Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Do you keep a journal?

Current (and successful) Easter journal
I've been thinking a lot lately about journaling. Throughout my life, even as a child, I have tried to keep a journal in an off-and-on sort of manner. As a bookworm who always saw herself as a budding writer, this seemed like it should be a natural fit for me. Except that it wasn't. I'd dive into a new journal with a lot of gusto: I'd spend hours selecting just the right notebook for this endeavor, days thinking up a system for what and how frequently I'd write, and even devote time to picking the perfect writing instrument. Then I'd go to town for a solid week. Then I'd move to every other day, then a few times per week...until I realized that it had been 10 days and I hadn't written anything at all. I'd go through an inevitable period of coercing myself to write every so often before finally giving up the ghost and admitting that I didn't want to anymore. I'm a person who likes to live in denial. ;-)

And I still cannot fully pinpoint why this happens, and why journaling does not appeal to me in a long term format. I'm currently keeping a journal for Easter season via Blessed is She, and I do really like it. But this is an extremely short form and short term project that will end at Pentecost. When I have a date goal in mind, I can usually stay motivated. It's the "throughout my life" thing that usually throws me the curve ball.

But indeed, I *have* been enjoying the Easter journal, and I'd like to start investing in the Blessed is She Advent and Lent journals as well. Same deal. Short term goal, so I should be good. I wish I would keep up with this during Ordinary Time, but I know that I won't, so I'll stop torturing myself.

You know what I HAVE been doing for a long time, though? This blog. I started it back in (I THINK *blows dust off of brain cells*)  2008. So, that's almost 10 years. I'll have to go back and look, I know that I started it during the summertime too. So next summer can be a big milestone celebration here at Life of a Catholic Librarian. ;-)

And it's interesting, because I have always seen this blog as a journal of sorts. Granted, with a good deal of censoring and not exactly baring my soul the way I would in a journal that nobody read but me and God. :0 But I do share a lot with you, my friends. I certainly use a lot of discretion, but blogging is indeed a form of online journaling. And why do I like it so much more than keeping an old fashioned journal? Maybe *because* I have to be more creative and editorial in what I choose to write about since I am writing for others besides just myself. Indeed, I'm writing for others, for you. That brings a certain level of appeal to this writer. I don't want to write just for myself. I love fostering a sense of community and feeling like at least a few people out there enjoy reading what I have to write about, despite my less-than-perfect abilities.

I love blogging, I really do. So if you choose to stick around, you can be stuck with me for as long as you'd like. ;-) But how do YOU feel about journaling? Do you keep a journal? Do you feel that blogging is akin to journaling in some ways? I'd love to hear from you!

15 comments:

  1. Ohhh, I've been thinking about bible journaling a lot recently! Have you seen this? You can buy bibles with extra wide side margins that you can draw and color or write notes in. I am so tempted to try it, but like you, I'm not sure if I would stick with it. I'm not much of a journal person either. Another reason I'm hesitating is because there aren't any Catholic bible journals available (ok, one out of print edition that's $110 on Amazon - !!). So, I would have to settle for a different version like NIV. A nice one is only around $35, so it's not too big of a loss if I don't end up doing much with it. If I do get into it though, I thought it would be a nice keepsake to pass down to one of my kids. :)

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    1. Cindy,

      OMG, no I hadn't heard of this!!! I *love* this idea! But yes, like you, I see this as something I'd start out doing full steam and then then momentum. ;-) BUT it would indeed be a good endeavor for Advent and Lent, and maybe you could work your way through it over a long period of time? I really do think it's a marvelous idea! So much easier to do and keep track of with everything all within the same volume.

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    2. Lacy over at Catholic Icing has several entries on her blog about bible journaling if you're interested: http://www.catholicicing.com/bible-journaling/

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    3. oooo, thanks Cindy! I will check this out!

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    4. Cindy, I just saw this!

      http://a.co/4pzjyS4

      It's not the whole Bible, it's Psalms and New Testament, but still, I was very excited and immediately thought of you!

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  2. I've never been much of a journaler although there are times when I thought I should be. I do currently have a journal but it doesn't get used often. Mostly I take it to retreats or talks I go to and use it for note taking.

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    1. Hi Melanie,

      Yep, sounds very similar to me. The journal pictured in this post, that I'm currently using for the Easter journaling endeavor, I had leftover from previously making notes on monthly novenas and prayer intentions. It's a good idea to have something in the bedside table for when you need, I think, but I know I'm just never going to pick up a pen and write in it every single day!

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  3. I never kept a journal. But I've been blogging since 2005 (much more sporadically now, as I use up my writing energy doing other projects). A blog is most definitely a journal!

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    1. Hi Barb!

      Glad you agree. It's a sub-genre, but definitely journaling! I also enjoy other types of writing in community, like over at Catholic Mom. <3 Life is good!

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  4. I, like you, have tried many times to keep a journal. It lasts about a week and then I lose interest. For student teaching I was supposed to keep a daily journal. Mine usually just had weekly entries, and there were a few weeks I forgot. Whoops!
    I am liking the Road to Pentecost journal, though, and I think it's easier for me because there are prompts to think about every day.
    I definitely think that blogging is a way of journaling! I keep thinking about trying that, but it never works out. *shrugs* Maybe I'll try a few years into having my own classroom.

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    1. Hi Sam,

      Yeah, I am forgetful too. Good point on the prompts! Indeed, those help, along with it being a short term endeavor. All of those things put together make a winning combination for me in terms of personal journaling. :)

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  5. I have kept journals off and on for most of my life. At times I do story so there are dry periods, or I get too busy to journal but lately I've been feeling the urge to begin again. It's odd but most of the time I don't go back to re-read my old journals, but I know they are there.

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    1. Hi Donna,

      That's a good way of looking at it: not as on-again, off-again, but just periodic spurts of inspiration. When I did journal, I would sometimes go back and read what I wrote, but not always. Now, when I see the one old journal I kept, I'm very intrigued by it and page through it, but I usually end up cringing at my own prior immaturity. :0

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  6. I LOVE journals but I'm really bad at keeping up with them. Like the blessed is she ones half of the journal is blank....oops.

    Cristina did get me into bullet journaling last year and in there I have been journaling in the midst of all my planner stuff. I can say that when i take the time to journal regularly my mood/emotions are 10X MORE stable than when I don't. But it is so hard to make the time to do it.

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    1. Hi Beth Anne,

      Totally with you, girlfriend. I'm still keeping up with the BIS Pentecost/Easter journal, but I can tell that I have to put in twice the effort just to pick it up at night, lol! So I can understand how oftentimes, the latter half keeps getting left blank. We persevere!

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