I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those people who aren’t really organised. This week the family is attending our church’s annual conference. While I’d like to be at everything it isn’t always possible. Everyone else wants to be there, though, so this means I have to be super organised, which I’ve already admitted goes against my grain somewhat. So, it means doing things differently this week. Things I normally put off are getting the priority. Time to wool gather and doodle and play are put aside for next week. It’s all work and serious business around here this week. Personally, I can’t wait for it to be over.

What about you? Are you one of those people who thrive on activity and organised to the eyeballs? Or do you have a more laid back approach to life in general? Spend time writing in your journal about the benefits of being organised and the benefits of being laid back. Then spend some time writing about the drawbacks of each approach to life, too.

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchang.

Today is Friday and that means it’s Freaky Friday. If you need to know more about this journal writing challenge please read the First Freaky Friday entry.

Yesterday I unexpectedly had to spend the afternoon in the emergency department of Charles Gardenar hospital. My daughter rang from work with the terrible news that she’d fallen down the stairs. Although, she was hurt, it turned out to be nothing worse than a severe sprained ankle. It could’ve been a lot worse, but the poor girl came out with crutches and orders to rest. Pretty difficult when you’re 20, I think.

While I sat there in emergency I saw a woman I was sure I knew, but just couldn’t jolt my mind to recall exactly where. I know this happens to everyone at some point. I was baffled, but since I had to entertain my four year old for several hours I couldn’t give it too much though. Today while going into the local store I saw the same woman. She was the cleaner for the shopping centre. I hadn’t recognised her out of her uniform. I had a laugh and a quick chat with her and the problem was solved.

Has this happened to you? Sometimes the problem is not solved and you have to just scratch your head and never recall who the person was or where you knew them from. Write about that person in your journal, but be the unidentified person. Write from their perspective watching you frown and wonder. Use this as a prompt for your writer’s journal or just to see yourself from a different perspective.

I hope you enjoy this journal writing challenge. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

Do you ever get tired of no one taking you seriously? I know I do. I can’t be certain it’s something only women deal with, but it can often feel that way. I did an online search on how to be taken seriously and came up with an article from a female perspective and one from a male point of view. They both deal with work issues, but I feel the articles can be read to mean every day life anywhere if you like.

Spend some time writing in your journal about your need to be taken seriously. Do you feel a need to be taken seriously? In what way do you appear serious? Is there too much emphasis on serious in today’s society? Are you serious enough, too serious? What would it benefit you to loosen up a bit or to behave a little more seriously? Investigate what it means to be serious in your journal.

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

This afternoon while watching the little guy on his skateboard I realised we often lose our sense of fearlessness the older we get. My little boy had no trouble hopping on and off his skateboard. He didn’t care when he fell off. In fact, he expressed his achievement every time he took a tumble. Ok, he’s not really going anywhere yet on his skateboard, so there’s little danger. I do need to buy him some safety gear. But he was not scared to try.

When was the last time you felt scared to do something? Did you still do this new thing, or even something you’ve done before? Have you been able to embrace a sense of fearlessness in your own life? Spend some time writing in your journal about how it feels to be fearless. Do you think it’s healthy to be fearless? What will you never be afraid to do? Make a list of things you are too scared to face. Write about doing these things without fear. Examine what fearlessness means to you.

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo is my own

Today is Friday and that means it’s Freaky Friday. If you need to know more about this journal writing challenge please read the First Freaky Friday entry.

With all the prompts about collage I felt another for Freaky Friday might be good. Here are some suggestions. You could reread your journal looking for Freaky Friday prompts you have previously responded to and make a collage about them. Or respond to any of them using collage only. You could create a collage journal entry with no words at all. You could decide what FRIDAY means as an acrostic and find an image for each letter. Those are just some ideas I made up just now.

I hope you enjoy this journal writing challenge. The purpose of the Freaky Friday challenges is to see your life from a different perspective. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo is my own

I promised to give you a collage prompt every day this week. Using the word Wednesday as the prompt collect images of the word Wednesday, and other words you associate with Wednesday. Also several images of what Wednesday means to you.

If you like add one word from the list below to make your visual journal session even more challenging. Be aware that the word Wednesday could bring up all kinds of images for you. While you’re collecting your images don’t censor yourself. Just allow whatever draws you to end up in your pile of collage material.

List of extra words:
red
grey
birds
sand
sweet
salty
sipping
bright
baby
glue

Use either a prepared background page from your journal, or a blank piece of paper you can later glue into your journal. Cut or tear around the edges of the images and words. Arrange them in a way that pleases you. Don’t spend a long time worrying about it, though. Just play with the pieces, glue and push them onto the page. Use paint, pens or whatever you feel like to add colour, more words, or other images you just couldn’t find in your search to complete you collage.

Magazines are a great resource for collage materials, but search online for images you can use, too. Remember to have lots of fun. Relax and enjoy this visual journal writing prompt. Look for ways to make the days different. Focus on what is unique about each day of the week for you. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo is my own using printable images from Go Make Something

Today is Friday and that means it’s Freaky Friday. If you need to know more about this journal writing challenge please read the First Freaky Friday entry.

Some days I feel as if I’m barely coping with the things going on in my life. I know that’s probably an exaggeration. Often we do feel everything is working against us, even if it isn’t true. Today write a journal entry about what you would do if you did not cope. Allow yourself to describe the things you would do if you weren’t coping. See this as an opportunity to let go of the stress of trying to cope. Write your list quickly. Get it out. Don’t censor your thoughts, just let go of the idea of coping for the short time it takes to write your journal entry.

The idea of these Freaky Friday prompts is to see your life from a different perspective. I hope you enjoy this journal writing challenge. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile

With the start of the school year here in Australia and all that entails for my little guy, I’ve been thinking a lot about education. While I had a good beginning to my education I didn’t exactly have a good ending. In my opinion I’ve learnt a lot more about life through reading and life experience than I ever did from school.

What are you views on education? Spend some time writing in your journal about your own education, or perhaps your lack of it. Take this in any direction you like. Would you ever return to study as a mature age student? Do you feel there is more to learn about life than what you learn in school? What advice do you or would you give your children about education? Perhaps make a collage about your own school experience, especially if the outcome was negative. Try to identify what it is you did learn from school, even if it isn’t the traditional view.

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile

I don’t know if you’ve ever had this experience, but today I purchased some beads. When I got them home they looked completely different to how they did in the store. Why did this happen? All because of a little thing called light. I went back to the store and found the entire shop lit from the lovely afternoon sun. All the type of beads I’d selected had clearly defined differences in colour, where before I’d had trouble telling them apart. Lesson learnt; only shop there in the afternoon.

This is a lesson we can learn about journal writing, too. A lot of the journal writing prompts I provide, in particular the Freaky Friday prompts, are about attempting to see your own life in a different light. Why do we need to do this? Sometimes we get into a pattern in our daily lives. For the most part there’s nothing wrong with patterns, but the daily grind can prevent seeing life in a fresh way. It pays to stop and take a few steps up, or down, or simply to turn back to where you’ve just been. Even imaging what lies ahead can be helpful.

You can benefit from seeing your life under a different light, too. This will help you see things you hadn’t seen before. Please, take the time to look at some of the prompts, or make up your own, and gain a fresh look at your life through seeing your life under a different light.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile

While researching online today I came across 11 Tips for Dealing with Criticism by the fascinating Danielle LaPorte on her White Hot Truth blog. I suggest you have a good read of the article and check out the rest of her blog, especially if you’re feeling uninspired. I guarantee you’ll find something to get you motivated after reading what Danielle presents.

So, how do you deal with criticism? Spend some time writing in your journal about this topic, if necessary revisit a time you received just or unjust criticism. Reread journal entries if this helps refresh the moment. How did you handle that criticism? Could you have handled it better? How would you handle it now you’ve had time to think? What advice would you give on handling criticism? Is there an art to giving criticism? How do you deliver this task when asked? Do you dread having to offer constructive criticism?

Take the time to ponder this topic making full use of your emotions and senses. Note how you respond to criticism and write about why you think you react that way. I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Newscom