Inspy Romance

Inspy Romance—Fall in Love With a Good Book

THE GREAT STRESS REDUCER #GIVEAWAY

by

Image courtesy of Pexels.com

Did you have a diary when you were young? I did. It was for all of my secret thoughts. Of course, at the age of seven, most of my thoughts revolved around playing Barbie dolls with my best friend or baking chocolate chip cookies with my mother.

My diary was pink and shiny with a princess embossed on the front cover. It even had a lock and key for those musings that were for my eyes only. Actually, I never had the need to use the lock.

Image courtesy of Pexels.com

Unlike my journal today, that book didn’t get much use, but the idea of having one made me feel grown-up.

Did I say journal? I meant journals.

 

CONFESSION: This is only a portion of my collection.

Yes, much like my obsession with purchasing books, I’m compulsive when it comes to buying journals and spiral notebooks. I get excited while browsing the aisles of stationery stores, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Target or Walmart in search of just the right one to add to my ever-growing collection.

Here are a few reasons why I’m such a fan of journaling:

  • It helps to keep me focused.

  • It keeps me accountable.

  • I can record my prayers.

  • It brings clarity to difficult issues.

  • It enhances my creativity.

  • I can keep a record of inspirational quotes.

  • I can get to know my characters better.

  • It a great place to brainstorm story ideas.

However, the biggest reason why I’ve been journaling for years is because it’s such a great stress reducer. I’m able to release my worries onto the page and free my mind. Researchers are proving that journaling is not only good for the soul, but for the body as well. We all know that chronic stress can affect your overall health and well-being.

So, have I convinced you? Tell me, do you journal?

I have a lovely journal up for grabs (US ONLY) for anyone who’d like to get started journaling or if you have a collection, like myself. The winner will be announced in this Sunday’s Weekend Edition.

**I’m at my day job today, so I’ll be around later to chat.**

Jill Weatherholt (21 Posts)

By day, Jill Weatherholt works for the City of Charlotte. At night, and on the weekend, she writes contemporary stories about love, faith and forgiveness for Harlequin Love Inspired. Raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., she now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, but her heart belongs to Virginia. She holds a degree in Psychology from George Mason University and Paralegal Studies Certification from Duke University. She shares her life with her real-life hero and number one supporter. Their relationship grew on the golf course, and now they have one in their backyard. Jill believes in enjoying every moment of this journey because God has everything under control.


Comments

  1. Wow. That’s a lot of journals. I do not journal per se, but I have a ton of notebooks for different projects. Word notebooks. Suspense notebooks. Decontructing movies notebooks. Ideas notebooks. Notebooks are a serious addiction. LOL

  2. Jill, this is one of my favourite topics and I love your post about journals!? Having kept them in some form or other since childhood I have boxes full in the loft and a handful I’m still using dotted around. I’m drawn to journals when out shopping…much more so than clothes…and people always know what to give me. I read your reasons for keeping them with interest as it’s only in recent years I’ve started thinking about this. As young it was to record my thoughts, dreams, events of the day but then this morphed into something deeper, more meaningful and later blended with my writing. They’re definitely a great way to keep focused. I’ve never thought about them as keeping me accountable…hmm…something to mull over. They’re wonderful to keep quotes in and a free space to brainstorm, write away with a critical eye on one’s shoulder. I see you haven’t mentioned the five year one-line a day journal, which I think you also keep? That is surprisingly addictive! Happy Journaling! ?❤️

  3. Hi Jill, I had to smile when I read this. I too had a diary as a young girl, with a lock (that I always used lol!) and kept a diary regularly until my final year at university. I do not journal regularly now, however, still love notebooks- there is something special about physically writing in a lovely notebook that makes everything right in the world. Kikki K is a favourite for stationary and browsing:)
    Blessings:)

  4. Hi Jill! Never had a diary as a girl. Do not journal on a regular basis. Since being retired, I keep notebooks on my reading, especially on new authors I enjoyed and different type of genre. When life is frustrating, I now keep a journal on my computer. Usually I am just to tired and write events on my calendar. Short and sweet – to the point.

  6. I would like to get back to writing in a journal. I just found one from when I was in college.

  7. I love a beautiful notebook as well. The only time I consistently journal is when I’m on vacation…and don’t want to forget a detail.

  8. Wowza, that’s a lot of journals, Jill. I don’t journal because I wouldn’t be able to read my handwriting. lol. I do keep my daily planners, though, for years. Weird, I know. Wishing you an awesome day, my friend. xo

  9. You know what, Amy. I actually do this too. I forgot. When I go to writer conferences I journal who I met and take notes at workshops. Conferences are so busy, I like to review the events when I get home and of course, I don’t want to forget someone I met.

  10. Your stack of journals looks like my stack. I keep mine in a plastic bin. XD I carry a journal around to record ideas and thoughts. I often write devotionals or story scenes in a journal. I’ve also used a journal to draw characters or maps. Sometimes, I write letters to God in a journal.

    I had a diary when I was a kid. I caught my older brother reading it and was livid! I had to use the lock on it. :-)

  11. I haven’t journaled since I was in school. I have thought about it though. It sounds like a great idea for both myself and my daughter!

  12. Jill, what a great post…love it….and all the comments, too. I do my own way of journaling….lol….as Tori K. said “can’t read my own handwriting”…(it is terrible) so I do it in shorthand…that way it is more private, too. THANKS for the interesting post!

  13. Yep, I’m a journalist (ha, like the pun?!??) Looks like from the comments we’re in good company!

    My #1 main question is this: Do you keep them all? My bins are overflowing with past journals/creative books/etc and I just can’t seem to let any of them go. And I’m talking decades worth. I do re-read and reference them, so it’s not like they’re a 100% storage problem. Maybe a follow-up post on this would be in order – especially as you’re adding to our collection(s) of journals!!!!

    Just sayin’
    :-)

  14. Hi, Jill! I use notebooks, keeping a different one (color coded) for each WIP. I also keep several spirals for things like ideas for titles, awesome character names I’ve stumbled across, etc. It’s all far more disorganized than it sounds, and I’m often found wandering through the house looking for whichever one I need at the moment. But it’s a workable system for me. Having said that, although I use spirals, I LOVE journals. I have a collection. They range from classic/traditional design to trendy/artistic looking, in an array of colors and materials, but they all have one thing in common. They are blank inside. Pristine. Not one word or scribble. Not even a doodle. I can’t bear to mess them up. With a notebook or spiral I can just rip a page out if I don’t like what I wrote, but a journal is so…permanent. I’m not sure what that says about me, LOL, and I’m probably happier not knowing. Thanks for a fun post!

  15. I have a composition note book where I store ideas and work out plot twists. I always keep it handy for those big brainstorms that hit all of a sudden. I have to agree that stress is reduced when you know where a thought is stored. thanks, Jill.

  16. I love journaling.You are right about it being a stress reliever.
    I am hooked on those cheap composition books and I always stock on back to school specials.
    My thing now is review journals,my thoughts on books I read and post.

  17. I had a diary growing up. Don’t know where it wound up but wouldn’t it be interesting to read now that I’m 63!
    I wrote a diary for both my children for their first year of life. Something that happened each day. I gave diaries for new mothers for a while to encourage them to do the same.
    When I first found out I had breast cancer I wrote in one with all my fears and hope.
    Now that I’m taking care of my elderly mother it might be a great stress reducer to do it again!

  18. I couldn’t live without journaling. I have been doing it for well over 30 years. I look back often to see where the life has or hadn’t changed. Things that I repeatedly complained about but didn’t remedy. I journal every single day now and have a separate journal for gratitude each night and one for dreams and many notebooks filled with ramblings and ideas or stories. They are very therapeutic and I always tell friends and family if they are trying to make changes, journal. Barnes & Noble used to carry an 8X11 spiral notebook with a hard cover. They were so inexpensive but now they only have smaller versions. I have too many words for a small notebook. :)

  19. I don’t journal today but when I was young I did today I write my authors down & the books they write to look them up

  20. I admire all that journaling. i wish I could do it. And I do love the notebooks and pretty pens associated with journaling. But I can’t do it for some reason. I wonder what it is. Maybe it’s because I journaled in my 20s and then read the journal a few (at least) years later and made fun of myself! It was a humiliating experience hahaha.

  21. I used to have a lot of journals but lost them when my house burned down. I kinda quit journaling then. I still kinda write stuff down but not as I did when I was younger. The only journaling I do now is my book journal. I writ down the titles, authors, when published and by which company and I have started using the blurb on the back to give a summary. I used to get involved in telling about the book and wound up stressing myself. Would like to win the journal.

  22. Jill, I began keeping a diary when I was about 15, but it was always an on/off thing while I was a young adult. I didn’t start keeping one consistently until I was in my mid 20’s. I had so many that several years ago I went through them and tossed some, because I would never have wanted anyone to read them if I suddenly died! Ha, ha. I still do that on occasion; it depends on what or who I’ve written about. I am writing in the one you sent me a while back which I will always keep. :) I would love to win one!

  24. Hey Jill,
    I didn’t have a diary growing up but my older sister did. I was always fascinated by what mysteries she could have been hiding in locked in there, we were about 6 and 8, so couldn’t have been much, lol.

    I’m not a big journal person, per se, but I do keep them for specific things. As you know, I started one at the beginning of the year, but I’m a lot like Laura Kestner. I have lots of pretty journals but I end up writing in steno notebooks (best for us lefties). My problem is my perfectionistic tendencies to not write in the pretty ones until I have the time to sit down, take my time and have my penmanship match the nice journal. I have all this info I need to transfer over to my 2017 one, I WILL get to it soon…sigh, life happens.

    You know, I thinking reading and writing blogs is a lot like journaling, expressing ourselves, just not privately.

    Quotes are probably the number one thoughts I “journal”. So many times a memorable quote will come along just when I need it, just like a verse does at times, too. I can end up writing a whole devotional formyself based on a quote or verse. It is therapeutic and God does speak to me that way often times.

    So, you’re giving away a lovely journal, if I win it, be sure to include a quote to get me started :)

    Thanks for the thought-provoking blog, Jill!

  25. I love notebooks and stationery supplies, and I love to journal! When I released the paperback of my joy devotion early in the year, I made sure to also make a beautiful journaling version, with plenty of space to write responses.
    LOLing at that pink girls diary! I had a similar one with a tiny lock and key when I was in my early teens. In my 20’s and 30’s, I switched to notebooks, for many years now I’ve kept a daily electronic journal (saved to my Dropbox so I can’t lose it!)
    I aim to write at least 750 journal words a day. I’ll copy and paste in Bible verses that especially speak to me, Facebook messages, emails, images, and prayers,
    My journaling time is when I take everything to God. It’s my God focusing, problem solving, emotion venting, progress recording, brainstorming, idea sparking, gratitude time! God seems to use my journals to speak to my heart and mind more than just about anything else!

  26. I definitely don’t journal. My youngest daughter does and has stacks of journals like yours. She’s really good at writing heart felt and encouraging cards to people. Her mother in law thanked me for teaching her that. I told her it was all my daughter, it wasn’t something I was good at. I think her journaling helped her with that.

  27. Yep, I journal. Not as often as I’d like, and I mostly record my thoughts and fears. My writing ideas are typed out. I think you saw the short story I wrote directly from my diary onto my blog. I even put photos up of those journal entries. I also loved that you found an entry in your journal about wanting to be a writer and shared it on my blog. Have a nice weekend, Jill. See you next week on your blog. :-)

  28. I love shopping for notebooks to write in. I’ve been reading about prayer journaling but im not very consistent yet. I tried typing because its faster and my handwriting isn’t the best; but there is just something different about writing. Especially with a purple pen!

  29. I’ve had diaries growing up… but never actually wrote much.
    I liked the idea, so I had those with lockers when I was in my teens, then a cute one later in school, and by the time I was in college and started dating my husband I considered starting one to write all things frustrating from our relationship, but I just ended up writing in random pieces of paper that were at my disposal when I was really upset, then stored those in a wooden box I’ve painted (the box was of very easy access but I don’t think anyone knew what they’d find if they’ve opened it, so it worked like a safe). Later when I moved away and was living alone for the first time in a tiny studio apartment I tried starting another one, and think I maybe wrote 2-3 pages.. it just took too much time that I didn’t have it. These days I just use the strategy of venting with family or friends over a cup of coffee (very relaxing).
    (I do think journals are beautiful and I always look for them when I’m at B&N… for my sister, who as far as I know still writes on them–she’s always thanking me when I bring a new one–, though that was before she got married and I had a baby, who knows what will happen now.)

  30. I journal sporadically. I like to take one on vacation and make notes. I need to be more consistent in journaling. I feel it’s important, but I’ve never made it a daily habit. My oldest daughter kept journals in her teen years. When she’d get upset about some “dramatic or traumatic” thing, I’d tell her to write it down in her journal, and in 5 years, she’d read it and wonder why she was so traumatized by it.

  31. Yes, I write a journal and I put anything in it – chores I’ve completed, meals I’ve cooked, conversations I’ve had, what the weather’s been like, outings, gripes and groans, books I’ve read, music I’ve enjoyed. I only started about eleven years ago though I used to write a holiday journal now and then before that. I don’t hide my journal or write in code. If someone decides to read it and finds something they don’t like that’s their punishment for being sneaky!

  32. Hi Tina! Thanks for stopping by today. Yes, I do have a problem when it comes to purchasing journals. I probably should have included a photo of my stacks and stacks of spiral notebooks. Like you, I have an addiction for them also. Keep an eye out at Walmart when it’s time for the kids to go back to school. Their spirals are marked down to a quarter!

  33. I had a diary when I was young, I believe it also had a lock, lol. I don’t journal or anything like that anymore. I had started writing down my thoughts when my oldest was a baby, but gave that up. From reading some comments, maybe I need to think about journaling…on the computer if nothing else…I’m one who doesn’t have neat handwriting, but I could probably manage to actually write something out.

  34. It’s great to see you here, Annika! Now I’m wondering if you ever dig those journals out of your loft and take a trip down memory lane. I’m with you, I’d rather shop for journals than new clothes. Well, journals and purses. You have a great memory. Yes, I do keep a five year one-line a day journal, as you’ve read about on my blog. I might write a post about it to share here in the future. It’s probably my most favorite journal. Thanks for stopping by today and happy journaling to you too!

  35. Oh Wemble, what have you done? I’d never heard of Kikki K, so I searched it on Google. Yowza! I’ll definitely do some shopping on their site. Thanks for mentioning it…I think. :) That’s so true, handwriting something in a nice notebook using a special pen does make everything right in the world. When I start to write a new book or short story, I’ll often handwrite the beginning. It just feels better. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the website!

  36. Hi Renate! Short and sweet is good. That’s how my grandmother journaled. After she passed away, discovering her spiral notebooks with tidbits of her day jotted on the page was a special treat. On days when I’m really missing her, it’s comforting to read. Like you, I keep a journal on the books that I read. Typically, I’ll write a short summary. Thanks for stopping by today and sharing with us.

  38. Hi Iraines! I bet that was fun to revisit your college years. I’ll put your name into the drawing so we can get you back into journaling again. Thanks for reading!

  39. Ah…a travel journal, those are the best! I’m glad you mentioned that, Amy. As time passes, it’s so easy to forget the places we visit and things we’ve seen. Thanks for sharing with us today!

  40. Ha ha! There’s more, Tori. I’ve got a problem. :) You should have seen Derek’s face when he discovered my stashes of spiral notebooks. He was quite perplexed. I know what you mean about not being able to read your handwriting, but mine is the neatest when writing in a nice journal. I guess I don’t want to mess it up. A daily planner isn’t weird, I couldn’t survive without mine. Thanks for stopping by today! xo

  41. Hi L. Marie! I laughed when I read about you catching your brother reading your diary. I wonder if he ever picked the lock? My journals are scattered all about on book shelves, in drawers and on my dresser. I should organize them like yours. Thanks for stopping by today and sharing with us.

  42. Hi Jenny! I think journaling would be a great thing for you and your daughter. I don’t know how old she is, but I do believe it’s a practice to begin early on in life. As we get older, things get busy and it’s more difficult to develop the habit of journaling on a regular basis. One of my favorite things about it is going back and reading old entries. Often I’ll come across things that I’d completely forgotten about. Thanks so much for visiting today!

  43. Thanks, Jackie! I’m glad you enjoy the post. I love to talk about journaling. Shorthand! What a great idea. I never learned it in high school, but I always thought it was like Morse Code. That’s a great way to keep it private. We need to catch up soon! I hope you’re feeling better with each passing day. Thanks for visiting!

  45. Hi Laura! Yes, I love the pun. :) With the exception of my childhood diary, I do keep my journals. I can’t imagine letting them go. You and L. Marie sound more organized with your bins. I should probably keep mine in one spot. Reading through those old pages is the best. I often ask myself, “Did I really think that? Or say that?” Perhaps I will do that follow-up. Thanks so much for stopping by, it’s always great to hear from you. I hope you’re well.

  46. I don’t journal, other than recording things for my fiction. I worry about people finding them after I’m gone and reading personal stuff about me. ? So I guess I’ll just stick with my journals for research notes.

  47. My other favorite Laura! I use the color coded system for my WIPs too. And like you, I’m often wandering the house to find where I’ve left them. Your comment about not writing in your journals was hilarious! Hum…perhaps you’re afraid of someone reading what you’ve written? I feel sorry for your poor, neglected journals. You need to use them girl! I’m not going to put you into the drawing unless you promise to use it. LOL! Just kidding. Thanks so much for visiting today and making me laugh.

  48. Hi John! Look at you, surrounded by all of these women. Thanks for popping over…I’m so happy you did. It is comforting to know you’ve got a thought or two stored. My biggest problem is getting my hands on the right book. :) Thanks for sharing with us!

  50. Hi Linda! I’m happy to hear journaling helps to relieve your stress. There’s something about writing down those worries and concerns that makes you believe everything will be okay. Oh yes, those back to school bargains are the best! I mentioned in my comment to Tina about Walmart having spirals for a quarter, but now that I think about it, I actually believe I’ve purchased them for ten cents, in the past. Thanks so much for sharing your love of journaling with us.

  54. Hi Gail! What a great gift for new mothers. That’s a wonderful way to utilize a journal. My mother kept a “Baby Book” for me and my sister. She even taped a piece of my hair inside. Oh yes, it would be great to read that diary of yours. Definitely, journaling would be a great help to you as you care for your mother. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing with us today.

  55. Hi Marlene! I loved your comment! I too have suggested journaling to family and friends. I’m so happy you’ve kept all of your journals and you look back. I’ll have to keep an eye out for you at our Barnes & Noble for the 8×11 journals. I’d be happy to send you one, if I can track one down. “I have too many words for a small notebook.” This sentence is priceless. Thank you so much for popping over and sharing your love of journaling, Marlene. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts.

  56. Hi Charlotte! It seems a few people keep track of authors in their journals. When I hear about a new book, I usually add it to my Amazon Wish List, which now has over 300 books. Perhaps if I wrote them down, I wouldn’t have as many. Thanks for visiting and sharing with us today.

  57. I enjoy journaling. When I look back on what I wrote in the past, I am able to reflect on what was happening at the time and see how I responded to each situation. :-)

  58. Hi Luanne! This is probably the best reason I’ve heard for not journaling! You’re hilarious. Maybe now that you’re older, your entries wouldn’t be so humiliating. So, does this mean you don’t want to be entered into the drawing? Thanks so much for stopping over today and making me laugh.

  59. I’m so sorry to hear about your home, Connie. One of our regular visitors, Renate, experienced a house fire as well. That was always my biggest fear when I was a child…actually it still is. Again, I’m sorry. I record exactly the same as you in my book journal. What a great idea to use the blurb for the summary! I stress over that too. Thanks for the suggestion. I appreciate you stopping by today and sharing with us. Your name is going into the hat!

  60. Hi Patsy! Oh, I can’t imagine tossing away my journals. As I mentioned in a comment above, discovering my grandmother’s journal after she died was such a special gift. She probably wouldn’t have wanted anyone to read it either, but I’d say she never realized what a comfort it would be to me or anyone else who loved her. I’m happy you’re using the turtle journal. :) Yes, we would have fun scouring the stores for journals! I hope you got my latest email. Those gremlins are getting old! I’ll put your name into the drawing. Thanks so much for stopping by today, Patsy!

  61. Hi Tracey! I’m so happy you visited today…thank you, Jackie. LOL! My diary as a little girl was much like your older sisters…not very exciting and a lot of blank pages. I think I drew in it also. You and Laura K. should start some sort of support group. It’s okay that your handwriting isn’t neat…life isn’t always neat either. Be daring and just write! We are kindred spirits when it comes to quotes—they really get me thinking and examining my life. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us today. Your name is in the hat! Even if you don’t win, I might send you one just so you can write messy in it!

  62. Hi Autumn! I love that you made a journal version of Lessons from Pollyanna. I’ve got that saved on my Amazon Wish list. I’m thinking I need another journal! You’re diligent with your journaling. If I typed mine, I’d probably get in more words, but there’s just something that feels right when I sit down with the journal and one of my many favorite pens. “My journaling time is when I take everything to God. It’s my God focusing, problem solving, emotion venting, progress recording, brainstorming, idea sparking, gratitude time!” I love this! That’s exactly how I utilize mine. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!

  63. Hi Diana! I like your daughter! I’m a big card person too. I hoard those as well. :) How nice that her mother-in-law thanked you. I’m happy that your daughter enjoys journaling. Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment. I’ll throw your name into the hat, for your daughter.

  64. Hi Lori! Yes, I remember the short story on your blog and the photos…it was a great series. Stumbling upon that journal entry that I shared on your blog was probably one of my best journaling experiences thus far. Thanks so much for popping over today. I look forward to your visit next week! Enjoy the weekend. :)

  65. You are welcome, Jill. The journals were under $10 each so they may have sold the lot they got somewhere at a bargain. I bought several at the time but I’m on my last one. Found a could similar but they were a bit more expensive. I like the hard cover verses the normal soft notebooks. They sit nicer in your lap. I have never had the same free flow journaling on the computer.

  66. Hi Leighann! I loved your comment! I couldn’t agree with you more about handwriting with colored pens. I’ll bet you like florescent Post-its too. :) If your name is selected, I just might have to include a purple pen for you. Thanks so much for sharing with us today.

  67. I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for you, Marlene. I prefer the hard covers too. Since I’m on the computer all day at work, the thought of journaling on my laptop isn’t too appealing. Have a great evening. Thank you again for visiting.

  68. Hi Priscila! Thank you so much for sharing your journaling experiences. I have to admit, I was laughing about your secret box…so pretty on the outside and inside…well. Perhaps you can use a nice journal to jot down things the baby does. That would be a great gift later in life. I’ll put your name into the drawing and if you win, you can keep the journal for yourself or pass it along to your sister. Thanks for visiting today!

  69. Hi Winnie! You gave your daughter such wonderful advice and what a great lesson for her too. That’s what I love about journaling, it teaches you that things do get better with time. Thanks so much for stopping by a sharing with us today. I’ll put your name into the drawing for you or your daughter.

  70. Hi Clare! I love how you utilize your journal. I’m curious about your holiday journal. With all of your amazing photos, perhaps you should share some of your entries on your blog. Great attitude about someone finding and reading…that’s hilarious! Thanks for popping over today and sharing. I hope everyone is well. xo

  71. Hi Andrea! That lock was an important feature when we were kids. :) Don’t worry about being neat, journaling is meant to help you relax. Just write and go with it. I’m putting your name into the drawing! I’ll turn you into a journaler. :) Thanks for sharing with us today!

  72. Hi Carrie! Okay, I’m giving you a journal with a lock! Check out Clare’s comment about someone reading her journal…it’s great. There’s no rules when it comes to journaling, so you don’t have to write really personal things. You could record the funny things that you hear throughout the day, like you sometimes do on Twitter. Thanks for popping over today!

  73. Exactly! For those of us who’ve struggled with health issues, it’s nice to look back and see what we’ve overcome. I had a feeling you were a fellow journaler, Mimi. Thanks so much for sharing with us today!

  74. I don’t journal as much now as I did . . . but it’s the first thing I reach for when I’m not sure what to do and need to navigate muddled up thinking. It’s also a great place for recording quotes, funny anecdotes, bucket list ideas, etc.

  76. Thanks for a very inspiring and provocative post, Jill. I did have a diary when I was growing up. (It was homemade with a purple, construction paper cover and strung together with yarn. No lock and key, but hidden away in my bottom ‘junk drawer.’ )
    I don’t currently have a journal, but I do frequently need to jump out of bed in the mornings, and grab my computer, to record thoughts for my blog.
    Your reasons for keeping a journal (I mean, journals!) are very convincing!

  79. Hi Nancy! Perhaps now that you’re retired, your thinking isn’t as “muddled.” I love to record random quotes and ideas too. Thanks so much for stopping by today, I appreciate it.

  80. Hi Donna! It’s great to see you here today. Aw…I loved reading about your handmade, purple journal. I can picture it in my mind. I think being on a computer all day at my job makes me reach for a journal rather than my laptop. Thanks so much for sharing with us today. I’m looking forward to your guest post on my blog!

  84. I was journaling then got out of it. I could really use a journal to get back into it especially a cool one! :D

  85. I don’t journal nowadays. I kept diaries as a kid. I have many notebooks that I use for multiple purposes now, but I keep random thoughts in my phone. Isn’t that pathetic?

  88. I am so late in reading this and I have been thinking of using a journal -yes forna stress reliever. So much had been going out in my head that’s it need a release including a vacation. Thanks for sharing

  89. Good Morning, Jill! I do journal. I have been journaling off and on since 1987. Not journaling the last couple of years but I really do need to get back to it. It really gives me a sense of comfort and peace. You are so right about journaling being a great stress reducer.

  90. Have already commented, but reading this again….great post and I will read it over and over!
    Thanks, Jill.
    Blessings on your weekend!

  91. I never journaled growing up and now, my handwriting is illegible. I am getting tempted by the ease of tools like OneNote. And now, you inspire me with wonderful reasons to journal.

  92. I don’t journal either, but when I need to think through some complex material I have to write down what’s going on upstairs. I don’t really consider myself to be a writer. More of a scribbler who uses writing as a way to sort out thinking and feelings.

    I admire people who do journal, especially over many years. :)

    Have a good weekend. :)

  94. You’re not late, Colleen! I hope you’ll give journaling a try. It truly is a wonderful way to relieve stress. I’ll put your name into the drawing! Thanks for stopping by.

  95. HI Pix! Thanks for popping over. Oh, you’re a pro at journaling. I hope you’ll get back into it. I’ll toss you’re name into the drawing. Enjoy your weekend!

  97. Hi Jacqui! I appreciate you stopping by today. Perhaps you can practice your penmanship in a new journal…LOL! The idea of typing my journal doesn’t really appeal to me, but you might enjoy it. Enjoy your weekend!

  98. Hi Lynette! It’s great to see you. A scribbler is good too, as long as you’re getting those thoughts out onto the page. There’s really no strict rules when it comes to journaling. Thanks for popping over and sharing with us. Enjoy your weekend!

  99. Hi Patti! It’s so nice to see you. I love that you’re a dedicated journaler. That’s great! It is fun to go back and read the entries that spark so many memories. Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us.

  101. I have fluorescent post its and post it tabs here on my desk. 2 things a homeschooling Mom cannot have enough of! (Unless you have an office supply addiction…which I might.) At my first job after college; my co-worker in charge of ordering office supplies always got me bright post its and purple pens. ;)

  104. I love journaling. It’s definitely a stress reducer for me as well. I express myself a lot easier in writing than I do out loud. So being able to put all my worries and thoughts down on paper is so helpful. =)

  105. Hi Jill. Yeah, well, when I was going through recovery about certain things, I just would never want anyone to know my thought processes at that time. They wouldn’t have been comforting to anyone! Yes, I am still using the turtle journal. I plan on doing a little writing in it this morning! I will have to check my e-mails. Thanks for putting my name in the drawing!

  108. I like journaling but I’m terrible at being consistent. I do have journals full of poems from my teens and twenties. That was my secret journal back then. I think I’ll try to journal more–you’ve convinced me!

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