A new journal page collaboration with Paul Day

Paul and his grandson, Frederick

One thing Paul Day and I share in our approach to journaling is a deep appreciation for the surprises that seem to accompany every aspect of self-reflection. For both of us, each unexpected discovery is its own reward and keeps us coming back to our journals day after day.

Together, we set out to create a set of journal pages that looked for lovely little surprises in the juxtaposition between past and present. Paul was also eager to explore his progress through the years and capture cherished memories, old and new.

The result is a set of pages that seeks out the good things and meaningful moments that shaped us long ago and the ones that are continuing to guide us now.

Here are a few words from Paul about his experience with journaling and our work on these pages:

Hi I'm Paul. About 4 years ago I became aware of journaling and the many positive aspects, especially prompt lead journaling.

About a year ago I stumbled across Christie, and her friendly approach, encouragement, and prompts have allowed me to expand my journaling further, and I've found it very cathartic at times. This opportunity to work with Christie and create these prompts has been a real joy.

We hope you’ll find joy in these pages too! If you’d like to download them for your journal, you’ll find them right here.

L is for Lovely - New alphabet-inspired journal page

This week's alphabet-inspired journal page begins with one lovely thing about being you. It's a variation of a question I've been exploring for a while now: What does it feel like to be you?

I haven't considered the question in quite this way before and do you know what I noticed while I was journaling my one lovely thing? Gratitude. Which surprised me a little because it wasn't my initial intention with this prompt. Originally, I thought it would be more about getting to know yourself from an inward-looking perspective, which I know can be a little uncomfortable, scary even. I thought writing about a lovely thing might be a lovely way in. It was, but it also took me in a direction I didn't foresee, which happens ALL THE TIME while journaling! It's what makes it so worth the effort -- and the scary bits here and there.

And wouldn't you know it, it also gave me an idea for answering this prompt. If looking for one lovely thing about being you it feels a little too sensitive to approach directly or if the answer feels elusive, why not start with gratitude? For example, is there a special someone you're grateful to have in your life? Perhaps that can lead you to one lovely thing about your relationships. Is there a project you're thrilled to be involved in? Perhaps that reveals one lovely thing about the work you do or the adventures you're drawn to.

I hope you'll find all sorts of lovely surprises in your journal today!

If you'd like to journal the letter l with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one lovely thing about being you. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send a reply in return along with the pdf file* so you can keep journaling!

P.S. If you're new to this alphabet-inspired journal series, I'm sharing the process with you -- and these printable journal pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through k, plus some of my other page projects, here.

* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.

K is for Kaboom! - New alphabet-inspired journal page

As soon as I added kaboom! to my list of potential k-words for this page, I knew I wanted to use it. I pictured that comic book illustration, you know the one, with the bold kaboom! lettering and puffs of smoke and stars bursting out from all sides. It's such a fun word, especially when you add an exclamation mark!

I settled in to write an exciting new journal prompt and quickly discovered that all of my initial ideas involved destruction. Things were going kaboom! all over the place. And, just like that, it didn't feel like fun anymore. For a while, I replaced kaboom! with other words and wrote other prompts.

But I kept coming back to it. Maybe I could turn it around or upside down or inside out. After all, thinking about opposites and contradictions is one of my favourite ways to explore new perspectives in my journal.

So, I turned my attention to things that don't go kaboom!. Which reminded me of the hero of the story (that's you, by the way!), who swoops in, uses their superpowers to keep things from kabooming! all over the place, and saves the day. Suddenly, I had a new prompt!

I hope the kaboom! on this page reminds you of the ways you persevere, overcome, and follow through on the projects that matter to you.

If you'd like to journal the letter k with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one project you've kept from going kaboom! Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send a reply in return along with the pdf file* so you can keep journaling!

P.S. If you're new to this alphabet-inspired journal series, I'm sharing the process with you -- and these printable journal pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through j, plus some of my other page projects, here.

* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.

J is for Jettison - New alphabet-inspired journal page

I used to think of the word jettison in simple terms, as a synonym for throw away or toss out, but after coming across it in my dictionary while working on today's alphabet-inspired journal page, I realized I've been missing an important part of its meaning.

Yes, it's about getting rid of something, but it's the why that makes it special. Jettisoning is about removing something in order to lighten the load. It's the thing you do to keep a heavy cargo from bringing the plane down or sinking the ship. It's the thing you do to keep going.

It has interesting parallels when you think about it from a personal perspective. Are there parts of your day, for example, that weigh you down? Things that make it difficult to get to the end of the day feeling like you're still in one piece? If you could jettison one of those things, even just for today, would it lighten your load and make it easier to keep flying?

In my own planning, I've been thinking about it in terms of narrowing my focus. What's one important thing I want to accomplish today? Is there anything on my to-do list for the day that makes it more difficult to accomplish that one thing? What would happen if I jettisoned it?

Poof! It's off the list! Not necessarily forever, just until I get the important thing done. Then I can circle back, but with the added confidence and motivation of having achieved something that matters to me.

How about you? Is there one task, big or small, you can jettison from your day in order to lighten your load?

If you'd like to journal the letter j with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one item you'd like to jettison from your to-do list today. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send an email in return along with the pdf file* so you can keep journaling!

P.S. If you're new to this alphabet-inspired journal series, I'm sharing the process with you -- and these printable journal pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through i, plus some of my other page projects, here.

* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.

Everyday Journaling - How to Make Ripples

I think we’re making ripples all the time. They’re in every word of encouragement, every effort to build something lasting, and every smile directed at someone in the middle of an ordinary day.

Here are 8 quick journal prompts for thinking about ways you can make ripples.

1. One person you can check in on:

2. One thing you can leave better than you found it:

3. One local organization or business you can support:

4. One next step you can take on a project that matters to you:

5. One meaningful issue you can learn more about:

6. One way you can encourage one person you adore:

7. One way you can share your knowledge or skillset:

8. One good thing you can put out into the world:

How will you make ripples today?

P.S. This page is part of my Everyday Journaling series, in which I create on-the-spot journal pages inspired by everyday experiences. If you’d like to create your own blueprint for making ripples, this printable journal page is available in my shop.

I is for Impromptu - New alphabet-inspired journal page

Impromptu is one of my favourite words. I love the feel of it. No pressure. Totally spontaneous. No planning, preparation, or organization. Just throw something together -- a meal, a get together, a creative project -- using whatever you have on hand and see what happens. Experience the moment as it unfolds.

The first prompt in today's alphabet-inspired i page is all about creating an impromptu moment for yourself that adds delight to your day. Unplanned and unrehearsed. Grand gestures not required. A smile will do. A kind thought or word to yourself or to someone special. A favourite song, a treat, a good memory. Just to remind yourself that an impromptu detour -- however brief -- can be part of your day.

For my part, I've been itching to make something colourful with my hands -- away from the computer. That's my impromptu delight, dipping into my craft stash and playing for a few delightful moments.

Another impromptu-ish thing about this page: over the past few weeks, you've started sending me suggestions for words for future pages, including today's. Thanks to a lovely suggestion from a fellow journaler, the word illuminate is included in this page. This is such a fun way to explore the series together! I'll be curious to know what she thinks of the prompt!

Would you like to suggest a word for a future page? If so, please do! I'll do my best to include as many suggested words as possible and I'll always let you know which words have been included in future pages. Who knows where it might lead?

In the meantime, if you'd like to journal the letter i with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one impromptu thing you can do right now to add delight to your day. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send an email in return along with the pdf file* so you can keep journaling!

P.S. If you're new to this alphabet-inspired journal series, I'm sharing the process with you -- and these pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through h, plus some of my other page projects, here.

* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.

Everyday Journaling - How to Listen

I feel like good listening can be hard to come by. Even so, I think we know it when it happens. To be truly heard — to be gifted with someone’s full attention and encouraged to say what you think without interruption or dismissal, even if it doesn’t quite make sense yet — is deeply validating.

I know I can be a better listener. It’s something I think about all the time, mostly after I’ve sucked all the air out of yet another conversation. I can be impatient, distracted, and sometimes more in need of validation of my own perspective than interested in working to understand someone else’s. Often, I don’t recognize that I’ve missed an opportunity for a deeper, more meaningful discussion until the discussion is long over. All of which prompted this journal page — to give myself a dedicated spot to think about good listening and hopefully generate some helpful insights about how to put that thinking into practice.

I found it really helpful to consider elements of good listening in lots of different circumstances. I started to see different layers of listening, one on top of the other, that could lead to better understanding. Going forward, I’m working on giving conversations my full attention and a chance to unfold without jumping straight to conclusions about where they’re headed or what they mean. I’m working on asking better questions about another person’s perspective and experience rather than assuming I already know. I hope it will lead to more understanding and engagement and also more fascinating discussions!

P.S. This page is part of my Everyday Journaling series, in which I create on-the-spot journal pages inspired by everyday experiences. If you’d like to jot down your own thoughts and observations about how to listen, you’ll find this printable journal page right here in my shop.

Everyday Journaling - Even the Stuff that Feels Silly

I can’t decide if this is something I should share. I’ve gone back and forth a hundred times in my mind. I’ve written it up and deleted it twice. I may delete it again. (Regardless, I’m already imagining a whole new page just to sort through the misgivings I’ve had about this one.)

Is it okay to admit that all I want to do is watch TV? That lately I have this distracting urge all day long to stop what I’m doing, find a screen, and disappear into someone else’s story? Do I write about that sort of thing here?

The thing is, creating and journaling this silly, ridiculous journal page dedicated to the things I could be doing instead was really helpful. It generated lots of new ideas and resulted in a huge, handy list of better things to do for those moments when I can’t think of better things to do.

It also cheered me up. It reminded me that I can journal about anything. And that even the ideas that don’t at first feel worthy of serious consideration can lead to something good.

P.S. This page is part of my new Everyday Journaling series, in which I create on-the-spot journal pages inspired by everyday experiences. If you’d like to jot down your own handy ideas for things to do other than watching TV, you’ll find this printable journal page right here in my shop.

H is for Happiness - New alphabet-inspired journal page

The first prompt I wrote for this week's h-inspired journal page was about the headquarters of your home. Headquarters remind me of multinational corporations and skyscrapers and command centres, so why not apply it to our homes and see what happens? (So far, two rooms in my home are in the running, but I'm going to narrow it down to one.)

Then came humdinger (such a fun word!) and handbook. Then historic. That one tugs at me almost as much as the last one: happiness. At first, it felt like happiness might not be a good choice for this series, which is all about stretching beyond common words and themes, so I considered going with hubbub. But happiness is such a deep and awesome and uncomfortable subject, I felt like I couldn't leave it out. Even though I kind of wanted to. (Which is why I didn't.)

One thing I know about my own happiness is that it feels like it doesn't come naturally. I know I have to work at it. (It's something I've written about before.) I also know that even though a lot of my time is spent with thoughts and ideas, I'm happiest when I'm doing something about them, like experimenting with new ways of living and working, making colourful journal pages, and chatting about life's challenges and its wonders with journalers like you.

But why journal about it? Ultimately, I think, to figure out what it means uniquely to you. So that you can recognize your own happiness when it happens. (Because sometimes it's hard to recognize.) And so that you have a better understanding of how to repeat it or at least how to create the conditions under which it can happen again.

If you'd like to journal the letter h with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one thing you know about your own happiness. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send an email in return along with the pdf file* so you can keep journaling!

P.S. If you're new to this alphabet-inspired journal series, I'm sharing the process with you -- and these pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through g, plus some of my other page projects, here.

P.P.S. I first wrote about this page in my newsletter. If you’d like to receive it, along with my free e-book 10 Good Reasons to Journal, you can also subscribe here!

* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.

"F" is for Frank - New alphabet-inspired journal page

Frankly, I wouldn't say that frankness plays a significant role in my communication style -- with others or with myself. I would say that "meandering" is more my speed. I like to preface my comments with long explanations, provide lots of helpful context, and cushion any uncomfortable directness with an abundance of comforting qualifiers. Kinda like this first paragraph, actually.

I could go on (and on) about the advantages and disadvantages of frankness in conversation, about the people I admire for their awesome ability to call it as they see it -- no meandering, straight to the point; blunt, yet endearingly sincere. All of which would, frankly, just be my way of avoiding the undeniable fact that frankness is way, way outside my comfort zone and that I really don't know how to answer the prompt that I'm going to pose to you at the end of this post.

Paradoxically, this is what I LOVE about reflective journaling. I love the way it challenges me to adopt different perspectives about the littlest details (like a frank assessment of my day), which almost always gives me a better idea of the bigger picture (like how I interact in the world), and to explore new and different ways of being.

I hope you'll find that today's journal page, which tackles fibs and fiascoes in addition to frank assessments, gives you the opportunity to explore your world in new and uncomfortable-but-also-paradoxically-rewarding ways.

If you'd like to journal the letter f with me, I'll send it to you! In the comments below, tell me one frank assessment of your day so far. Not only will you get a head start on the first prompt in this printable, but I'll also send an email in return along with the pdf file* so you can keep journaling!

P.S. If you're new to this alphabet-inspired journal series, I'm sharing the process with you -- and these pages! -- as I go. You can find more information about pages a through e, plus some of my other page projects, here.

P.P.S. I first wrote about this page in my newsletter. If you’d like to receive it, along with my free e-book 10 Good Reasons to Journal, you can subscribe here!

P.P.P.S. In this post and the last one, I've included a sneak peak at new work-in-progress in the upper left hand corner of my new page photo. There are some new super-colourful word pages on the way!

* The file will include two page sizes: letter and A4.