But I am not a journaler
So I go through journalling seasons (if you will). Sometimes I am all about it and other times I can go months or in the past years without touching a notebook.
It was pretty pleasing to see that I have finally used up all notebooks in my house so got to buy myself a beautiful paperback 15 pounds one from here. It’s the cutest shop in Brighton if you love stationery…it’s the teacher in me. But you are supporting local so that’s a notebook purchasing win.
I have been journaling a lot recently. So much so that Xanthe demanded a notebook I would never use as it was too narrow and small. She has carried this around with a pencil for weeks now. It goes to bed with her, on walks with her, she doodles in it at breakfast, while Arlo does his schooling. She is a real journaling queen. It’s a wonderful habit for any child to get into. Even if scribbling and only 2.
The other day Ali came to me and announced that he was feeling left out of the journaling club. He has since bought himself a journal and has started getting into the habit of journaling once he sits down on the sofa in the evening. A great habit!
Except, when I asked him how he was getting on a few days in, he said that he was struggling with where to start. He was feeling as though just writing may feel ‘stupid’ or feel ‘stupid’.
I considered this reaction for a second and realised that must be a common feeling. If you haven’t ever really grabbed a notebook before then it can feel overwhelming. Looking at a blank page with any kind of expectation will always feel a challenge. Yet journaling shouldn’t feel like a challenge at all. If you place any expectations on yourself then that will limit the creativity a journal provides.
In fact, Ali’s reaction is based on societal expectations- that we must produce something. That in order to journal we must reach some kind of goal. Perhaps schooling too- school didn’t necessarily allow us to explore our unconscious mind. There was always an output expectation.
Then of course there is the problem with bullet journal Pinterest pins. We see the beauty that can come from such neat and carefully curated journals. I have been here. We then place the expectation on ourselves that our journal will be pretty. I found that prettiness was a distraction from the deep work a journal could offer.*
*But note this is my experience.
So, though my journaling takes on different forms depending on where I am emotionally. My journal is not pretty and I don’t have pretty pens. I just grab the nearest, sharpest pencil and either follow a prompt from a book, ceremony or feeling. This goes against all my usual journaling values pre-2020.
At the moment however I am also engaging with The Artist’s Way.
Perhaps you have heard of it? It is a pretty famous self-help book.
It’s also pretty dated, despite the author saying that her more recent read-throughs gave no changes. I disagree. I think it needs bringing into 2021 in parts. But maybe that’s because I have an older library copy.
She does mention God a lot but note that God is in whatever form you make it. Your spirits, your angels, your inner guide. Some reviewers weren’t a fan of this but in my opinion this is closed mindedness not considering the implications relying on one version of God has.
She also has a pretty unique writing style- but I don’t mind it.
The 3 month programme is really great. I actually read about The Artist’s Way in 2019 and after months of thought I paid to hold a copy at the library in January 2020. It never arrived and then well…ya know. Then every time I went in to the library later in the year I kept meaning to ask about it. Suddenly in December I get an email informing me my book is ready for collection.
The evening before I had pulled a card about tuning into my creativity and making more time for myself as an artist. Don’t forget we are all artists- we just need help tapping into our creative energy.
After all my inner work- I find the book much easier to work through. So the universe knew exactly what it was doing for me.
The idea of the programme is to simply write 3 full pages of writing in the morning when you first get up. Allow your thoughts to flow. This could range from, “I need to get through that washing pile today to I really fucking hate my job right now to I wish the day ahead had some quiet time planned into it.” Whatever flows. Know that whatever comes is what needs to come out onto the page.
This flow means you get out all the shit that sits in your unconscious mind and can approach the tasks ahead clearer. It makes sense when you consider our unconscious mind steers us 95% of the time. Your conscious thoughts do very little. I.e. telling yourself you are great once a day does bugger all if the rest of the day you’re driven by you’re unconscious mind telling you how shit you are based on X Y Z.
Once a week you take yourself on an artist date. You check-in on a Saturday. Then between that there are some journalling prompts and things to consider.
I am managing to fit it in with ease actually. But my previous inner work may have made it slightly quicker. It’s amazing what we can make time for when we put our minds to it.
I have also seen that there is a video version if this suited more for some.
However, this book will come to those who fancy it at a time that suits. What if you aren’t keen on the sound of ol’ Julia and want to crack on anyway?
- Grab yourself a like…really lovely notebook preferably shopping small. It’s a new year after all and you deserve it
- Write a morning page when you wake-up without expectations here
- Grab yourself some prompts from places such as here
- If you think pretty journaling is the only way for you then get some new pens from Ebay. Pretty colours are always welcomed
- Or some cute stickers?! Etsy has loads
- I have shared it before but shadow work is always so important to explore. Here’s some great prompts
- Sit with yourself in ceremony. Light a candle and tune into your root. Whatever arises can be noted down.
- Pull a card from an oracle pack and write about what surfaces as a result
Know that your journal is just for you and no one else. If you remember that it is for you, to write what comes to you as and when, to not place expectations on yourself. Well then journaling can only flow. Eventually, any feelings that arise from it sounding silly will go and you can breakthrough that barrier out into the gifts your mind, root and heart alignment offer.
Are you into journaling? Anything help you? Let us know in the comments.
Much loves
N x
