Today’s journal calendar entry:
On a very chilly January day here in Southern Ontario, I very much appreciated all the things that kept me warm — my cozy duvet, a steaming mug of coffee this morning and tea this afternoon, wool socks, my long coat, the heating in my car and home, and my lucky turtleneck sweater.
What did you appreciate today?
Today’s journal calendar entry:
Made the best of feeling under the weather by drinking lots of tea and wearing several fuzzy layers to keep the chills at bay.
What did you make the best of today?
I tend to wish for the same two things every day — time and courage — and today is no exception. Daily life is often a little too fast and a little too scary for my liking, but it helps to reflect on the things I can do to make the most of the time I do have and to face the stuff that scares me — like setting priorities and taking big projects and decisions one tiny step at a time.
What did you wish today?
My only visit today was to one of our local parks with the puppy at lunchtime. To be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to it. The park, while within walking distance, is part of our regular route. I’ve been there a thousand times and felt sure I’d be hard pressed to journal anything interesting about it.
So I set myself a challenge — to find one beautiful thing while we were there. It started raining along the way and the park was dull and muddy. I worried I wouldn’t find anything beautiful.
Then I looked up. The sky, while mostly grey, showed the slightest hint of purple and the trees around me, while bare and spindly, took on another quality when viewed from directly below. The shapes made by their overlapping branches reminded me of cracks in the ice on a pond or a system of rivers and their tributaries photographed from far above. It was mesmerizing. I snapped a quick photo from beneath the trees on my phone before returning home — a little soggier than before, but also kind of ridiculously happy.
I printed the photo on some copy paper, cropped off a little snippet and added it to my journal entry for today.
Who or what or where did you visit today?
It has been such fun journaling the first seven days of January in my journal calendar. My gel pens are getting lots of exercise.
Today’s prompt is - listened to.
On my list: freezing rain dancing on our front window, an interview with Sandra Oh on CBC radio, a lovely cover of Elvis’s “Don’t Be Cruel” by Billy Swan (also on CBC radio), and school day recaps from my girls.
What did you listen to today?
Lines, dots, scribbles, and splats!
What did you make today?
My journal calendar prompt for January 3rd is decided. I went with two decisions I’ve made so far today and two I try to make every day. Here’s my entry:
Today: research and writing over painting, short sprint over long walk;
Ongoing: hope over despair, action over inaction.
What did you decide today?
Happy New Year, friends! I’ve just filled in January 2nd on my printable journal calendar and thought it might be fun to share my entries this month.
Today, first and foremost, I noticed the weather. It’s freezing! Thankfully, it’s not windy, so our trip to the dog park this morning was quite pleasant. While we were there, I noticed that our puppy, Sundae, seems much happier playing among many dogs than one on one. As more and more dogs arrive, she bounces from dog to dog, saying hello and making friends, hoping one or two will give her a good chase. It’s such fun to watch and after a few too many late nights, decadent treats, and out-of-town visits during the holidays, it’s lovely to get back to our usual routines.
What did you notice today?
Just in time for 2019, I made a printable journal calendar! It's jam-packed with more than 200 prompts that make it fun and easy to capture a memorable moment every day from January 1st to December 31st.
I’ve always believed that journaling brings together two important actions — the creation of a unique life’s record and the opportunity to find meaning and direction right there in the middle of it all.
But the longer I journal, the more I see that there’s even more to it than that. Equally valuable to the record created and the meaning and direction chosen is the potential for journaling to develop, strengthen, and broaden the mind and spirit.
The longer I journal, the more fascinating details I notice out there in the world, the more often I’m able to turn my attention to the things that matter most, even on my worst days, and the more deeply I’m able to appreciate each step along the way.
Long story short, it’s not just the journal, it’s the way that journaling sends us out into the world with curiosity, a desire to notice and take meaningful action, and an ever-better understanding of how to make the best of our own lives in our own way and in our own time.
Even if it starts with just a moment or two of reflection each day in a printable journal calendar.
Sending you my very best wishes for the remainder of 2018 and for a year to come filled with wonder and boundless possibilities for discovery.
I started a new journal today, which always feel so good. Oh, the possibilities!
I knew exactly what I wanted on the first page — a new do your thing printable I’ve been working on. I printed the half-letter version and glued it right onto page one.
It was such fun to create a whole page with huge type and just one prompt. I’ve already got my response in mind . . . of course, as so often happens, I can’t keep it to just one thing. So far, I’ve got optimism, journal pages, apple crisp, and a few more — all of which I’ll write there, on the first page, to remind me whenever I need it, to do my thing.
If you’d like a copy of my do your thing printable journal page, you’ll find it right here — and it’s free!
What do you do like no one else?