting urge all day long to stop what I’m doing, find a screen, and disappear into someone else’s story? Do I write about that sort of thing here?

The thing is, creating and journaling this silly, ridiculous journal page dedicated to the things I could be doing instead was really helpful. It generated lots of new ideas and resulted in a huge, handy list of better things to do for those moments when I can’t think of better things to do.

It also cheered me up. It reminded me that I can journal about anything. And that even the ideas that don’t at first feel worthy of serious consideration can lead to something good.

P.S. This page is part of my new Everyday Journaling series, in which I create on-the-spot journal pages inspired by everyday experiences. If you’d like to jot down your own handy ideas for things to do other than watching TV, you’ll find this printable journal page right here in my shop.

Uncomfortable Journaling and How to Get Past It

I do a fair bit of reading about the role of reflective journaling in learning -- especially adult learning. Reflection itself is an awesome thoughts-to-action process. Awesome. It aims directly at the core of who you are and what you're capable of achieving and that, I assure you, is riveting subject matter for your journal. (More about this below, I promise.)

But.

It's not an easy process. Not by a long shot.

Almost every article, paper and book I encounter includes variations of these two warnings:

1. Reflection, in order to be effective, requires consistent effort and encouragement.

2. Reflection is often uncomfortable, even painful.

Every time I read one of these warnings, I think, "I should write about this." And I do. Sort of. I start a blog post or email on the subject and then, about halfway through, I give up because it feels ... uncomfortable.

In my own journal practice, even after many years, putting my thoughts in writing is still uncomfortable at times. Awkward. Cringeworthy. Icky. Painful. Even the simplest things, like capturing a moment or two from an ordinary day, can be tricky. I think it's because journaling brings you face to face with yourself, your choices and circumstances, and what you see doesn't always meet your expectations.

Why on earth would you want to put yourself through that?

For me, it's what's waiting on the other side, just past the discomfort, that makes it worth the effort time after time. And what's waiting are the very best parts of yourself -- the strong and brave parts, the parts that are capable of change and growth, the parts that are kind and generous and funny and brilliant and utterly unique.

Reflective journaling is a surprisingly effective tool for getting to know the best parts of yourself, for building faith in yourself, for recognizing that you can do what you set out to do, and for getting out there and doing it.

Even the pain has its uses. I've found that noticing the pain in my own experiences in the course of my journaling helps me notice it in others too. It helps me see them struggling in ways that I'm struggling and reminds me to consider our common ground before jumping to conclusions about things said or done.

Long story short, I love every bit of it, even the discomfort, because it deepens my experience of the world. It makes me appreciate the good stuff all the more and it makes life more interesting. In fact, it doesn't just make life more interesting -- journaling makes us more interesting. Each of us, including you. And you are fascinating, I promise you. You have a singular story to tell. You have an important voice to add to the conversation. You have a one-of-a-kind path forward to create for yourself.

So, let's get to that good stuff together, shall we?

Here are three ways I've learned to journal through the uncomfortable parts along the way to best parts:

1. Reflect in small doses. This is how I journal the tough stuff, like heartache and failure -- small doses. And colourful spaces for writing and prompts that are grounded as much as possible in just one tiny part of the here and now. So I don't end up in the weeds. So I can take it one tiny step at a time and, for the most part, enjoy moments of progress and make note of the growth spurts along the way.

2. Adopt an attitude that is relentlessly positive. This drives my kids nuts -- because I'm always pointing out the silver linings in their clouds -- but I stand by it. Failure is an opportunity to learn. A problem well stated is half solved. Bad times remind us what's important to us. I'm not saying I'm always a ray of sunshine, far from it, but even in my darkest hours, it has become a habit to search for the good stuff and it always makes a difference in the speed and the manner in which I find my way back to the light.

3. Make it your own. There are no rules in journaling. Find the times and tools and methods and words that work best for you. Experiment, take breaks, start over, keep the stuff that keeps you journaling and get rid of the stuff that doesn't. When your journaling practice is your own, it can see you through to the good stuff.

One last thought

I'm here to help. I want to encourage your journaling any way I can.

• If you're looking for a place to start on your own, you can download many of my small dose journal pages for free from my shop.

• If you'd like some personalized, one-on-one encouragement, you can try a mini journal adventure.

• If you'd just like to say hello and chat about your journal practice (or the journal practice you'd like to develop), leave a comment below or send me an email with your thoughts -- even if they're uncomfortable. I'd love to hear from you and I'll be thrilled to chat.