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...
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. Benefit #1: ClarityCreative reflection - writing, drawing, or reflecting - is a way to ideate and refine. What might start as a messy idea gets considered until it's refined;...
