James Clear

A Holiday Gift for Yourself–A Journal

IMG_4436I just discovered a wonderful post on the value of journaling: 9 reasons why writing in a journal should be your only resolution in the new year. In this post, author Lori White looks at how journaling can benefit all areas of your life and help you reach your goals, and she offers links to other articles to back up her premise that keeping a journal can “improve your health, your happiness, your goals, your love life … everything! And for those of you thinking, “Whatever diaries are dumb,” try thinking of journaling or freewriting as PRODUCTIVE MEDITATION.”  

Now, I’ve done daily journal writing for short periods, like a month, but I’ve never made a longer commitment to the process. I will definitely be working toward making journaling a daily habit in 2016. Lots of the areas of life that journaling can impact are areas that I’m looking to improve, so it’s time to decide that I’m worth 15 minutes a day with pen and journal. My own research has taught me that it takes 66 days to create a habit, so that’s my first goal–to stick with journaling for 66 days. If I can find time for Facebook or FreeCell, I should be able to find 15 minutes a day to write in a journal–and I’ll have the fun of buying a new journal, too. I hope you decide to join me and make daily journal writing your resolution for the new year. If you’re already a journal writer, please drop a note in the comments to tell us about your experience with journaling. How does it benefit you?

I wish you all a wonderful holiday and I’ll be checking back on New Year’s Day with your first writing prompts of 2016!

 

Writing Prompts for January 2014

Snow and IceHappy New Year!

Like many of you, I’m making my to-do list for 2014. If yours is still a work-in-progress, here are a couple of blogs that suggest refreshing strategies for setting your 2014 goals.

The first is by James Clear, who states, “What I’m starting to realize, however, is that when it comes to actually getting things done and making progress in the areas that are important to you, there is a much better way to do things. It all comes down to the difference between goals and systems.” To read Clear’s blog, “Forget Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead”, click here.

The other blog that changed my to-do list focus was this one from Kristi Holl, “A Writer’s Happy New Year.” In it she says, “I took another look at my 2014 goals. There wasn’t one single fun thing on the single-spaced, two-page list.” If your list looks like hers, click here for ways to put fun and renewal in your 2014 to-do list.

I found both of those blogs helped me focus my goals for 2014. Stuff happens, and I know that there will be a lot of unexpected bumps along the way to December 31, 2014. I’m hoping that working on creating a workable system for my writing and making sure that I also book some breathing time into my life along the way will make 2014 a positive writing year. I wish you a wonderful writing year, too.

To get things started, here are the prompts for this month.

1. Use one, some or all of these words in a story or poem.

  • table, clock, cold, blue, sharp, brush
  • dress, late, light, silver, touch, ring

2. Try one of these opening sentences.

  • Did he just wink at me?
  • Claire slid the ring off her finger.
  • I used to think Jack worried too much.
  • Never meet your best friend in a graveyard.
  • I wondered why she’d left the TV on so loud.
  • A siren wailed in the night.

3. Can you think of a story or poem for one of these titles?

Wrapping Paper, Diary of a Break-Up, Labour of Love, At the River’s Edge, Blue is for Boys, The Time Tree, Light’s Haven

4. Here are some snippets of dialogue. What scene can you create for the speakers?

  • Who is that girl?
  • That one?
  • Yes.
  • You must be the only one that doesn’t know.
  • I can’t believe he gave that to her.
  • I can’t believe she took it.
  • What happened to me?
  • What’s the last thing you remember?
  • Oh. Crap.

Hope you have a fantastic start to 2014!

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