Picture this: you sit down to write, opening up a brand new journal, pen in hand. Eager to start writing, you stare blankly at the journaling page -- and nothing comes out. You want to write, but you're blocked, stuck, or don't know where to begin.
If this happens to you, you're not alone. Sometimes creativity strikes right as we write; other times, that creative well is dry, no flood of ideas, no rushing river.
Here's where prompts come in.
A prompt is a guiding sentence, a question, or an invitation -- like I'm grateful for or "What are you noticing?" -- a tool that can help unstick us from the stuck parts of practice.
If you're looking for inspiration, here are a few favorite prompts to start with. Write, draw, use colors, shapes, lists etc to respond to these guiding questions.
Generate your own prompts based on the intentions, aims, or interests you notice in your own life and an inner sense of gentle curiosity.
Six prompts for practice:
Play with language, words, form. It's your practice -- let yourself show up on the page how you want to. Prompts pair well with our spiral notebooks and can be great for responding to everyday.
Do you work with prompts in your writing? Share your favorites below.
]]>Why start a journaling practice? What's the benefit?
That simple act of writing, drawing, or reflecting creatively can support memory, improved sleep, generate ideas to solve problems, build confidence, cultivate compassion and joy, and generally acts as a map through life. (Map journal, anyone?)
I define journaling as a practice of "creative reflection," or a process of using a combination of writing, drawing, lists, or notes to fill up those blank pages. There's no wrong way to practice, and through repeating the process over time, you'll start to notice the benefits start to emerge.
Of course, the benefits you experience might be different from year to year or day to day. If you turn to writing, what are the positive benefits you notice?
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If you've ever stared at a blank page wondering "what's the best way to journal?" or "how do I start?" you're not alone.
While that answer will vary from person to person, a great place to start with a simple practice -- and a simple practice starts with a timed writing exercise.
The timed writing exercise works like this: Grab your notebook, a pen or pencil, and set a timer on your phone. Commit to whatever time you have and write for the entire timer. Once the timer ends, lift your pen from the page. That's the practice.
If you're just starting out, keep your timer short -- thirty seconds to five minutes -- and build from there. A short timer signals to your brain, "this isn't so long, I can do this" and so returning to your practice is easier. (Our Medium-sized Map Journal, is a favorite for getting started with timed writing.)
From there, just move your pen. Write, draw, sketch, make a list, take notes. It doesn't matter what your handwriting looks like, what you write about, whether you love what you're writing about -- what matters is that you do the process.
"The basic unit of writing practice is the timed exercise," encourages writer, painter, and Zen meditation practitioner Natalie Goldberg, in her book on practice, Writing Down the Bones. (Explore this book and writing practice more in our upcoming online class, Beginner's Journaling: A Four Week Series).
Try this timed writing exercise out for a week, or a month, just to get into a rhythm of putting pen to paper. Think of journaling like a friendship you're building with yourself, one without rushing, just curiosity and coming back to the page.You're just getting to know yourself and your habits on the page. No perfectionism or judgement needed. Just set the timer, do your reflecting, and that's the practice.
Try it out. Keep it simple, and keep going.
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