Hi everyone. We are living in such very tense times, making self care more important than it was in yesteryear IMO. I suffer from an autoimmune condition that is worsened by stress so I try to make stress reduction self care a priority.
One thing I found to be very helpful is journaling. I’ve been using the Silk + Sonder system, a physical, monthly journal that is accompanied by an app. It’s kind of girly, probably not for everyone — but it’s been helpful for me. I like to use lots of colored pens and stickers in my journal and, what can I say? I enjoy it. In addition to recording something about my day, I track things such as meditation, exercise, my diet, making an effort for social contact, play, and other habits I wish to keep. In time, I may forgo the subscription and make my own journaling system, adopting things that work for me.
There is no “right” way to journal. It can be as simple as jotting down ideas in a notebook. But of course, you can get fancy, if you want.
There are many types of journaling! It can be much more than an ordinary diary (we are not all Samuel Pepys). Seeing as New Years is around the corner and many people like to adopt new, healthy habits in the New Year, why not explore journaling a little bit? I found some ideas on YouTube. I am focused on analog journals here. Yes, digital journals can be useful and convenient — but there is something in putting pen to paper that makes the old neural pathways click.
Here is a useful primer about journaling.
Bullet journaling, perhaps a DIY version of what I’m doing with my Silk + Sonder journals. No subscription necessary with this method:
A book for writing down wise words since…forever.
Here are some other thought on keeping a Common Place Book — from Oscar Wilde.
This looks very therapeutic and good for the creative mind — a morning brain dump.
A minimalist approach for the journaling lifestyle — pocket notebooks. Take it with you everywhere.
Or do it two ways, with two journals:
Oh gosh, I could go on. Let’s not forget specialized journals, such as but not limited to:
- Book journals, for readers to record the books they’ve read, books to-be-read, and reviews
- Art journals or sketchbooks
- Dream journals, to write down what you just dreamt
- Travel journals, for people exploring new places
- Birding journals for birders to record birds they’ve seen
- Tarot journals for people with a daily practice of pulling cards
- Gardening journals for the horticulturally inclined
The list is never ending.
Do you journal? Are you thinking of starting a journaling practice? If so, what type of journal speaks to you?
Come in, share your day, your weekend plans, your menus. This is an open thread.