It's in the small details you find the most meaning

As you journal and/or write your story (your memoir), you start by writing the facts of a memory. you write a report like a reporter of just the facts, ma'am. This is the best way to start.

Then, you ask: who, what, where, when. why, how, and what-if questions and answer the endless possibilities.

Next, you add the five senses of: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.

Finally, you look at the finer, smaller details, more minute--like the sight of Granny's gravy boat--what it looked like, what it meant, and how you have a gravy bowl you use, but it always makes you think of Granny's--and of her--and how much she meant and means to you. 

It's those smaller details that go to the heart of the matter--and the heart of our story. 

These are the memory snapshots. These are the memories we mine and we find the msot valuable treasure in these details and in these memories. 

Look at the smaller details in your journaling. This is when you are finally writing deeply. This is where your true exploration begins. This is what you include in your memoir. This is what you should journal most about. 

But, it takes all of those other steps to get to the heart of the matter. 

These smaller details mean the most and are what will capture your reader's attention mroe than than anything. they also define who you are and what makes you who you are and what make you tick. 

The smaller, finer details are what mean the most. 

It's in the small details you find the most meaning. 

~ Stacy Duplease

Journalkeeper & Memoir Writer

Dealing with your stuff: A journaling exercise or prompt

It's important to deal with your stuff, so your stuff does not deal with you. 

So, what stuff keeps working on you, coming to mind, chasing you, tapping on your shoulder, pulling you--good or bad? (Journal your response.) 

It's important to acknowledge your stuff, so you can deal with it--so it will not deal with you. If you don't, you cannot move on. There will be no forward motion in your life. The days might go by, but you end up being stuck where you stuff first started to collect and brew. 

What do you need to deal with?

Start this today. 

~ Stacy Duplease

Journalkeeper

A room by room journaling exercise or prompt

As you think of memories over the next year, there are all sorts of tricks to use to help us remember all of our past memories. After all, each of them have brought you where you are today and have made you who you are today.

Grab your journal and sit in every room in your house. Make a list of  everything,and I mean everything, you see. Once you do that, list every memory you have of each item. Then, write at least a page of each memory.

Then, think about all of the places you have lived and do the same as the above.

Then, think about other people's houses you have been in and the memories associated with the people, the rooms, and objects from each room if you can.

-- Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

Blessings Journaling: Always Give Thanks

Rather than do what is called gratitude journaling, do Counting of Blessings Journaling (or Blessings Journaling). 

The difference between the two is the second recognizes what God has done in one's life, around one's life, and through one's life.

JOURNALING EXERCISE OR PROMPT FOR 2013

Count the Blessings in your life each and every day all year long in 2013. Write at least 3 each day.

Most of the blessings you count, by the way, are memories. Therefore, you might want to write more about them later. This is another way to leave your legacy.

And, just think--if you're having a rough day, you can always look at the blessings you had before and it should re-motivate you and help you find blessings on those challenging days.

(Image Credit: Stacy Duplease 2009-2014.) 

Journaling Retreat: Stirring Up the Memories

Journaling Retreat

Well, we are about halfway through our second day of our journaling retreat. I just thought I would check in with you.

JOURNALING EXERCISE AND PROMPT:

* So, how are you really? 

* How has today's journaling retreat been for you?

* How is it for you to remember the memories--the good, the bad, the ugly, and the indifferent? 

* Has stirring up the memories been a good or tough thing? 

* What are your favorite memories that you've listed?

* What are the most powerful memories you've listed?

* What are the most life-changing memories you've listed?

* What has surprised you?

* What memory snapshots do you want to do? 

* What have you learned through writing your memory list?

* Is there anything you want to share?

* What do you want to write more about? (Which memories?)

WHAT NOW?

So, what should we do now that we are almost halfway through our day? 

* Keep doing whatever journaling prompt or style you want to associated with this memory list retreat. 

* Do some memory snapshots.

* Write a paragraph of journaling of 7 different memories.

* Write 1-page for 1 memory.

* Etc. Etc. Etc.: Do whatever you want to do. 

~ Stacy Duplease

Journaling Retreat: The Day After

Journaling Retreat

Why don't we grab our favorite beverage and some food, if we haven't done that already? Then, while we are at it, we should probably grab our journals so we can start our day of journaling.

In this case, we are on Day 2 of our Journaling Retreat. However, this blog post can be used in the future for the day after a journaling retreat. It was a retreat in which our goal is to get as many memories down on the page from our lives as possible: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the indifferent--all of them. Today, we will spend another day doing much the same. However, there will be a few differences.

Therefore, whether you have a 1-day journaling retreat or a 14 day one, this blog post will provide more information for having a journaling retreat of your own--or joining me on my planned journaling retreats. 

JOURNALING EXERCISE OR PROMPT:

* So, how did your journaling retreat go yesterday? What did you think about it?

* Did it go as well as you hoped--or not so well?

* How many pages of journaling did you get done? (But, remember  it's about quality--not quantity. I am asking this question merely as a point of reference.)

YESTERDAY

I had several thoughts yesterday as I made my memory list:

1 "Wow! I forgot that."

2 "That reminds me."

When I would write or re-read my memories, they would remind me of other memories.)

3 "What perfect timing before Christmas."

I get sentimental at Christmastime very year. this year is no exception. It was a wonderful time to focus on memories. It gave me a big warm fuzzy on the inside for the most part. (Note to self: Do this every year just before Christmas. It was worthwhile.)

3 "I'm stuck."

I would get stuck. I would get to the point I didn't know what to do, think, or write next.

4 "I'm tired." 

By the end of the day I was exhausted. I could not write another word until I took a break.

Yesterday went better, and worse, than I imagined at the start of the day. I do not know about all of you. Also, I had never done such an intense day of memory listing. Never. Not like that. The truth is I would do it all again--and will today. But, I learned a few things I will do differently today, which I will share with you in a moment.

MY STORYKEEPER ODYSSEY OF 2013

My goal for 2013 is to get all of my memories down on the page and in my journal. I also want to write about each of those memories and focus on writing a great deal on a few of them. I want to look back at these memories from today's eyes and see where I have come, where I am, where I am headed, and where I want to go from here. 

I want to look at how my experiences, memories, and stories have shaped who I am today. I also want to make sure I write the stories of others' in my lives as well--since their stories have undoubtedly shaped mine. 

TODAY'S JOURNALING RETREAT

Our goal of this 2-day journaling retreat is to get as many memories listed from our lives as possible in our journals. We want to try to write enough of a description that we can look back it a year from now and know what memory we referred to as we listed our memories. 

Make sure to get as many memories down on the page as possible, using the prompts described in this blog post:

http://storykeeper2121.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-storykeeper-odyssey-journaling.html

I also recommend doing as many of the prompts as possible, and a few of your own, so you don't get too tired, too bored, or get to the point you are tried and need a break. Keep it fresh.

If you do get stuck, pick one of the memories you have listed and write more about it. In fact, you might want to do a Memory Snapshot of the memory. 

MEMORY SNAPSHOT JOURNALING: 

It's okay to do steps 1-5 with just one memory. You can also just do #1-2 for one memory or #1-5. However, just remember how the more you do, the more you'll get out of this exercise. What you want to do exactly is up to you. 

~ 1 List in your journal at least 5 memories you have or haven't mentioned previously. Give each of the 5 memories a memory title, date (or at least approximate season or month as well as year), how old you were, a paragraph description, and how it's shaped your life.

~ 2 Choose 3 of the memories and write about a page about each. (Do one paragraph or 10 pages--depending on your time and your drive that day). List each of the 6 senses of: discernment/intuition, smell, sound, taste, touch, and sight regarding each memory. Also, answer who, what, where, when, why, how, and what-if questions in regards to that memory. (You may also choose to do a SOC about them as well.)

~ 3 Choose 2 of the memories which stand out to you the most and take 3-7 snapshots/photos of the memory with your imaginary camera. If the memory is crystal clear and you remember lots of detail, make it 7 snapshots. If it's foggy, make it 3. If it's in-between, you decide how many snapshots. Then, describe each in your journal. This will add about a paragraph per snapshot per memory.

~ 4 Take 1 snapshot from each memory and write it from the perspective of a stranger who's looking into the moment. Remember, the stranger doesn't know any of the people or events in the snapshot until the stranger sees this snapshot for the first time. Be descriptive.

~ 5 Plan on what future memories you might want to do this with later. 

IT'S THAT TIME

Shall we get started on our journaling retreat today? I will write more blog posts periodically to help us along. 

~ Stacy Duplease

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.)

Review of Your Journaling (with Journaling Review Template)

INTRO (AND WHEN?)

Every week, month, 3 months, 6 months, year, 2 years, 4 years, 5 years, 7 years, 10 years, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 years, etc., it is important to review your journaling. 

WHAT IS REVIEW?

It is re-reading your journaling from the past periods listed previously in the Intro section of this blog post. Then, you summarize that period of time. Finally, you analyze that period of time in your journal. 

WHY?

Review is important to review for several reasons:

1. Review helps you remember--where you are, have come from, and are going--so you do not forget. 

2. It helps you to analyze things of/in your life.

3. You can see what patterns/repetition there is in your life.

4. It's important to take a look at the lessons learned.

5. Review helps you know what to change.

6. It reminds you of how far you've come.

7. It helps you to count your blessings.

8. It gives you a fresh/new perspective and point-of-view.

9. It gives you more manageable segments of your journaling so in 30 years, you do not have to re-read everything on a yearly basis. 

HOW?

Do this Review Journaling Exercise for each of the segments listed above. 

If you have journaled before, do this:

Do whichever of the steps are applicable below, according to how many days, weeks, months, and/or years of journaling you have.

1. Go week by week through your journaling and fill out the Journaling Review Template (JRT). Start at the beginning of your journaling. Do the JRT for each week until you catch-up to today. (TIP: If you did not journal every day, do the weekly for every 5 or 7-days of journaling.)

2. Take four of your weekly reviews (the Weekly JRTs) and do a month review for them (even if it's a period of time longer than a month).

3. Take three of your monthly reviews (the Monthly JRTs) and do a 3-month review for them (even if it's a longer period of time than 3-months).

4. Take two of your 3-month reviews (the 3-months JRTs) and do a 6-month review for them (even if it's a longer period of time than 6-months).

5. Take two of your 6-month reviews (the 6-months JRTs) and do a year review for them (even if it's a longer period of time than a year). 

6. Take two of your 1-year reviews (the year JRTs) and do a 2-year review for them (even if it's a longer period of time than 2 years). 

7. Take two of your 2-year reviews (the 2-year JRTs) and do a 4-year review for them (even if it's a longer period of time than 4 years). 

8. Take two of your 2-year reviews  plus a 1-year review and do a 5-year review for them (even if it's a longer period of time than 5 years).  

9. Take two of your 5-year reviews (the 5-year JRTs) and do a 10-year review for them (even if it's a longer period of time than 5 years).  

10. Then, do the 10-year, 15-year, 20-year, and every 5 year denomination after that.

11. Do the next section after this one when you are caught up to today.

If you have not journaled before, or have done any fo the previous 11 steps, then do this:

The Journaling Review Template.

THE JOURNALING REVIEW TEMPLATE (EXERCISE) INSTRUCTIONS:

1. At the end of every week, do the Weekly JRT from your previous 7-days of journaling. 

2. If you have a total of 4 Weekly JRTs at this point, do the Monthly JRT. If not, skip to the JRT Section. 

3. If you have a total of 3 Monthly JRTs, do the 3-Month Review. If not, skip to the JRT Section. 

4. If you have a total of 2 3-Month JRTs, do the 6-Month Review. If not, skip to the JRT Section. 

5. If you have a total of 2 6-Month JRTs, do the Year Review. If not, skip to the JRT Section. 

6. If you have a total of 5 Year JRTs, do the 5-Year Review. After this, do in segments of every 5 years. If not, skip to the JRT Section.

JRT: JOURNALING REVIEW TEMPLATE

1. Write an one-sentence summary of this time period.

2. Write an one-paragraph summary of this time period.

3. List the top 7 memories, or top 7 memorable things, from this time period.

4. What went didn't go so well?

5. What went well and you want to repeat?

6. What lessons were learned?

7. What did you remember from the past?

8. What did you plan for the future?

9. Do a Stream of Consciousness (SOC) and write about whatever comes to mind about this time period. 

10. Write more about 3 of your 3 strongest memories or memorable things from this time period (as a continuation of #3). 

11. Write a 2-paragraph summary. 

12. Write anything else that comes to mind. 

~ Stacy Duplease

(Image Credit: Stacy Duplease. 17 Nov. 2012. Virginia Beach.)

Monday Morning Journaling Exercise

INTRO: WHAT IS THE MONDAY MORNING JOURNALING EXERCISE?

If you take a weekend off from journaling, it is important to make sure to have a session of journaling to claim what happened, and was memorable, on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. That way, you do not forget about it later.

I recommend this exercise if you didn't do any journaling--or if you did. This Journaling Exercise might bring out more from your journaling, after all, if you did journal over the weekend. 

TIP: Make sure to do it first thing Monday morning before you get too busy. If there is one thing I've learned, if I get busy, I might not get this journaling down on the page. 

ANOTHER TIP: You can do this Sunday before you go to bed as well--or each night or morning over the weekend. Do whatever works for you--and works for you at the time. You might need to do something different each week--depending on your schedule and what comes up in your life. 

ANOTHER TIP: Do this every week and do not skip this. You'll get a lot out of it. 

THE MONDAY MORNING JOURNALING EXERCISE

TIP: Do at the very least #'s 1-4, preferable #'s 5-10.

1. Take out your calendar/planner and make sure to fill in what you did over the weekend, if you haven't already. If you have, go back through it and see if you forgot anything.

(TIP: I always put everything first on my online calendar that I have on my phone, Amazon Kindle Fire, and computer/PC. That way, if I don't have time to journal, I at least have that record and can journal more about it later on the week. I've noticed if I don't do this, I will forget about it. So, I always start here.) 

2. In your journal, write at least these section headings:

~ Friday night

~ Saturday a.m.

~ Saturday p.m.

~ Sunday a.m.

~ Sunday p.m.

3. Under each heading, write a sentence or more description of everything you did and/or at least one thing that was memorable. 

4. What was most memorable about the weekend? List three things and why. Then, number them in priority order.

5. Write more about each of the three items listed in #4.

6. Write more about your #1 memorable thing from the weekend. 

7. What did you learn this weekend?

8. What did anything from your weekend remind you about something from the past  If you didn't, think of some now. 

9. What future plans did you make this weekend? If you didn't, think of some now. 

10. Write a summary of your weekend. 

TIP: If you don't have time to do all of these, do at least numbers 1-4, and come back to these each day of the week for a couple of minutes.

~ Stacy Duplease

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 17 November 2012. Virginia Beach.) 

Memory Lists

Make a list of the first 10 memories in your life that first come to mind.

Stacy Duplease

Why journal?: Reason #1

Reason #1:

Why should you journal?

It puts your life on the page and makes it unforgettable.

Stacy Duplease
Historical Fiction Author
A timeless kind of love... 

My historical fiction blog & latest book information: Obstacles and "Yorktown's Dawning": Part 2

My writing fiction & NaNoWriMo blog: Experimenting with my writing