6-word exercise: My 6-word mission statement

TWO ONCE A WEEK JOURNALING TIPS

TWO ONCE A WEEK JOURNALING TIPS

~ 1. At least once a week, I recommend having one day to do a longer journal entry. Whatever you normally journal, however long or however much, double that if you are new to journaling (or took a break from it). Build up to tripling that in time.

If, however, you journal on a consistent basis, once a week, do a triple long one in time and in sentences. In time, add days per week you do this. Do one day of triple the journaling. Then, do two days, etc. 

The more you journal, the more you will get out of it. This is the bottom-line. 

~ 2. Once a week, review your previous journaling from the week. Then, do a journal entry about it. What jumped out of you? What do you want to write more about? 

TIP: I recommend doing #1 on Saturday and #2 on Sunday--if they are your days off. But, find what works for you! 

~ Stacy Duplease

(Photo by Stacy Duplease)

Facing the blank and empty page

Every single time you sit down to journal, you face an empty, blank page. 

Do you get intimidated by it--or does it excite you? 

TIP: I suggest journaling your answer to that question. Then, continue reading.

I think for most of us, it depends on the day as to our experience with the blank page and how it makes us feel. 

However, if you are the type who gets intimated by the blank page at any time, you might try these tips:

~ Remember that the empty page is something you CAN control. There are few things in this life we can control. We cannot control people or events, for example. But, we can control our reactions to people and events/circumstances. We can control our thoughts, emotions, and actions/behaviors. The blank, empty journal page is one things that we can control entirely. We decide what gets put down on the page. This gives us at least one thing in our lives we can control. This can be quite freeing.

~ Remember that you are the one who controls your reaction to the empty page. 

~ The empty page is actually an invitation. You get to have fun and put down on the page anything you want to. You get to do whatever you want with that page, at whatever time, in whatever way. 

~ The empty page is your friend. It is not your enemy.

~ The empty page is meant to be filled.

~ The empty page is calling out to you to put your life on it.

~ Journaling is meant to enrich your life. If you are threatened by it, change your thinking.

~ Journaling is probably the most beneficial thing you can do with your life. (That's no joke.) So, why let the empty page stifle you or make you feel uneasy? 

~ The empty page gives you the chance to experiment and be creative. Enjoy!  (And, remember, that every time you approach the page, even on the page you have already written, you have the opportunity to experiment and try new things.)

~ The empty page is a new beginning. Use it well. 

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.) 

~ Stacy Duplease

Where to journal

THE COMFORTABLE PLACE

I have found that if I journal in the same spot every day, it's a good thing at times. When I am in that spot, I know that I am to journal, and it does not take much to put me in that frame of mind. It's comfortable. It is safe. 

I recommend this for your everyday journaling for the main sit-down portion of your day. 

I have two main spots: my desk and a certain spot to the right of my husband on the sofa. 

I suggest you find your journaling spot as well.

EVERYWHERE ELSE

However, I also cannot suggest enough, learning how to journal in EVERY spot--no matter how many (or few) people, and journal regardless of how loud or quiet the place might be. In other words, get to the point you can journal anywhere and everywhere, in any condition, with any atmosphere, with however much or little noise. 

Why should you do this?

~ Your journaling should depend on nothing and no one. Period.

~ It gives you the opportunity to sneak some journaling in throughout your day and evening. 

~ Trying to journal in different places at different times, in different environments, will change the way you journal and what you get out of it. 

~ Variety is the spice of life. This is also true with journaling. 

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper Author & Sci-Fi Writer

The Story of John Arundell and Roanoke (A Sci-Fi Time Travel Novel)

& the Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Storykeeper 2121 Blog and Website: http://storykeeper2121.blogspot.com

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

What medium to use as your journal

So far, we have covered what to journal, how to journal, and when to journal. But, now, let's take a look at what to use as your journal. 

Ask yourself this question: Do I prefer to write via hand or on a computer?

Then, ask yourself this question: Do I want my journals to last forever or not?

Then ask, Do I want to take the chance on losing my journals at any time (acts of God or theft)?

If you want to journal via hand, then take a look at the section below of Paper Journaling. 

If you want to journal via cell phone, tablet, laptop, or computer, take a look at the Digital Journaling section.

If you want your journals to last and be permanent, look at the Permanent and Lasing Journal section below. 

Paper Journaling

There are many different ways to do paper journaling.

Just remember paper and pens cost money and can be lost, stolen, or damaged  Also, the paper and ink do not hold up over time. For instance, anything other than black ink starts to fade in a matter of a couple of years. Black ink, too, will start to fade, but not like other colors of ink. Another thing to keep in mind is how paper journal take up space.

Here are a few suggestions of how to paper journal:

~ Blank book.

~ Loose-leaf sheets of paper

~ 3-ring binder and paper

~ Spiral notebooks

~ Composition books

~ Steno pads

~ 3 x 5 index cards

~ Legal pads

~ Scrapbook

~ Calendar or Planner

I recommend once a week typing them up in your computer so you have a lasting journal.. save it to the internet on the cloud and have a permanent journal. 

Digital Journaling

This is the type of journaling done on a cell, tablet, laptop, and/or computer. Here are some ways to journal with any of those devices:

~ Blank document (saved to Google Drive, the cloud, Box, DropBox, etc.)

~ Send daily emails to yourself

~ Google Docs

~ Keep a blog (public or private)

~ Penzu.com

~ On your online calendar/planner

~ Evernote (app)

~ ColorNote (app)

The Permanent and Lasting Journal

If you save your journals to your computer, cell, tablet, and/or computer, and to your hard-drive  it does not mean that you cannot lose your journals. They can still be lost. 

Therefore, I recommend saying them to your email, to Google Docs, to Box or DropBox, to Google Drive, your computer, AND external hard-drive. 

If you save them in the ways I just mentioned, and have a way for people to know to access them later (when you die), then, they are permanent and lasting journals. 

I cannot suggest this enough.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

~ Stacy Duplease

Two once a week journaling tips

~ 1. At least once a week, I recommend having one day to do a longer journal entry. Whatever you normally journal, however long or however much, double that if you are new to journaling (or took a break from it). Build up to tripling that in time.

If, however, you journal on a consistent basis, once a week, do a triple long one in time and in sentences. In time, add days per week you do this. Do one day of triple the journaling. Then, do two days, etc. 

The more you journal, the more you will get out of it. This is the bottom-line. 

~ 2. Once a week, review your previous journaling from the week. Then, do a journal entry about it. What jumped out of you? What do you want to write more about? 

TIP: I recommend doing #1 on Saturday and #2 on Sunday--if they are your days off. But, find what works for you! 

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

~ Stacy Duplease

Make each day and journal entry count

Yesterday, I talked about how important it is to write at least one sentence of a journal entry every single day, 365 days per year. I cannot stress this enough. 

One sentence is bare minimum, however. The ideal is to a great deal more over time. But, start with one sentence per day. (Do 1 sentence per day for a week. Then, do 2 for a week at a minimum, then 4 sentences for a week, etc. The next thing you know, you will be journaling for a 30 minutes--then 1 hour per day. In fact, sometimes  you will journal for hours in a day. But, all of this comes in time, habit, and experience.)

The key here is to make your sentence, or however long your journal entry, count.

Let me repeat:

Make your journal entry count.

Don't just write: "Today was a decent day." Or: "I did dishes, cooked, and worked."

In a year, when you re-read that, will you remember that day? 

Rather, talk about something memorable from that day. In other words, what stuck out to you--good or bad? What got your attention?

So, for the one sentence, it can be something like these examples:

~ I focused on joy today.

~ I focused on this quote or scripture today...

~ I counted my blessings for having the spouse I have today. 

~ I realized my priorities have slipped.  

~ I wish there was more time in the day.

~ Busyness is making me live a mediocre life.

~ I remembered when I was little how for Christmas, the tree fell over and I had no idea how my mom could cuss. 

~ My dream came true today of...

~ I lost my job today at this company...

~ I am scared for the USA.

~ I've been walking around in mindless living. 

~ I miss...

These are deeper sentences. As a matter of fact, after you write that one sentence, you might not be able to stop writing and might feel compelled to write more. Saying, "Today could have been better " doesn't necessarily want you to journal more. You bore yourself. The other deeper examples are the opposite. 

The whole goal of living is to live well... Not just get by. So, how are we living today to make it memorable? If we are not, well... that tells us what we need to adjust. We should make each day count and each journal entry count. 

I recommend this even if you are beyond the one-sentence per day journaling. Go deeper. Don't just be shallow. Make your day memorable. 

***** TIP: If, at the end of you day, there was nothing memorable... Remember something from the past and get that written down on the page. Then, tomorrow, make sure you live a memorable day in some way--whether it is something you do, think, realize  plan, or focus on a motivational quote or scripture. Those can also be your making your day count sentence or journal entry. *****

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images online.)

~ Stacy Duplease

When should you journal?

If you are a morning person, journal in the morning.

If you are a night owl, journal at night.

At every opportunity.

Every day. One sentence. 

~ Stacy Duplease

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.) 

How do I journal and how should you journal?

HOW DO I JOURNAL?
So, what type of journaling do I do? And: How do I do? are virtually the same question.

If you were to ask me: "How do I journal and what type of journaling do I do?" I would answer: It depends on the day, on my mood, the weather, the time, and every other factor. I realize that really does not answer the question, but it doesn't make it any less true.

Question: How do I journal?

Simple Answer: I do what works for me at the time. 

More Complex Answer: I try to journal every day--at least one sentence. But, in reality  I journal at least 30 minutes a day. More often than not, I journal a couple hours every day--right now. A month ago, the one sentence thing was pushing it. So, like I said... How I journal depends. I do a combination of handwritten and digital for the first copy of my journal. But, I make sure within one week to get my handwritten on the Internet and on the cloud--so it is permanent  I journal what I do each day. I journal my experiences, thoughts, feelings emotions, about conversations I have  about AHA! moments, I count my blessings. I vent. I dream. I write. I journal on my cell, on my Amazon Kindle Fire (1st generation), and desktop. I journal with My Memories Suite (a digital scrapbook), Google Docs within my Google Drive, with Penzu (my latest favorite), and within the three books I just wrote and will receive in the next two weeks. I try to journal as much as possible about my past, present, and future. I capture work photographs in my journal. I wrote my life story in my journal. I make lists. I make mindmaps. I journal for fun. I journal when I am upset. I journal to plan goals and check my goals and how they're coming along. I write and journal to gain a new fresh perspective. I journal so I center myself and focus on God and draw nearer to him again. I pray. I do journaling prompts. I journal to check my priorities and see if I am living them well. I do SOCs (Stream of Conscious Journaling) more often than anything else. I talk about people, the news, events, and my reactions to them. 

In short, how do I journal? I do it all--and it all depends.

I do what works for me in that moment. 

I think this is how I've been able to journal for 30 years--and it feels like a matter of days at times--and like decades other times. But, overall, journaling is the mot rewarding thing I ever do with my life.

HOW SHOULD YOU JOURNAL?
I cannot stress this enough: DAILY.

Some journalkeepers would not agree with me. They would say whenever works for you.
Journaling is not meant to be convenient (but, it can be). It's not supposed to be easy (few things in life are easy. If things were easy, everyone would be doing them.). Journaling every day is demanding. I won't argue.

However...

Note, I did not say how much you should journal every day.

I will now, though.

Journal at least one sentence every single day 365 days a year. 

Yep. One sentence. That's it. To start.

But, make that one sentence count. Talk about the one event that stood out most from your day--positive or negative. What is it about that one event that was memorable? And, if I can't think of one thing... That brings up a whole new issue in my life. I should live every moment of my day--so that every moment is a memorable one. Otherwise, I am just skating by, living a mediocre existence--just surviving. I don't just want to live. I want to thrive. How about you? 

So, journal every day. One sentence.

Do that for a week.

Then, the following week, add one sentence per day. 

Then, add another sentence the following week. 

Keep adding sentences like this until you are up to however long that feels right to you--that day. I recommend half an hour a day on average. But, again, that is up to you. But journal at least one sentence every day. 

There is something I've learned through the years:

The more I journal, the higher quality of life I live.

It's in direct correlation. Literally. The more I journal, the better the life I live. Period. End of story.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

~ Stacy Duplease

Journaling is...

Journaling is writing the story of your life.

It is where you share your memories, lessons learned, and goals. 

A Journal is where you remember the past, live intentionally in the moment, and plan for the future. 

A journal is a story of your life and all of your: thoughts, prayers, emotions, choices, dreams, people, possessions, challenges, faith (and lack thereof at times), critters (pets), stress,   experiences, grief, photographs, births, art, books, realization, anniversaries, movies, new beginnings (starting over/trying again), TV shows, counted blessings, to do's, frustrations, music, work/employment/career, celebration, venting, death, marriage, separation, divorce, creative thought, song, poetry, happiness, friends, family, school, church, military life, exercise, food, recollections, homes, houses, vacations/travel, etc. 

Journaling is where you learn and re-learn your priorities and live them. 

So, again, I say that journaling is writing the story of your life--and everyone and everything your life includes. 

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper Author & Sci-Fi Writer

The Story of John Arundell and Roanoke (A Sci-Fi Time Travel Novel)

& the Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

What is journaling?

Journaling is putting your memories of your life down on the page.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper Author & Sci-Fi Writer

The Story of John Arundell and Roanoke (A Sci-Fi Time Travel Novel)

& the Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121