Tag Archives: journaling Q&A

Q&A: “How Can I Avoid Journaling Burnout?”

Mari Adkins from Journaling Journey asks, “What do you do when you’re burned-out from journal-writing, and how do you get going again?”

After some personal discussion about project management, and some Wings Life Coaching from my co-host Jayde Gilmore, we share our strategies for this familiar feeling of being overwhelmed or stuck in our journaling practice.

We each share our best tips for moving past resistance, gently-yet-directly, to learn more about what’s happening when we don’t want to write anymore. We discuss techniques, such as using famous quotes, movie summaries, lists, and simply allowing yourself to take a break.

Jayde and I share our favorite and proven ways to prime the pump of creativity, and gently draw ourselves back to our journal-writing habit. The silver bullet we kept returning to was the use of simple, yet engaging prompts.

Your turn to answer: When do you feel burned out on writing? How do you cope? What ways do you bring yourself back to the journal? Post your responses at the bottom of this webpage, in the comments section.

You may email your own journaling question to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, pick up the telephone and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280. When your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #33, October 6, 2015)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

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Q&A: “How Can Journaling Be Used As Meditation?”

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Mapping the inner journey. Mindful reflection. Developing awareness. Sharpening perception. These are some of the ways people refer to their writing practice. Is it true that journal-writing can be used as a kind of meditation?

Jayde and I take turns with examples we have used, and share ways that have helped others. For example: incorporate breathing, nature, and focusing your senses on the present moment.

Your turn to answer: Have you found journal-writing to be a meditative routine, or can it enhance meditation? What are your tips or techniques? Post your responses at the bottom of this webpage, in the comments section.

You may email your own journaling question to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, pick up the telephone and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). When your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #29, June 23, 2015)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

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To Listen: Click on the “play” button > at the top of this article.

Q&A: “What To Do With Journaling Guilt?”

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Carol from New Zealand asks “What do I do with the guilty feelings I get when I stop journaling?”

It might be easy to quip, “Just process those feelings in your next journal entry,” but often, the shame is accompanied by unrealistic hopes of “catching up,” and then we avoid journaling altogether.

Jayde Gilmore and I both relate to that nagging cycle of feelings. Over time, we’ve learned to recognize them as gentle reminders to come kindly back to our Self. We offer several suggestions to Carol and others who put tons of pressure on themselves to write more. This seems to be one of the paradoxes of journal-writing, and perhaps any worthwhile habit — pushing yourself to do a little more than what’s convenient, while knowing how to be kind to yourself when you slow down.

Fuel the Discussion: Do you feel guilty when you’ve stopped writing for awhile? How long is too long to go without writing? What do you tell yourself when you’ve stopped the habit? Post your responses at the bottom of this webpage, in the comments section.

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

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To Listen: Click on the “play” button > at the top of this article.

Q&A: “Why Should I Read My Old Journals?”

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Steve raises a question on which Mari and I respectfully (and playfully) disagree. Are your journals stuck in a past that is no longer relevant? Or, are there good reasons (besides wandering down memory lane) to go back and re-reading old journal entries?

Some lifelong journal-writers will say the best part about keeping a journal is the zen-like attention and awareness of the present moment; and going backwards in time to read old stories is completely counter to that intention. Mari even (gulp!) throws them away!

And while I agree with that mindset, I know that my journals contain some deliciously captured moments, and zen-like insights of which I enjoy reminding myself.

Perhaps the best answer lies in the paradox somewhere in-between. Write as if you’ll throw away your journals, but keep them so you can cherish those “in-the-moment” reflections! (Click here to Tweet this!)

Please share: What do you get from re-reading your journals? Inspiration? Material for publication? Future blog-posts? A chronology to pass on to future generations? Entertaining reminders of a time gone by?

If you have a question for a future episode of JournalTalk Q&A, please call and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). If your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #15, November 4, 2014)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

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To Listen: Click on the “play” button > below.

Q&A: “What Can I Do To Stop Losing My Journals?”

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Lila loves journaling, and completely enjoys all the 101 reasons to keep on writing. But she just can’t seem to hang on to one journal long enough to fill it up, so she wrote us to ask, “What can I do to stop losing my journals?”

Several suggestions are offered, including: Write a “Dear Finder” letter at the front of her journal, not just to give instructions about getting it back, but to learn more about why she might have a habit of misplacing her most precious thoughts and feelings.

Join the discussion by posting your comments below (on our website’s comment section). How do you feel when you misplace your journal? What tricks do you have to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands?

If you are receiving this in email format, you may also reply with your own journaling questions to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, please call and leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). If your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #14, October 21, 2014)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

To Subscribe:
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To Listen: Click on the “play” button > below.

Q&A: “What is the Best Time of Day to Do My Journaling?”

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Do you prefer mornings or evenings to do your journaling? Or, both?

Julia Cameron, author of “The Artist’s Way” has successfully popularized the notion of Morning Pages, which are three pages of handwritten stream-of-consciousness writing done first thing each day. This practice has helped millions of artists, writers, entrepreneurs, business women and -men, and everyday people to recover their spiritual and creative expression.

Unfortunately, a common side-effect of this widespread practice is a belief that Morning Pages is the only way to do your journaling. Our question this week comes from a woman who wonders if it’s okay to try something else. Mari and I offer some suggestions, including the twin sister of Morning Pages, called “Night Notes.”

Please join the dialogue. Do you prefer morning or evening to do your journal-writing? We welcome additional comments and suggestions about journaling at night or day (or both!)

You may reply to this email with your own question to be featured on a future episode of JournalTalk. Or, please call to leave a voicemail with your question at 1-805-751-6280 (only normal toll charges may apply). If your question is featured, we will send you a thank-you gift for sharing your voice! (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #10, August 26, 2014)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

To Subscribe:
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To Listen: Click on the “play” button > below.

Q&A: “Does Blogging Count As Journaling?”

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Mari L. McCarthy joins me as we answer your questions on journal-writing. This week, we answer a blogger’s question: Does my blogging count as journaling? Mari and I should have stated a humorous caveat to our answer, “It depends on whether anybody is reading your blog!”

Feel free to write your comments below with more of your questions, or your own opinions to the questions already posed, to fuel the dialogue some more!

For further enrichment on this question, please also reference Episode #8 of JournalTalk, to get the perspective of Dr. Joseph Bernard, an accomplished blogger and journal-writer. (JournalTalk Q&A, Episode #2, April 21, 2014)

Credits:
Audio Editing: Netrix Marketing
Music: Pond5.com
Voiceover: Thomas Gerrard

To Subscribe:
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To Listen: Click on the “play” button > below.

Write4Life

Journaling for Passion, Clarity & Purpose!

Tag Archives: journaling Q&A

Q&A: “How Can I Avoid Journaling Burnout?”

Q&A: “How Can Journaling Be Used As Meditation?”

Q&A: “What To Do With Journaling Guilt?”

Q&A: “Why Should I Read My Old Journals?”

Q&A: “What Can I Do To Stop Losing My Journals?”

Q&A: “What is the Best Time of Day to Do My Journaling?”

Q&A: “Does Blogging Count As Journaling?”