Little Things that Mean a Lot - Free Printable Journal Page Roundup

Next up in our journal page roundup: the little things that mean a lot.

This is one of my all-time favourite journal prompts. It feels especially relevant now, when so many of the big parts of our days are upside down and inside out. Zooming in and noticing some of the smaller moments and their outsize impacts can be a quick and easy way to brighten an otherwise gloomy day.

If you’d like to journal along with me, you can download this page by clicking on the image above or by visiting my collection of printable prompts.

Here’s my list of little things that mean a lot today:

  1. Finding the words to start. There’s this one section of a piece I’m working one that just hasn’t been coming together. Today I finally wrote one sentence that sets the right tone, i.e. not mind-numbingly boring. It’s just one sentence, but it made all the difference.

  2. A conversation out in the neighbourhood. It wasn’t a deep discussion, just quick chitchat as we passed each other on the roadside, but it felt so good to share breezy observations, even at a distance. Just about skipped all the way home.

  3. Colourful pens and paper. So bright and instantly happy making. Bring on the colour!

How about you? What little parts of your day today mean a lot to you? If you’d like a little inspiration for your list-making, here’s a newsletter I wrote about stretching beyond the usual items on your list.

Previous pages featured in my free journal page roundup:

10 Minutes to Reflect on Your Day

When You Need to Find a Little Extraordinary in Your Ordinary

For additional information on page sizes and printing, visit my printables welcome page.

Hi, I'm Christie. I create printable guided journal pages filled with bright colours and a resilient spirit aimed at documenting life's celebrations and learning from its challenges. My goal is to give you a quick and colourful collection of good reasons to start journaling right now. For even more journal inspiration, sign up to receive my free e-book, 10 Good Reasons to Journal.

 

When You Need to Find a Little Extraordinary in Your Ordinary - Free Printable Journal Page Roundup

Are you up for a little journaling?

I’m rounding up all of my free journal pages here on the blog over the next few weeks. If you’d like to journal along, you’ll find this page by clicking on the image above or by visiting my collection of emergency journal pages.

I’ll admit it took me longer than usual to get started with this one. There seem to be far fewer moments that feel ordinary these days and far more that have an extraordinary quality.

So, for the first prompt, “one entirely ordinary thing you do almost every day,” I chose to journal about a thing that was ordinary before quarantine and remains fairly ordinary during quarantine: making the bed. I’m so glad I did. It led me on a lovely walk down memory lane, from the quilt my mom made for me when I left for university to the quilt she and my grandmother later made for my wedding.

Some of my insights along the way include:

  • realizing that I am a slow bed maker — on purpose. I use it as a chance to organize my thoughts as I organize each layer of bedding;

  • recognizing the joy in smoothing that top layer — a beautiful, soft, handmade quilt that has enormous significance to me;

  • connecting with my creative upbringing in which we were always making something and loving that we’re still at it even now.

All of that from a little bed making.

How about you? Tell me about the extraordinary in your ordinary in the comments. I’d love to hear all about it!

If you’d like to see previous posts in my free journal page roundup, I’ll be listing them at the bottom of every post. Here’s the very short list so far:

10 Minutes to Reflect on Your Day

For additional information on page sizes and printing, visit my printables welcome page.

Hi, I'm Christie. I create printable guided journal pages filled with bright colours and a resilient spirit aimed at documenting life's celebrations and learning from its challenges. My goal is to give you a quick and colourful collection of good reasons to start journaling right now. For even more journal inspiration, sign up to receive my free e-book, 10 Good Reasons to Journal.

 

10 Minutes to Reflect on Your Day - Free Printable Journal Page Roundup

I’ve noticed that calls and emails have been warmer of late. The first few words or lines of greeting have grown longer and gentler. How are you? Are you well? Is your family well? What’s it like where you are?

Same with the send offs. Hoping you and your family stay safe and in good health. Looking forward to seeing you again soon.

Have you noticed it, too?

I wish I had more to say these days. I feel like I’m doing all sorts of noticing, but the words to communicate the details have disappeared. I’m sure they’ll return at some point, but until then I thought I’d round up my free pages for some daily journaling, starting with my first ever 10 Minute journal page.

If you’d like to journal along with me, you’ll find this page by clicking on the picture above or by visiting my collection of 10 Minute journal pages.

To start things off, here’s my list of things I’d like to remember about today:

  1. Hugs. We’re hugging a lot more around here. Appreciating each other a little more, I think, and missing loved ones. Filling in some of the unavoidable gaps with bear hugs.

  2. Chats. Hearing voices all over the house — a committee meeting in the basement, art class in the kitchen, physics questions upstairs, and a friendly voice in my ear buds.

  3. Snow! Wild bursts of snow that erupt without warning then disappear completely a few minutes later — throughout the day and yesterday, too. Is April always like this?

How about you? What would you like to remember about today? If you need a little inspiration, here are a few tips for capturing the meaningful parts of your day.

P.S. For information on page sizes and printing, visit my printables welcome page.

Hi, I'm Christie. I create printable guided journal pages filled with bright colours and a resilient spirit aimed at documenting life's celebrations and learning from its challenges. My goal is to give you a quick and colourful collection of good reasons to start journaling right now. For even more journal inspiration, sign up to receive my free e-book, 10 Good Reasons to Journal.

 

New Printable Journal Page for Writing About Your Kids

My friends at duopress posted my newest 10 Minute printable journal pages for parents!

Each page was created to give you a quick and easy way to write about the things you and your kids do together, the things you're learning together, the things about them that make you smile, and the things they say and do that you'll always want to remember.

Hop on over to duopressbooks.com to download them for free!

 

You Are Connected - An Easy and Meaningful Way to Journal About the People and Places that Matter to You

This page is more than a list of people and places that make a difference in your life. It’s a space for thinking about how they make a difference, for recognizing the shared history, the comfort and trust built over time, the ways in which you’re connected.

It’s an opportunity to celebrate the people who listen when you talk, make you laugh, and bring out the best in you. It’s a chance to recognize the places nearby where you can rest, learn and grow.

It’s a reminder that you are not alone, that you are part of a larger story.

Who and where are your points of connection?

 

Love Tracker Journal Page

What would happen if you took a moment every day for ten days to make a quick note about one thing you love? I wouldn't be surprised if you started noticing love all around you.

Click here or on the image above to give it a try!

P.S. I have all sorts of ideas for other trackers. How about a Triumph Tracker? Or a Joy Tracker? What do you think?

P.P.S. If you love this page, you’ll find more quick and colourful journal pages right here!

 

Noticing the things you're good at - new journal pages

Years ago, I led a journaling session with a group of office administrators and the experience has stayed with me ever since.

Before my session, I had the opportunity to chat with the group members informally and participate in a series of ice breakers with them. I was thrilled to discover I'd be spending the morning with knowledgeable, kind, passionate, funny, curious, and engaged people.

One of the first journal prompts I'd selected was to ask participants to list their strengths. I thought it would be an easy prompt to get the ball rolling. I was so wrong.

In retrospect, perhaps it's not all that surprising that it wasn't an easy prompt, but in the moment, as I wandered around the room observing empty spaces where there were supposed to be long lists, I couldn't quite believe it. I had only spent an hour or two with these lovely people and I saw strengths all over the place. Could they not see these things in themselves?

Even now, thinking back, it's heartbreaking. Because it's really important that we do see these things in ourselves. It's important that we know our strengths. When taken together, they guide us to overcome the unique challenges we face, to set and achieve goals that matter to us, and, ultimately, to fully become the people we want to be. May we all lead with our strengths as we travel life's winding paths.

This set is all about discovering your strengths by thinking about the things you're good at and putting them to good use. You know I'm cheering you on all the way!

 

New journal pages: Noticing the things that make you happy

This new set of journal pages is made up of all the things I love about journaling: noticing, making sense and taking action. It's reflection in a nutshell.

But the best part? It's four pages of happy things. Your happy things. You may be surprised to discover just how many of them you'll find right here, in the life you're living right now.

This set is all about harnessing the very serious power of reflection to recognize the things that make you happy, to understand them (and yourself!) better and then -- and here's the most serious part of all -- to go out and do them more often. Because in addition to the hard things and the necessary things and the boring things and the stressful things, you also deserve happy things and you absolutely have the strength and resolve to make them happen.

As always, I'll be cheering you on all the way!