My "rule" is that I won't let skip writing in my journal 2 days in a row, and that is comfortable and good for me. My journal has evolved from just words to include doodles, Sprocket prints of my photos, and stickers - lots of stickers. I also love to enhance with colored pens. All that said, I love, love, love to just write. My starting prompt is "I just want to tell you" or "Right now I feel". Either of these prompts get me started.
Thanks for this post! It's fun to read about how other people journal.
thank you for sharing this newsletter. I truly enjoyed reading it. I giggled to myself a little bit on the part where you mentioned that your high school journals contain salacious details- i can relate because I was just reading through mine the other day and I went "wow". hahahah.
I like the part where you include card pulling as part of your process. I would like to include that in as well to my morning writing ritual. Love it! thank you so much once again!
I absolutely think that I need to do the three page stream of consciousness writing but my hand goes numb after a couple sentences. I’m going to have to use a computer and it’s just not the same.
What you said about your “inner critic jumping up and down and shouting about how stupid and pointless all of this is,” really resonates with me. If writing three pages helps with that, I’m down to try it!
I hear you about your hand going numb after writing for a short while. I had the same issue, and found that pausing to stretch my hand and fingers helped; over time I’ve built up muscle strength and can write for longer periods. With so much done by typing these days, I’m hearing hand fatigue when writing is actually quite common.
The other technique I’ve found helpful is writing from the shoulder like a calligrapher, instead of using my wrist and fingers so much. There’s a good brief discussion of it on Reddit here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Handwriting/comments/yuv3um/how_do_calligraphy_professionals_write_with_a/ and this YouTube video shows a similar technique for ‘business penmanship’: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7setkJXxfd4&t=44s&pp=2AEskAIB. Looking for links to show what I’m referring to, I saw some comments from left-handers that the technique doesn’t work as well for them; I write right-handed so I can’t speak to that. As an artist I draw and paint from the shoulder a lot, since it’s good for longer lines than what’s within the wrist’s range of motion.
I tried to make time for daily journaling, once. But have learned that my life can be rather mundane and doesn't require much reflection. I have since reserved journaling for when I'm bubbling over with a particular emotion. It has helped immensely in my ability to move forward or on, especially in more life altering, problematic life experiences I wish to lessen the burden of the memory.
I’ve done morning pages for years without ever thinking about doing the other things you list, especially the collages. My mind just creaked open a little wider
I desperately want and need to start a daily practice to get out of my head and remember the progress I’ve made. Thanks for the insights on what you do and how you do it!
I fully understand how your routine is important to your mental health and the way your day moves on, I feel exactly the same.
I also understand what it’s like when you ignore this routine and unfortunately that’s where I am now since changing jobs and having a very early commute into the office.
I’m determined to find a way to bring it back into my life though and your post has inspired me to keep experimenting until I find something that works. Thank you ☺️.
I really like the colors and composition of the National Geographic spread!
Thanks for the tips - I opened this because I'm obsessed with buying notebooks and I keep not filling them 😬 I'm hoping to start sketchbook journaling again soon though!
Thank you. It’s helpful for me to see what someone else is doing. I’m great at starting and bad at persevering. And I can’t believe you get all this finished in less than an hour!
You have a way better system than I do. Mine is just chaos, eventually some form of structure, a lot of messy sketches and doodling I do when on the phone. I love my chaos though, it has been with me for 10 years of journaling, among quotes, college sketches and classic "dear diary" notes, I feel like my biographer has a lot of material to work in the future hahaha
My "rule" is that I won't let skip writing in my journal 2 days in a row, and that is comfortable and good for me. My journal has evolved from just words to include doodles, Sprocket prints of my photos, and stickers - lots of stickers. I also love to enhance with colored pens. All that said, I love, love, love to just write. My starting prompt is "I just want to tell you" or "Right now I feel". Either of these prompts get me started.
Thanks for this post! It's fun to read about how other people journal.
those are great starters! and stickers are the best, seriously.
These are great prompts. Thanks for sharing them!
thank you for sharing this newsletter. I truly enjoyed reading it. I giggled to myself a little bit on the part where you mentioned that your high school journals contain salacious details- i can relate because I was just reading through mine the other day and I went "wow". hahahah.
I like the part where you include card pulling as part of your process. I would like to include that in as well to my morning writing ritual. Love it! thank you so much once again!
definitely a lot of "what on earth were you thinking?!" moments in my teenage journals!
Hahahaha yes!!! a lot of cringe moments hahahaha.
I absolutely think that I need to do the three page stream of consciousness writing but my hand goes numb after a couple sentences. I’m going to have to use a computer and it’s just not the same.
What you said about your “inner critic jumping up and down and shouting about how stupid and pointless all of this is,” really resonates with me. If writing three pages helps with that, I’m down to try it!
I hear you about your hand going numb after writing for a short while. I had the same issue, and found that pausing to stretch my hand and fingers helped; over time I’ve built up muscle strength and can write for longer periods. With so much done by typing these days, I’m hearing hand fatigue when writing is actually quite common.
The other technique I’ve found helpful is writing from the shoulder like a calligrapher, instead of using my wrist and fingers so much. There’s a good brief discussion of it on Reddit here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Handwriting/comments/yuv3um/how_do_calligraphy_professionals_write_with_a/ and this YouTube video shows a similar technique for ‘business penmanship’: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7setkJXxfd4&t=44s&pp=2AEskAIB. Looking for links to show what I’m referring to, I saw some comments from left-handers that the technique doesn’t work as well for them; I write right-handed so I can’t speak to that. As an artist I draw and paint from the shoulder a lot, since it’s good for longer lines than what’s within the wrist’s range of motion.
Good luck with your journaling! 😊
I tried to make time for daily journaling, once. But have learned that my life can be rather mundane and doesn't require much reflection. I have since reserved journaling for when I'm bubbling over with a particular emotion. It has helped immensely in my ability to move forward or on, especially in more life altering, problematic life experiences I wish to lessen the burden of the memory.
I’ve done morning pages for years without ever thinking about doing the other things you list, especially the collages. My mind just creaked open a little wider
I desperately want and need to start a daily practice to get out of my head and remember the progress I’ve made. Thanks for the insights on what you do and how you do it!
I fully understand how your routine is important to your mental health and the way your day moves on, I feel exactly the same.
I also understand what it’s like when you ignore this routine and unfortunately that’s where I am now since changing jobs and having a very early commute into the office.
I’m determined to find a way to bring it back into my life though and your post has inspired me to keep experimenting until I find something that works. Thank you ☺️.
My journaling practice always ebbs and flows; keep experimenting and I'm sure you'll find something that works for you in this new phase of life!
Wow. Thank you for this nourishing inspiration... I feel fed by your candid share. 🫶🏻
Hmm
https://substack.com/@martinzuzak/note/c-131047236?r=3en26e
This post is so inspiring!!! Thank you!
With pictures drawings cutouts or words!?
I really like the colors and composition of the National Geographic spread!
Thanks for the tips - I opened this because I'm obsessed with buying notebooks and I keep not filling them 😬 I'm hoping to start sketchbook journaling again soon though!
Thank you. It’s helpful for me to see what someone else is doing. I’m great at starting and bad at persevering. And I can’t believe you get all this finished in less than an hour!
This was really truly useful - which can’t be said for all articles on journalling. Thank you!
Ooooh this looks juicy! Can’t wait to read it
LOVE THIS.
You have a way better system than I do. Mine is just chaos, eventually some form of structure, a lot of messy sketches and doodling I do when on the phone. I love my chaos though, it has been with me for 10 years of journaling, among quotes, college sketches and classic "dear diary" notes, I feel like my biographer has a lot of material to work in the future hahaha
I love that, Vanessa! Embrace the chaos!