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.

G is for Gutsy - New alphabet-inspired journal page

Chapter G in my ancient copy of the Gage Canadian Dictionary is a thesaurus lover's dream. So many glorious synonyms! Gabfest rather than chat, galore rather than lots, gargantuan rather than huge -- and those are just the words that start with ga...

One g-word that really caught my imagination was gutsy. In my experience, gutsy isn't used nearly as frequently in everyday conversation as its synonymous cousins brave and courageous. And it has a different flavour to it, don't you think? The Merriam-Webster online dictionary says it's "marked by courage, pluck, or determination". Pluck! There's another word you don't hear very often. Elsewhere, it's associated with nerve and spirit.

Gutsiness, it seems, is more than a one-time act of bravery. It's ongoing courage accompanied by determination and nerve, which felt like a perfect word for the first prompt in today's alphabet-inspired journal page. It's all about walking your own path, which requires countless gutsy steps, the determination to see your vision through, and a fair bit of pluck along the way!

If you'd like to journal the letter g with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one gutsy way in which you're walking your own path. 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 f, 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. I feel like g is the happiest looking letter so far. It's been making me grin all week!

* 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:

1. 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!

2. 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!

3. 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.

"B" is for Baker's Dozen -- new alphabet-inspired journal page

Did you know that it's perfectly okay to end a sentence with a preposition? At least, Merriam-Webster's online dictionary says it is:

There is nothing wrong with ending a sentence in a preposition like to, with, for, or at. English speakers have been doing so since the days of Old English. The people who claim that a terminal preposition is wrong are clinging to an idea born in the 17th century and largely abandoned by grammar and usage experts in the early 20th.

This came as happy news to me! I was definitely taught by 17th century grammar enthusiasts.

Of the five prompt ideas starting with the letter b in today's alphabet-inspired journal page, three of them are sometimes prepositions: behind, before, and beside. They don't make their appearances at the end of any sentences, but I made sure to end the last prompt on the page with a lovely little of -- just for fun!

As I mentioned last week, this project feels even more experimental than usual. I'm sharing the process (and the pages!) with you as I go and I'd love to know your thoughts along the way.

If you'd like to journal the letter b with me, I'll send you the page to print at home! In the comments below, tell me one thing that's happening behind you right now. 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. The pdf file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.

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!

"A" is For Announcement -- an alphabet-inspired journal page

I've always wanted to create a set of alphabet-inspired journal pages using huge, colourful letters. For a long time, a vague idea of the series was as far as I got: single letter pages, lots of colours and journal prompts. Every once in a while, I'd open a new file and try to sketch it out, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work.

Truth be told, I'm still not entirely sure how to make it work, but these days I'm more motivated to try. I've got a bunch of pages sitting in my journal files and they're all stuck at various stages of completion. I feel like I need to try something new. I'm looking for a creative way to work with words I don't usually use and ideas I haven't fully explored before. More than that, I'd love to loosen up my process a little, create more daring prompts, and push the boundaries of my usual approach to journaling.

Long story short, after lots of back and forth and still some uncertainty about the end result, my first single letter journal page is ready to go.

This project feels even more experimental than usual. It's possible that by the time I get to m the pages will look completely different. For better or worse, I'd love to share the process (and the pages!) with you as I go. I'd also love to know your thoughts along the way.

Over to you!

If you'd like to join me for an alphabet-inspired journal adventure, I'll send you my first page to print at home! In the comments below, tell me one announcement you'd like to make this year. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll send you an email in return to cheer you on and attach the pdf file so you can keep journaling!

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

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 by clicking the link!

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.

Look for the Good Things

I know I write about looking for the good things A LOT, but if I don't remind myself pretty regularly that they're out there, I forget! A few weeks ago, I made this little reminder using a watercolour background I painted ages ago.

There are three letter-sized pages in total, which include:

• a set of tiny cards for tucking into a journal or using as tags,

• quarter-page prints for turning into postcards or bookmarks or for writing a list of good things on the back, and

• a full letter-sized version, for . . . well . . . because I just love all that colour!

If you'd like to print these at home, I'll send them to you!

In the comments below (or by email if you’d prefer), tell me one good thing in your world today. That's it, just one. I'll reply by email with one good thing from here and attach the printable PDF file with all three colourful pages.

P.S. I wrote all about these pages and more of the new things I’m working on in my newsletter. If you’d like to receive it, along with my free e-book 10 Good Reasons to Journal, click here to sign up!