The beginnings of a new journal project.
I’m calling it backstitch because the prompts I’m using remind me so much of the way a backstitch guides the shape and direction of the forward stitches. Also, this project involves lots of thread!
A new journal page collaboration with Derek Tellier
Two journalers, one journal page. How exciting is that?
I'm thrilled to share a new set of journal pages created in collaboration with Derek Tellier, a dedicated 5th and 6th grade teacher, journaler, thinker about the world today and young people's experience of it, and a huge supporter of his students' learning and growth.
We began our journal project with the understanding that recognizing good things about ourselves and our efforts doesn't always come easily or naturally. It takes time, effort, patience, and courage to reflect on our abilities and accomplishments and to share them with the people around us.
So why not make it a team effort? Why not create a journal experience that encourages positive exchanges of observations between journalers on the things they do and make?
The result is a set of pages made for swapping.
It begins very much like previous journal adventures, with a set of prompts inviting you to write about one thing you do well or know how to make.
Here's the twist:
After you describe your process for doing or making your thing, you hand your page to a second journaler who is invited to add their reflections before passing the page back to you for some final thoughts.
Derek's students have been enthusiastic participants every step of the way. They worked through early versions of these pages, providing feedback on their experiences and suggestions for improvement.
Here's what they've said along the way:
Filling this out made me realize how many things I don't realize.
I found it a bit challenging, cause when we look at ourselves, it's hard to tell what you're good at. This made us really look at what we have done, and how we do it. I like this because it makes us more aware of who we are.
I thought it was kind of cool because at first I didn't know what I was good at, so I wrote the first thing that came to mind and how other people thought on how I did that made it easier to understand that I'm better at doing that thing than I thought I was.
They're already asking when we'll have more journal pages ready for them!
Derek’s classroom
Derek Tellier
We won't be running out of ideas for new pages anytime soon! This project has opened the door to other exciting avenues of exploration around meaningful feedback, the impact of words, and asking constructive questions.
For now though, these pages still feel very much like works in progress. We'd love for you to try them with your class, discussion group, or meeting participants. They work with groups of any size, but all it really takes is two or more journalers to get the ball rolling.
If you don't have a group in mind, invite your best friend, colleague, parent, or child to write with you. I've journaled both pages with my 14-year-old daughter and we ended up having fascinating discussions about the things we love to do and make.
And please let us know how it goes!
We'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback and suggestions on making these pages the best they can be. Send us a note or leave a quick comment below anytime.
You'll find both pages all ready for download right here.*
We hope they’ll spark delightful insights and fantastic conversations!
*This page is offered in two sizes: letter and A4.
K is for Kaboom! - New alphabet-inspired journal page
As soon as I added kaboom! to my list of potential k-words for this page, I knew I wanted to use it. I pictured that comic book illustration, you know the one, with the bold kaboom! lettering and puffs of smoke and stars bursting out from all sides. It's such a fun word, especially when you add an exclamation mark!
I settled in to write an exciting new journal prompt and quickly discovered that all of my initial ideas involved destruction. Things were going kaboom! all over the place. And, just like that, it didn't feel like fun anymore. For a while, I replaced kaboom! with other words and wrote other prompts.
But I kept coming back to it. Maybe I could turn it around or upside down or inside out. After all, thinking about opposites and contradictions is one of my favourite ways to explore new perspectives in my journal.
So, I turned my attention to things that don't go kaboom!. Which reminded me of the hero of the story (that's you, by the way!), who swoops in, uses their superpowers to keep things from kabooming! all over the place, and saves the day. Suddenly, I had a new prompt!
I hope the kaboom! on this page reminds you of the ways you persevere, overcome, and follow through on the projects that matter to you.
If you'd like to journal the letter k with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one project you've kept from going kaboom! 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 j, plus some of my other page projects, here.
* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.
J is for Jettison - New alphabet-inspired journal page
I used to think of the word jettison in simple terms, as a synonym for throw away or toss out, but after coming across it in my dictionary while working on today's alphabet-inspired journal page, I realized I've been missing an important part of its meaning.
Yes, it's about getting rid of something, but it's the why that makes it special. Jettisoning is about removing something in order to lighten the load. It's the thing you do to keep a heavy cargo from bringing the plane down or sinking the ship. It's the thing you do to keep going.
It has interesting parallels when you think about it from a personal perspective. Are there parts of your day, for example, that weigh you down? Things that make it difficult to get to the end of the day feeling like you're still in one piece? If you could jettison one of those things, even just for today, would it lighten your load and make it easier to keep flying?
In my own planning, I've been thinking about it in terms of narrowing my focus. What's one important thing I want to accomplish today? Is there anything on my to-do list for the day that makes it more difficult to accomplish that one thing? What would happen if I jettisoned it?
Poof! It's off the list! Not necessarily forever, just until I get the important thing done. Then I can circle back, but with the added confidence and motivation of having achieved something that matters to me.
How about you? Is there one task, big or small, you can jettison from your day in order to lighten your load?
If you'd like to journal the letter j with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one item you'd like to jettison from your to-do list today. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send an email 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 i, plus some of my other page projects, here.
* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.
I is for Impromptu - New alphabet-inspired journal page
Impromptu is one of my favourite words. I love the feel of it. No pressure. Totally spontaneous. No planning, preparation, or organization. Just throw something together -- a meal, a get together, a creative project -- using whatever you have on hand and see what happens. Experience the moment as it unfolds.
The first prompt in today's alphabet-inspired i page is all about creating an impromptu moment for yourself that adds delight to your day. Unplanned and unrehearsed. Grand gestures not required. A smile will do. A kind thought or word to yourself or to someone special. A favourite song, a treat, a good memory. Just to remind yourself that an impromptu detour -- however brief -- can be part of your day.
For my part, I've been itching to make something colourful with my hands -- away from the computer. That's my impromptu delight, dipping into my craft stash and playing for a few delightful moments.
Another impromptu-ish thing about this page: over the past few weeks, you've started sending me suggestions for words for future pages, including today's. Thanks to a lovely suggestion from a fellow journaler, the word illuminate is included in this page. This is such a fun way to explore the series together! I'll be curious to know what she thinks of the prompt!
Would you like to suggest a word for a future page? If so, please do! I'll do my best to include as many suggested words as possible and I'll always let you know which words have been included in future pages. Who knows where it might lead?
In the meantime, if you'd like to journal the letter i with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one impromptu thing you can do right now to add delight to your day. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send an email 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 pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through h, plus some of my other page projects, here.
* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.
H is for Happiness - New alphabet-inspired journal page
The first prompt I wrote for this week's h-inspired journal page was about the headquarters of your home. Headquarters remind me of multinational corporations and skyscrapers and command centres, so why not apply it to our homes and see what happens? (So far, two rooms in my home are in the running, but I'm going to narrow it down to one.)
Then came humdinger (such a fun word!) and handbook. Then historic. That one tugs at me almost as much as the last one: happiness. At first, it felt like happiness might not be a good choice for this series, which is all about stretching beyond common words and themes, so I considered going with hubbub. But happiness is such a deep and awesome and uncomfortable subject, I felt like I couldn't leave it out. Even though I kind of wanted to. (Which is why I didn't.)
One thing I know about my own happiness is that it feels like it doesn't come naturally. I know I have to work at it. (It's something I've written about before.) I also know that even though a lot of my time is spent with thoughts and ideas, I'm happiest when I'm doing something about them, like experimenting with new ways of living and working, making colourful journal pages, and chatting about life's challenges and its wonders with journalers like you.
But why journal about it? Ultimately, I think, to figure out what it means uniquely to you. So that you can recognize your own happiness when it happens. (Because sometimes it's hard to recognize.) And so that you have a better understanding of how to repeat it or at least how to create the conditions under which it can happen again.
If you'd like to journal the letter h with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one thing you know about your own happiness. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send an email 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 pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through g, plus some of my other page projects, here.
P.P.S. I first wrote about this page in my newsletter. If you’d like to receive it, along with my free e-book 10 Good Reasons to Journal, you can also subscribe here!
* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.
"F" is for Frank - New alphabet-inspired journal page
Frankly, I wouldn't say that frankness plays a significant role in my communication style -- with others or with myself. I would say that "meandering" is more my speed. I like to preface my comments with long explanations, provide lots of helpful context, and cushion any uncomfortable directness with an abundance of comforting qualifiers. Kinda like this first paragraph, actually.
I could go on (and on) about the advantages and disadvantages of frankness in conversation, about the people I admire for their awesome ability to call it as they see it -- no meandering, straight to the point; blunt, yet endearingly sincere. All of which would, frankly, just be my way of avoiding the undeniable fact that frankness is way, way outside my comfort zone and that I really don't know how to answer the prompt that I'm going to pose to you at the end of this post.
Paradoxically, this is what I LOVE about reflective journaling. I love the way it challenges me to adopt different perspectives about the littlest details (like a frank assessment of my day), which almost always gives me a better idea of the bigger picture (like how I interact in the world), and to explore new and different ways of being.
I hope you'll find that today's journal page, which tackles fibs and fiascoes in addition to frank assessments, gives you the opportunity to explore your world in new and uncomfortable-but-also-paradoxically-rewarding ways.
If you'd like to journal the letter f with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one frank assessment of your day so far. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send an email 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 pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through e, plus some of my other page projects, here.
P.P.S. I first wrote about this page in my newsletter. If you’d like to receive it, along with my free e-book 10 Good Reasons to Journal, you can subscribe here!
P.P.P.S. In this post and the last one, I've included a sneak peak at new work-in-progress in the upper left hand corner of my new page photo. There are some new super-colourful word pages on the way!
* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.
"E" is for Emporium - New alphabet-inspired journal page
Something about the letter e brings out the eccentric in my journaling. For example, my daughter and I had such fun imagining our all-things-us emporiums.
Hers would feature an entire department dedicated to storage boxes of all shapes, colours and sizes. No matter what you need to organize, you'd find exactly the right box for it in her emporium. There would also be an owl deparment (no actual owls, just books about owls, owl-related designs and owl softies), an overalls and fun socks section, and an all-day food kiosk serving her two favourite dishes: her grandmother's molokhiya soup and creme brulee. For your viewing pleasure, the shelves would all be color coordinated.
My emporium would carry a vast collection of handmade papers from all over the world, notebooks of every shape, size and function (of course), a fully stocked moisturizer and lip balm department, a wide selection of mixing bowls and measuring cups, long and short-sleeve t-shirts in every colour of the rainbow, and a handmade items gift shop.
How about yours?
If you'd like to journal the letter e with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me three items you'd find on the shelves of your all-things-you emporium. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll 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 pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a to d, plus some of my other page projects, here.
* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.
"D" is for Different -- New alphabet-inspired journal page
Before we get to today's d page, could we chat about your colossal emails and comments on last week's post for a sec?
Here are three things you taught me:
Putting a colossal effort into your projects, big or small, very often leads to equally colossal results that make all of the hard work worthwhile. Yay, you!
Taking a few moments to think about where you're devoting your time and energy is a great way to evaluate whether you're making the most of both or whether there could be other ways to make a difference for yourself and for others. Yay, you once again!
The word itself, colossal, had a way of clarifying how hard you're working toward the things that matter to you. It was an amazing reminder of how gratifying it is to find a word that describes exactly how you're feeling or exactly what happened. It makes your experiences tangible and meaningful and that's what journaling is all about!
Now, on to the d page! The first prompt is all about noticing the variety of experiences you encounter from day to day. You'll also find doodads, doohickeys, and the deep sea, among other things!
Your turn!
If you'd like to journal the letter d with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one thing about your day today that's different from your day yesterday. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll send a reply in return along with the pdf file* so you can keep journaling!
P.S. If you're new to this series, I'm sharing the process -- and these pages! -- with you as I go. You can find more information about the a, b, and c pages, plus some of my other page projects, here.
P.P.S. I'm doing my best to reply to every email within about a day -- or two at the most when my inbox is overflowing! I'm mostly caught up, but some emails have come back as undeliverable. If you emailed me or commented here on the blog more than two days ago and haven't received a response from me, could you send me a quick email to let me know?
P.P.P.S. I first wrote about this page in my newsletter. If you’d like to receive it, along with my free e-book 10 Good Reasons to Journal, you can subscribe here!
* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.
"C" is for Colossal -- new alphabet-inspired journal page
The letter c gave me some trouble. It's not that there aren't enough c words. There are. My 1983 edition of the Gage Canadian Dictionary* features 136 pages of c words while there are only 79 pages for b and 78 pages for a.
I made a list of the words starting with c that seemed promising and tried to ignore any I've used frequently in the past like curiosity, change, community, and conversation. (It was really hard to ignore curiosity -- such a great word and so much to be curious about!)
By the time I got to czar, my list had 95 words, which is plenty to work with. I wrote a bunch of a different journal prompts over a couple of days, but almost all of them felt forced or vague or complicated. Luckily, this is a familiar part of my creative cycle -- the part where I start to second guess myself. Maybe this whole alphabet project is too weird, plus it'll take too long and also it's too repetitive. And onward in that direction.
But there's another side. The truth is I'm really enjoying sitting with my ancient, coverless, yellow-paged dictionary on my lap and wandering through its thin pages. I love the challenge of working with new words and playing with letter shapes.
And your emails. Can I just say . . . they are awesome! No two are alike. You have your own wonderful perspective on the world and it is such a thrill to cheer you on in your journaling.
So I'm done second guessing. I pressed on with my list and put together 5 new prompts that I quite like and hope you'll like too.
If you'd like to journal the letter c with me, I'll send you the page! In the comments below, tell me one project into which you've poured a colossal amount of effort. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll send an email reply in return along with the pdf file** so you can keep journaling!
P.S. If you're new to this series, I'm sharing the process (and the pages!) with you as I go and I'd love to know your thoughts along the way. You can find more information about the a and b pages, plus some of my other page projects, here.
* This is the dictionary that lived on the family bookshelves when I was a kid. It's undeniably dated and I mostly use online dictionaries now, but I can't part with it. (The bookshelves, by the way, were floor-to-ceiling teak and featured an angled shelf for displaying magazines!)
** The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.