Journaling Matters: Personal Journaling

Journaling matters a great deal in my life. I would not be the woman I am not if not for journaling.

As I have taken time to reflect on my life over the last year in particular, I've come to realize something. I have not journaled to the degree I wanted or to the depth I need.

Then again, if I am completely honest, I would have to admit I have not done so in 11.5 years.

Wow. What an in-your-face acknowledgment.

For the record, I have not realized this, or put it to words until now, in this moment, as I write this blog post. When I started this blog post, it was to let you know how much journaling means to me. But, I see it's metamorphosized into something bigger. I am being authentic with you--so you know how everyone has their struggles. No one is perfect. And life sure isn't fair and never has been and never will be fair.

I have journaled. Yes. I have journaled a great deal at times, and not so much at other times.

However, I allowed what I thought was a dream sidetrack me from what was truly important in my life. (Pardon me as I stop and re-read what I've typed so far. It's quite profound. This is an AHA moment. It's a time of conviction, eye-opening, and dream adjustment. It's a change in my overall point-of-view. In other words, this is a HUGE life-changing moment for me as I become aware of some truths I have not vocalized or even realized--in my journal or aloud.)

By the way, yes. As I journal, I will often times go back and re-read what I have journaled so that it penetrates deeper. So I can allow myself to chew on the new discoveries. So I can be changed because of what I have written--and been told by God.

Also, you will see I violate all sorts of grammar and writing rules as I journal. I write for impact and not to impress anyone. (As I publish, it's another thing.) Also, on this blog, I want to share the rawness with you--not be something I am not. My journaling has flaws.

I make mistakes. I am human.

But, my journaling transforms me more into the woman who lives her passions and is: A memory-maker prayerful wife, and journalkeeper.

Okay... Now that I got sidetracked... and I tend to do that when I journal--and have to bring myself back to the heart of the matter.

I think fiction has been a way to sidetrack me from living my true dream and passion--from God's purpose.

That's why I stopped taking place in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). That's also why I decided to write memoirs, and books on how to journal, rather than fiction.

I recommitted to journaling, and teaching journaling, on 14 November 2012. This is a big day in my life.

However, I must be honest--with you and with myself. I do not think I have journaled as deeply as I could--even the last 2.5 weeks. This needs to change. I think I have finally started the process as my eyes were opened as I wrote this blog post.

Here is another confession. I do not journal as much as I would prefer or as much as I need each day. and, often times, I forget to take my own advice... And, I get sidetracked and distracted too often.

The last year, as a matter of fact, I have done mostly--nothing but spin my wheels. In many ways, I think I wasted the last year. (Ouch.)

I've tried to make several things work that haven't. (Then again, that
could really be said about the last four years. Another ouch.)

So, what now?

Do I kick myself? Do I hold this over my own head? My answer: No and no. What good would that do? Can I change the past? Nope. However, I can sure change the present--and plan for the future. I will analyze things a lot more for a while and see how it could have been avoided and what to change. I will share my new wisdom with you. And, I will carry on. I will make my dreams come true: To leave a legacy and live a memorable life. Every day. And, I will teach others to do the same.

Now, I will go back and re-read this blog post/journal entry a few more times and journal some more about it.

So, how about you? Have you ever thought you were aiming to make your dream come true, only to realize it was the wrong dream? And, do you journal as much, or as deeply as you should or want?

-- Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

It's the time of year for reflection

I do not know about you, but I cannot help but take the time every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas to reflect on the year. This year is no exception.

Have you taken some time to do so in your life?

By the way, at the beginning of every year, I make goals for the following year to help make my dreams come true.

I've done this every year for almost 20 years. It's a tradition in my life and is one I really value. That's what I love about journaling. I am given the chance to do so in a deeper way--and often reflect more often as I journal.

Let's take some time to reflect on the last year, the last 2-5, 5-10, 10-20, and every decade thereafter. It's the perfect time of year for it. Want to join me?

-- Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.)

Journaling Exercises in General

I want to make something perfectly clear. Any journaling exercise or prompt I mention in this blog is a mere suggestion. It's something to help you if you get stuck or want to do something different.

However, with that being said, these exercises are proven to work well. If you want to get the most out of your journaling  I would try each. Figure out what works for you and how to tweak it to your preference. 

The point of this blog is to help you get your life on the page--the past, present, and future--so that you can leave your legacy and your story is remembered to the year 2121 and beyond.

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

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

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online.) 

MORE MEMORY MINING JOURNALING EXERCISE

Take inventory of your stories. All of them. Make lists of each memory that comes to mind. Do this every day--including new memories and observations you made that day.

As memories come to you, make sure to get them down on the page.

Then, in time, write a paragraph of each and every memory you have.

As you find the time, journal 2 paragraphs of each memory, and then 3 paragraphs of each memory. Finally, of the most important memories, write 1-page or more of each memory.

(Image Credit: Microsoft Images Online)

MINING YOUR MEMORIES WITH LISTS JOURNALING EXERCISE

LIST TO DETAILS

The best journaling helps you to put your life on the page and leave your legacy. It also helps you to dig deeper and live a fuller, deeper, and more intentional life. This is where you start to live on purpose.

However, how do you do that? What does that look like and why would you want to do that?

It's important to mine your memories. That way, you learn what is really important to you and what is less important. Every memory you have is important, it's a matter of what you find most important today and how it has shaped you to be who you are and what you have done. Get them all down on the page in lists. 

Then, you take items of each list and write more about each. You get to what is most important and what stands out most in your life--today. And you focus on that. You try to get every memory and every detail out of that (Whatever "that" is.)

For instance, take a simple coffee mug in my cabinet. It's one of two favorites. This seems simple enough and not very important. It's just a mug, after all. However, if I look further into it, the mugs are important to me. There is a reason why they are my favorites. So, I need to explore this. How do I do that? First, I do a SOC 

Both read, HISTORIC JAMESTOWN. 

MINING YOUR MEMORIES JOURNALING EXERCISE

Start with writing lists of your memories. Do all sorts of journaling prompts to make as many lists as possible (List suggestions: people, places, things/objects, memories, favorites, least favorites, 10 objects of each room of your house, songs, books, TV shows, games, specific years in your life, decades of your life, etc.).

~ Get it all down in the lists--your memories and anything else that comes to mind. Do a SOC (Stream of Consciousness) writing to get them all down. Write down everything that comes to mind in a list.

~ Then, take three of those items and write more details about each. Do a SOC on each of the three items. Do a word association, mind map, SOC, or anything else that comes to mind about each of the three items. 

~ Take those three items and write a longer journal entry on each. 

~ Write about the six senses of: smell, sight, smell, touch, taste, and perception/intuition on each of the three items. 

~ Ask who, what, where, when, why, and how questions about each of the three items. 

~ Then, a week from the time you finish this, do it again for this list. Choose three items to write more about. 

Then, take two weeks off and do it again.

Then, take a month off and do it again. 

Then, do it in three months.

Then, do it in 6 months.

Then, do it in one year. 

Then, do it in 1.5 years.

Then, do it in two years.

Then, do it in 5 years.
Then, do it in 10 years.
Then do it in 20 years.
Then, do it in 25 years. 

~ Stacy Duplease

(Image Credit: Stacy Duplease 2012.)