When I met with my friends the other evening, we came across the topic of journaling.
I'd love to write, but I don't know what to write about, one friend said. The other agreed.
All these lovely notebooks but what can they be filled with?
Life can be mundane and uneventful at times. We pursue our daily routines, and that's perfectly fine.
We get up, have breakfast, work, play, and rest. The last thing you want to do is write about the same thing every day. I get that.
So, begin by asking yourself
What are you passionate about?
What are you obsessed with?
What inspires you?
Why do you want to start journaling in the first place?
Some of your whys could be that you want to write to relax, calm your mind, and reflect.
Perhaps you want to organize and make sense of all your different ideas and snippets of knowledge swirling in your head.
Once you have given this some thought and bought a pretty notebook, you can make a start.
You open your notebook, and empty pages are laughing at you.
Don't despair, and don't be afraid to "spoil" the pages.
Find a theme
It's okay to make mistakes, and there are ways to sort them out in a creative way (more on that later).
But before you start writing in your journal, decide what theme or topic you would like it to be about.
In recent years I have rediscovered classic literature, and I'm so obsessed with it that I've started a reading journal, which includes lists and summaries of the books I've read and listened to, including short stories and essays.
Last year, I have also started to collect my favourite poems in an A5 notebook whilst coming across the poem Do not go gently into that good night by Dylan Thomas in the film Interstellar.
Hearing the poem as it reflected the message of Interstellar was a moving experience, and I decided to start a collection of all my favourite poems that I happen to come across on the internet, in books, movies, and even music.
The commonplace book is a timeless classic and easy for a beginner to start with.
I keep this notebook on my living room table, so I can jot down any useful info I come across on TV, usually interesting phrases, travel info, recipes, book recommendations, tips and ideas I find useful.
It's a small notebook, half the size of A5. Everything random goes in there, including jokes I don't want to forget and the odd doodle :D
So with this notebook, you really can't do anything wrong.
For inspiration, I have also kept and now completed a Words of Wisdom notebook filled with quotes from literature, historical and contemporary people, who said something that resonated with me.
Other journal topics include travel, dreams, nature, recipes... And there is so much more depending on your interests (tarot journaling ideas).
No need for perfectionism
Mistakes happen, and it’s okay to change your mind.
One of my journals has been repurposed several times. It started as a diary, but after a while I realised that wasn't working for me.
Then I turned it into something else, which didn't work either, and now it's found its purpose as a book of favourite poems.
Every time I changed it, I had to carefully remove some pages, which I replaced with coloured paper.
You can also glue some patterned paper or magazine cuttings over written pages, if you want to change the contents of your journal.
For minor mistakes you can use washi tape or stickers.
Once you have worked out how to rectify mistakes, you will no longer be scared of writing in your pretty notebook.
I've also noticed that my journals become more creative the more mistakes or changes I make 😃
If you would like some more ideas on how to get started with journaling, check out my Seasonal Creative Journaling Kit, which also includes my ebook Journal Yourself Happy.
✨MaGiCaL INSPo✨
New beginnings: 22 Spring Self-Care Ideas To Nourish Your Soul Spring has been a washout in the UK and a drought in Mediterranean countries. The climate is going crazy, and yet, Spring is an exciting time for sowing seeds, watching new life emerge, and getting out and about.
What I'm reading: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - an old gothic classic, surprisingly readable and great fun. I love this Penguin Classics edition, which includes an introduction by Elizabeth Kostova, a preface by Percy Bysshe Shelley as well as related short stories by Lord Byron and Dr. Polidori.
What I have listened to: Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein - if you want to learn and understand how conspiracy theories develop and suck in the masses, then this is for you. It's a bit like Alice walking through the looking glass where reality becomes twisted and skewed. Scary stuff.
Amazing bookish discovery: Persephone Books - I came across this independent publisher based in Bath, UK, on YouTube, and signed up for their newsletter and free biannual magazine immediately. Love the magazine and can't wait to visit the shop and stock up on some great reading in Summer.
Bookshelf snapshot:
⭐Visit my UK online shop for affordable pre-loved tarot books & decks and handmade journals⭐
Until next time,
Christiane🦄🌻🌈💚
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