Maybe we all need to be more like Fred and George. Get cozy with a…
Starting My Morning
Every morning, immediately after I’ve brushed and flossed my teeth, I sit down at my kitchen able with these 4 journals.
The one with the mermaids on the cover is the one I reach for first. It’s what I consider my gratitude journal but not in a typical way. Instead of making a repetitive list of what I’m grateful for, I write down 5 good things that happened the previous day. It serves as a great memory keeper and also reminds me to look for the good in every day. It’s from Studio Oh!
The green one on the far right is where I write my morning pages. If you’re not familiar with the term, it originally comes from the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, and it’s the process of writing 3 pages of stream of consciousness thoughts first thing in the morning. I started this back in July and I’m about half way through my second journal. It’s made by GLP Creations and it’s called The Author and the paper is Tomoe River paper, which I adore. It’s a really good way to dump all the stuff in my head out onto paper and let it go. The theory is that this then makes room for more creative pursuits and I have actually seen that happening so that’s pretty awesome.
The third one I reach for is my Hobonichi Weeks. I set up a weekly spread every Sunday with washi tape and stickers and Tombow Markers. I generally put meal planning into the column on the far left, a summary of my day in the bigger section on the left hand page, and I use the right hand page for lists and thoughts and things going on that week. I also use the back of this journal to write a Currently page every Friday and I have photo stickers of the book covers of every book I’ve read this year in there as well.
Finally, the one on the far right, with that awesome sticker quote from Taylor Swift’s song Champagne Problems, is a LEUCHTTURM1917 hardcover in size A5. I use this for everything else . . . junk journaling, sketching, list making, planning, memory keeping by adding cards and ticket stubs and more, and occasional weekly spreads that are too big for the Hobonichi weeks.
And that’s my journaling set up. Do you journal? I’d love to see what you use and hear about what you do.
Comments (11)
Comments are closed.
So thoughtful and organized. Journals feellike they have a lot of expectations for me, and I find them physically challenging to write in. I am a list maker though. My frugal heart and busy mind are happy with a blank half sheet of plain unlined paper, even better if I’m recycling the back of something printed that is ready for the bin. I use the other half for the weekly menu and grocery list. Of course, no place for cool stickers, but it works for me. It was one of the first things my husband and I discovered we had in common, turns out it was an indicator that we are organized in fairly similar ways.
Well, this is inspiring Carole! I have been using a Traveler’s system for about 10 years now. The leather cover has been adjusted to hold several different journals… calendar, daily thoughts, things to remember, and a sketch book. All of that worked well until I added in two things: some daily painting and a Word Journal… they both did not really fit in with that system. I am going to try a Hobonichi Weeks next year (because less “week page set up” and more week page possibilities) I will pull my journals together and share them on my blog next Monday! Thank you so much for this inspiration!
I do not journal at all. Well, I did keep a journal of sorts – knitting and stitching finishes. But now I have that on my laptop. I always think I will like a journal and there are so many interesting and fun ones to choose from, but honestly it seems like too much work to me.
I admire your organization and commitment but all of those journals would not be for me. I’m not much of a documenter (except for the blog) and I’m patting myself on the back for continuing to write on a daily basis for the online Resilience course, but I know that when it’s over, I’ll be done journaling. But you do you and you do it so well!
I do not journal. I make extensive lists, but don’t do any of the free-flowing documentaion that journals require. I am impressed with your dedication!
You forgot your blog! (Such a big part of your daily journaling routine. . . ) I’m a journal-er. Oh, yes I am. I’m not quite as compartmentalized with my journaling set up as you are (at least not in a daily way), but we each find our own ways through the World of Documentation. (And there are endless options!) I’m glad to hear your Daily Pages are still happening. (I am a True Believer when it comes to the Daily Pages thing. . . ) XO
Well now I feel like a bit of a slacker; I was better about journaling during the pandemic, but at some point I felt like I needed a break, and I haven’t picked it up since. And basically my journal has always been just whatever notebook I had on hand. Maybe if I had something fancier to work with, I’d want to write more.
No journal here. I did journal back about 2011-2012 and enjoyed it but lost the mojo. But now that I think about it…I do keep a travel journal of our adventures!
I DO journal and in these last weeks of 2024, I’m trying out some new formats to get myself into ONE place for 2025. There are SO many pretty (tempting) journals, it’s hard to choose … and stay committed!
You have been journaling for so many years now! Your dedication to journaling is so impressive and I admire that dedication. I don’t journal like you do, but I do work with a daily planner (Dash) in Goodnotes which does allow for a lot of creativity as well. I just need to be more consistent with it. I love all of your different journals!
I always like to see notebooks posts. I had a good habit going until I went to Scotland. Took me awhile to get back on track and I still miss many days. I have started using an app to write a short recap but I miss the feel of pen on paper. Thanks for sharing this.