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