Let’s talk journals.

Before you begin any project, you must assemble the tools you will need. For example, if you are going

to plant a garden, you will need a shovel, seeds, fertilizer, and a plot of land. Likewise, there are tools

you will need to begin your writing journey such as journals, pens, tape and stickers.

 

The first most important thing to select is a journal. Not just any journal, but one that you like. Not one

you love, but one that you like. Think about it, you will spend many days and evenings with your

journal. Your journal will get to know you intimately. It will hold the keys to not only what triggers you,

but what makes your heart sing as well. If you pick one you’re not too happy with, you may never open

it. On the other hand, if you select a costly one, you may not write in it either because you may think it

is too precious to tarnish. So just pick one—one that you like.

 

You may wonder, what is the best journal? How big should it be? What type of paper should it hold?

Should it be wire-bound or ringed? The answer to these questions and many more will reveal itself over

time. Just as you evolve, your requirements for a good journal will develop as well.

 

Think about how you will use your journal. Do you plan to write regularly as you reflect on your day?

Then a journal with lined paper may be a good start. Will you use your journal as an organizer, creating

lists, documenting appointments and tracking goals? Then perhaps a journal with blank sheets will be

best. Do you plan to draw or paint instead of write? Then consider a journal with mixed media or

watercolor paper. If you still unsure, perhaps dot grid paper is right for you. Dot grid paper gives you

the best of both worlds: use it to write or to draw. The grid helps you keep your writing straight as well

as your artwork. An the dots are nonintrusive.

 

Selecting a journal is one of the first tools that you will need to begin your transformation. Knowing

what you will use your journal for can help you determine its size and the type of paper you may want to

use. It will take time to select the “perfect” journal, so experiment. Just remember, whatever, the

color, size or cost, the goal is to begin. Just like with gardening, it will take time to discover which tools

give you the best results.

Now Go and Grow,

 

Cris