Journaling Workshop MY Notes:
1. Get a
Journal
a. Not deep –
you just need paper with space
b. Lines or no
lines
c. Leading
thought or not
d. Scripture
starts or not
e. Recommend
blank pages as your second journal so you can FLOW
2. FLOW
a. Free your
mind
b. Let go and
listen
c. Open heart
and mind
d. Write it
down
3. Don’t
over-promise your writing timetable
a. Daily - May
be too aggressive to start
b. Morning –
can you wake up 15 min earlier
c. Before bed
– 15 min before regular bed time
d. Weekends –
or whatever is less hectic
i.
If you know you have busy weekday mornings but the
weekends are fluid – that may be a good time.
e. Sunday –
after church to reflect the word or prep your mind for the week
f. Set your
plan and let Siri or Alexa or Google help you.
i.
Hey google – remind me to write on Monday Wednesday and
Friday at 10pm
4. Write in
blocks of time – not space
a. In other
words – you may not fill up a page today or you may write 6 pages.
b. When you
are in a flow and you give yourself an amount of time then you will likely
stick to your plan.
c. If you give
yourself an amount of space on a page you don’t have a page you may get
discouraged and stop.
5. Old School
or New School
a. Pen and
paper; Smart phone memo pad app?; Journaling apps?
b. Whichever
helps you flow better
c. Writing
tends to be more therapeutic but it may be typing it is better for you.
d. Actual
journals – what I love is you can look back and see where you have come.
e. However
when you actually type it – it may be ready for a blog or a book with some
editing!
f. You may not
necessarily go back to your notes/journal on your phone as readily as seeing
the journal.
g. But it’s up
to you – totally personal
6. Journaling
thought starters
a. Write out
4-5 self questions and put them in front of your journal or someplace visible
and then pick a question – answer it from that day’s perspective. Different days should yield different answers
to those questions. Such as:
i.
What am I grateful for today and why?
ii.
What did I accomplish in the last 48 hours that was
meaningful to someone else?
iii.
What would I do this month (totally passion driven) if
time and money were not factors?
iv.
On a scale of 1-10 where is my self esteem and why and
what does God’s word say to bring that number up?
b. Use an
existing book that has writing or self-reflection elements (like a devotional
or Phenomenal Woman Gurl That’s U!?! 8-)
7. Remove
excuses from not journaling by articulating them and thinking through them:
a. Time;
People; Fear; Prior failure; Other?
b. Your
journal is about your SHINE
c. Your lane –
stay in your lane!
