Journals can be pretty special possessions, don't you think? Just like most things in life, it takes time along with some dedication for it to become a regular part of your routine. My mom got me this
10 year journal a little over a year ago, and it really has been one of the best presents I've ever received. In this particular journal, it gives you four lines per day to write in (with extra pages after each month if you want to write more). This is the perfect amount of space for me because it only takes minutes, and you can just focus on small important aspects of your day... cause lets be honest, writing about laundry/making food/cleaning is only so interesting : ). It's so fun to have written in it for just over a year now (okay definitely not every day) and being able to write in it now while looking back on what I wrote a year ago. Very fun, and I will always appreciate this thoughtful gift.
I have a family blog, but having a journal allows me to be a little more personal in my memories I want to document. Things I focus on are:
- notable events
- something new I've learned
- someway I feel like I've grown
- simple things my kids say or do that I want to remember (what I usually write about)
- hardships (not that I have many, but I know I will look back on my time as a young mother of small kids with a lot of joy even through the frustrating times)
You know the common question, "If there was a fire in your home, what would be the first items you'd grab on your way out?" Well, also on the theme of journals, I have two journals from my childhood that are some of my most prized possessions. When my siblings and I were younger, my Dad kept journals for us. He would update them a few times a year while on airplanes since he had to travel a lot. He said writing journals for all 6 of his kids while we were young made him not feel as guilty about having to travel so much, and made him feel closer to us while he was gone. I have two different books, and I can't tell you how much love I feel for my dad each time I read through them. Reading things like my birth story from my dad's perspective is pretty funny!
So this Christmas if you are looking for a thoughtful gift to give, consider a beautiful journal. I would like some instructions in it (make it for your kids, write about times your felt joy throughout the day, a travel journal, etc) because sometimes when given a notebook its hard to know what to do with it at first.
Listed below are some beautiful journals to look great on your bedside table -
'Live Life To The Full' Panama series book from Smythson
A classic, more masculine,
Moleskine Notebook from Barnes and Noble
Some pretty options, right? I think the main thing with notebooks or journals is you don't need to take them too seriously, because then they can become more of a burden than a blessing. For you other journal writers out there, what do you like to write about?
