Journaling – The Right (or Wrong) Way to Do It

Journaling for me has always been hard. Not hard as in finding the right journal (there are dozens of pretty choices out there) but hard as in actually writing. I would make a entry, and in three months make another one.

And that’s just not how journaling is supposed to work, right? You’re supposed to journal every day, even if you do something as unromantic as put butter on your toast.

I did that, and the pages of my journal would be so boring IT MADE ME CRY.

Or my journal ended up looking like a scrap book, filled with quotes, word definitions, poems and much more. And dang it, wasn’t journaling about recording when you were in the depths of despair, and when life was a perfect graveyard of buried hopes?

My friend, let me spare you hours of agony and worry and let you in on a secret I wish I had learned years ago.

beckons you closer

There isn’t a right or wrong way to journal. There’s only one way:

The way that works for you.

So today, I’m going to show you how I write in my journals, because there are several.

Are you imagining me saying this in a Mr. Collins’ voice, bragging about Rosings’ many staircases? (because I am. Yes, I am a nerd)

1. The Poem Journal

I was inspired to start this by my friend, Addison. I started it in January of this year. Whenever I feel the Longfellow in me coming out (which believe me, isn’t very often) I just whip out my British journal, and I feel like an Englishman as I write out poems with my fountain pen.

2. The Word Journal

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You can see my original post on this journal, here. I love words, and since Ravenclaws are witty and love to learn, this journal is perfect for this.

3. My Life

Isn’t this cover amazing??

This is where I record my frustrations, hurts and disappointments. It’s where I also try to list a few things I’m grateful for, because no matter what I’m going through, there is also something God is blessing me with.

4. The Bible Journal

This is a journal gifted by a friend, where I record God’s promises, truths, and a thought or two from my Bible study. If I had to pick a favorite, or rescue one from a house fire, this would probably be my choice.

5. The Quotes Journal

My grandmother bought me this one (doesn’t it look like a letter when you turn it sideways??) This is where I record quotes that stick out to me. Though I must admit, I’m bad about actually writing in this one. It’s easier to just click pins on Pinterest.😊

6. The Ideas Book

This is where I record book and blog post ideas. Tolkien scribbled down, In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit, on a scrap of paper, but I would have lost that piece of paper, so I have a book to hold those opening lines of books that may one day become famous.

These beauties are here empty, just bursting with potential. That porg one is going to have to be used for something extra special for many reasons, and because, porgs.

There isn’t a right or wrong way to journal. Journaling is about you, recording your life story. It’s about processing your emotions, life, and writing down the beauty you see in the world.

I like to look at it this way: journey and journal both start with the same five letters: J-O-U-R-N-.

Journaling is all about the journey. →

So how about you ? How do you journal?

My Day as a Logophile

Hello my friends. I hope you are having a lovely Saturday so far. Today, I’m going to be giving you a sneak peak into my life as a logophile. If you haven’t already Googled it, a logophile is someone who has a love of words. Not your everyday word such as “pizza” (which is still good by the way) but words such as…..

Irrupt; to rush in forcible or violently
Lorn; lost, ruined, or undone
Eldritch; eerier; weird, spooky
Gerful; wild and wayward
Tristful; deeply, yet romantically melancholy
Cockalorum; a small man with a big opinion of himself
Hobbledehoy; an awkward teenager

Aren’t those last two hilarious?

It’s fascinating to me to find a word that sums you up perfectly. Just the other day I found the word thalassophile. which means a lover of the sea. And you know what? That is me, I am a thalssophile. You can also use these unique words to make an impressive profile.

Previously, I had been saving words to a Pinterest board, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted to do something with these words besides save them to a board I will rarely log into to look account. I had to do something special, down to the very pen I used. Recently, I was gifted with a fountain pen by my lovely cousin.

(for those of you who saw my post on social media that it was my aunt, it was really my cousin– there was a miscommunication.)

I’d been wanting a Ravenclaw journal for a long time, so I used this as an excuse to finally buy one. 🙂

Now, you can’t write in a Ravenclaw journal with just any ink, you need blue. So, I bought that, too. 😉

GATHERING MY WEAPONS

The Process

(The pen is mightier than the sword)

First, I open my word board on Pinterest or someone else’s on Pinterest.

I choose ones that stand out to me, regards of whether I love them or not. Then I copy them into my journal. I love the way my fountain pen writes, and how it looks on paper. I take my time to make my writing as neat as possible, and I love the connection I feel with the pen, ink, and the words that pour out of them.

The Final Product

Old Pages

This is how I relax at night, three days a week. This is my chance to breathe and create. I have unique words in my head I can use in my writing, or I can just grab my journal and search for just the one I need.

The cool thing about all this? I’m a Ravenclaw, and Ravenclaws love to learn, which is me in a nutshell. When I’m writing words in my Ravenclaw journal with the blue ink and fountain pen, I feel very Harry Potterish (yes that’s a word, I invented it).

Talk my friends. Is there any special writing thing you do?

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