The Art of Keeping a Journal

Journal keeping is basically without rules. It is an uncensored invitation to cut & paste, sketch & chart, and to visualize and unravel every great and small thought. At its most basic it is a decision that your life has value.

Just listing your experiences and endeavors can reveal incredible things and encourage you to work for the nearly impossible, the rigorous, and the unseen. Recently, during a course on INQUIRY, I was asked to make a list of one hundred things I didn't know. Here a simple list became a prospect for the unknown and an introduction to something new. As Henry Miller states, "Writing, like life itself, is a voyage of discovery."

I have also discovered that journal keeping is a great way to zero in. For instance, if you were preparing to run a marathon and wanted to improve your performance as a runner. You might put together a journal with notes that included:

· Diet & nutrition

· Speed & strength

· Warm up & cool down

· Visualization & meditation

· Cross training

· Profiles of great athletes

· And perhaps a section reserved for ideas and challenges yet to come.

It has been noted that elite athletes keep meticulous journals on their training and competition, not only to advance and validate their hard work and progress, but to mentally prepare them for athletic mastery.

Journals are great for tracking and brainstorming projects or developing a theme such as business creativity or spiritual practice. It can be used as a restorative retreat or a creative landscape, a playground of sorts for your professional goals or a keepsake for travel, weddings and birthdays.

·Try personalizing your own journal by creating an arrangement that is both practical and natural.

·Ask questions and dialogue with the world.

·Use it with regularity and see if this kindles some sort of journey.

Above all enjoy the adventure! WRITE UPSIDE DOWN, USE DIFFERENT COLORS OF PENS, collect conversations, favorite song lyrics & meaningful quotes --or start on the last page and see where it takes you!

The basic nutrition for a journal differs. Yet the more you nourish it, the more confident and the more willing your imagination & intelligence will be.

Janice Hoffmann is CEO and Founder of Success Is Sweetest http://www.successissweetest.com -A NewYork City based Career and lifestyle Coaching boutique.

---

Better Links Directory

What Open Stage is Teaching Me About Life

After many years of performing as a vocalist, I switched... Read More

How Logic Puzzles Can Help You Become a Better Problem Solver

I have to admit that I am a confirmed puzzle-head.... Read More

7 Techniques to Supercharge your Creativity and Solve your Problems

Do you ever encounter problems, challenges or obstacles in your... Read More

Push The Right Button

You can live a much more successful life than you... Read More

Gifts of the Inner Voice

Now that I no longer awaken to the sound of... Read More

Be Creative to Get Money

Creativity alone can make you money and no matter what... Read More

Creativity

Creativity is the gift to mankind. This is not the... Read More

Creativity And You

95 percent of what we know about the brain, we... Read More

Charge Your Imagination (1)

"The challenges are not in the marketplace. They are in... Read More

Business Innovation ? Personal Creativity

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

3 Clever Creative Strategies!

I've got a confession to make... there are many ways... Read More

Creativity, Innovation, and Science ? Separate and Distinct or Not?

There is a pervasive belief that creativity and innovation are... Read More

Codifying Creativity

Can we codify creativity? Within these few words are a... Read More

Gift of a Letter

"What cannot letters inspire? They have souls; they can speak;... Read More

Creativity and Communication Lessons from Crossing the Street

Spring is in full bloom, which means it's 'get back... Read More

Fear & Creativity

My fears are most powerful when they're simmering just under... Read More

Creativity Management ? Finish What You Start

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Art, Artists and Vocation

"If you really want to upset your parents?go into the... Read More

Stress VS Creativity

Now when I use the term "creativity", I mean the... Read More

10 Tools for Dealing with Criticism and Rejection

Ouch! Whether it's feedback we've asked for, an unsolicited remark... Read More

I Want To Create...

What would you like to create? A peaceful life, a... Read More

How to Generate Ideas for Info-products?

Dear friends the current study shows that there are more... Read More

Analysis of The Monkeys Paw by W. W. Jacobs: A Study in Lateral Thinking

I first read The Monkey's Paw as a youngster in... Read More

Connect with Your Muse

Lately I've been discussing how to thrive as a creative... Read More

Courage and Creating

Doing anything creative often brings up fears, anxieties, insecurities. Courage... Read More