More on Pocket Journaling

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle You may be wondering how writing a few words on these pocket sized cards is going to give you the reported benefits of journaling. I want you to think of these little cards you're working with as seed packets. The plan is to ease you into full fledged journaling (whatever you eventually make of it) by first developing a habit of taking a few minutes every day to write and reflect - about anything. Some where along the way, I expect you will find a prompt that calls to you or just have the experience of writing something in a few minutes that has meaning. A few words can be all it takes to recall thoughts you will want to explore more fully at a later time. In that way, your journal cards act as seeds that you can plant and water (think about and explore in writing) and see bloom. When you take time to reflect and explore your thoughts and feelings, a number of things may happen. You may better understand your stand on an issue, be better able to come to a decision, discover things about yourself you didn't realize and so on. Therefore, it's important to consider a few - not rules really - ways of being consistent so you will better be able to make sense of these short notes later on. Be consistent in writing once a day. Some people suggest choosing a particular time of day and sticking to it. That doesn't work for me and I think it takes some of the spontaneity out of what you produce. I suggest writing whenever you feel like it, when something is on your mind, or when you've got a few minutes to fill. Just be sure you write. Be honest with yourself. This is for you, so don't write things you think you should. If you need to express an opinion that wouldn't be popular spoken aloud, do it. Something make you angry? It's okay to express that. Do jot the date on your card for when you look back on it. Do name names so you can make better sense of what you've written instead of having to ask yourself, who was I talking about? While you can write about the same things every day, such as things you are grateful for that day, do vary your topics. Ask yourself questions and answer them.*************************************************************************************************************** Later we will look at the types of journals people keep but right now (in case you are already eager to move beyond the pocket cards), let's talk about mediums for journaling. Since I'm writing to you on my computer and publishing it on my blog, we must discuss using the computer to keep a journal. Lots of people do. Some have their journal on-line, while others save to their personal hard drive. I really don't suggest computer journaling. Definitely don't keep an on-line journal unless you are don't care about possible consequences, such as everyone being able to read your thoughts and emotions, dealing with those who might feel you are maligning them and so on. Even keeping a journal on your hard drive can be tricky if you want to be totally honest in what you write. Who has access to your computer? Do you really think password protection will prevent them from reading your journal? But mostly, my objection comes from my teaching experience. Students who take notes on laptops and computer notebooks don't learn as well as those who take notes longhand. There is something in the connection between the hand and the brain that makes what you write longhand stay with you better. Call it muscle memory. This also allows for you to use some tricks to overcome the inner critic and get to what you are really thinking and feeling. More on that later. And now some more prompts and another zip for you.

(Divider courtesy of a kit by Ricku) In today's zip

are 6 cards and a few elements. I forgot to mention that if you are printing the cards from the collage sheet, you will want to use the print borderless option on your printer. Also, I'd started out just noting the journal cards as ws for Wonderland Scraps but that didn't seem right so have switched over to using D'Ambrosio Arts which I use for all other creative endeavors. Not a big thing but in case you wondered. *** Every thing's coming up roses - write about something good happening in your life.*** There's a blue card I think of as Bubbling Up - good for noting thoughts that keep bubbling up in your mind. You know, ideas that seem to come from no where but are persistent? *** Sunshine thoughts - what makes you happy? *** Wouldn't the abstract card be good for things you wonder about? It also makes me think of a landscape so you might want to use it for reflections on nature *** In this life . . . go on with this thought. *** My favorite place - where is it? why? Pick up zip here: http://www.4shared.com/zip/uI6_tHzmba/DAA_PocketJournaling_wk1_2.html?