Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Finding Inspiration

Finding Inspiration

My final blog on the journaling journey is finding the inspiration to journal or to get on a journaling journey. It is no easy task to find the inspiration to get to the written page day in and day out, because it has to come from a deeper yes. I find I do my most journaling when I am in need of figuring out my life, when I am in pain, when I am trying to manifest something into my life, or trying to understand what is going on. I also take cues from my body. To me there is no cure for the common cold, because the common cold is often the cure for what ails us, for it hits us when we are not eating right, not sleeping well, and not exercising, that is when our immune system says, slow down…and if we do not listen, we are down for the count.

And, I rarely get sick, so when I do, I take time to reflect on what is going on and I ask myself, what is ailing me, where is my pressure coming from, what stress do I feel in my life, and I turn to the written page for slowing down, reflecting, and healing.

I also find the inspiration when things are gong well. When life is aligned and all is in order, I find I feel good about who I am and what I am doing and I welcome a few moments in the morning to jot down my gratitudes and get in touch with the inner me, the inner guidance that is directing my life in such a positive direction.

To me, finding the inspiration comes from within. If you are in transition, having a hard time, wanting a change but not sure how to deal with it, that drive from within is what will inspire you to get on a journaling journey. Once on the journey, if it is for you, you will stick with it. It is like meditation, everyone says it is good for us, but many who try it don’t see the value. With a journaling journey, you have to find what works for you…a gratitude journal once a week may be enough. A quotes journal for those inspiring quips and quotes to review when you are down, may be just what the doctor ordered. An affirmations page that you read every morning to yourself, but do not need to write are great, or a place to post some interesting notes on your phone during your morning or evening commute, maybe all you need.

I would say if you are reading this, it is because some how the topic resonated with you and showed up. It could be that you were looking for guidance on how to handle a difficult situation, how to take your business to the next level, how to find your purpose in life or how to better define your business. You can ask many questions and the blank page can provide various answers.

My final comment is that there is no failure in journaling. Even if you only finish half a journal, that maybe all your soul needed for you to heal and to feel good about whatever ailed you or all you needed for aspiration or inspiration. Pues, asi es la vida and whatever you do, feel good about the journaling journey you are on.

Con un pan y cafecito
Seguimos, adelante
Zulmara

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Scrapping: A Special Kind of Journaling

Scrapping: A Special Kind of Journaling

When I have had or have needed reflective time, I have turned to scrapping as a way of journaling. I say this because scrapping takes time, dedication, special tools, and more time. It is time intensive to scrap and I have done it only when I know I need to slow down and reflect on who I am, where I am going, how I am doing, and am I staying true to myself.
On Our Wedding Day 33 Years Ago
My scrapbooks are elaborate and themed. Themed within the area where I need to heal, need to learn, need to ask questions, need to resolve issues.

When I hit my 25th Wedding Anniversary, I scrapped and scrapped and scrapped and scrapped. It was in a tumultuous time in my marriage, we were renewing our vows, but I was uncertain if this was the relationship that I wanted to be in, I was unsure if I wanted to affirm this life I had been living for the past 25 years, so I went inside and I went to scrapping.

I scrapped our first 25 years together, I scrapped all the brides in the family, I scrapped 3 books on my childhood for each of my children, I scrapped our 2nd honeymoon…and I felt affirmed. It took a lot of time, effort and energy, but it was one of the most healing journeys I have been on and it shed so many lights for me for where I had been and where I was going.

I was truly at a crossroads in my life and I needed help in finding direction. We did renew our vows and low and behold, today we are celebrating our 33rd wedding anniversary and I feel as committed as ever to this life that I have affirmed over and over again, in many different ways.

So scrapping may take too much time, but what it allowed me to do was bask in the positive energy of the past, the energy captured in pictures of vacations, family gatherings, love, and the good times we spent loving and supporting one another.

To my wonderfully understanding husband of 33 years, thanks for the memories…
And, 25 years later!!!
Con un pan y cafecito


Seguimos adelante,
Zulmara
So young and so in love!!!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Writing Through Your Grief

Writing through your grief

Grief, when it hits us, it can be all encompassing and overpowering. We are overwhelmed with the power of the emotions, the feelings, the devastation and the loss…and there is no way anyone can know or pretend to know how we feel. The feelings run deep and we do not always know how to handle them, but we do know we need to…somehow we need to find it in our selves to get up, get dressed, and put one foot in front of the other. And, it is not easy…as a writer, I have found that writing through my grief allowed me to reach a sense of peace, a sense of inner tranquility that was robbed from me the day my mom passed away and I was left as a motherless daughter. I was seeking out serenity and that is when I discovered the real power of journaling. For the first year, journaling was my connection to my mom and I needed that. I felt a connection that was so powerful, it allowed me to grieve and heal and be in the moment every day. 
At this time in my life, I needed a journaling ritual…I would put on my mom’s favorite CD , light one of the many candles she had in her house, and write a letter to her everyday. In my letter, I recounted that dreaded phone call and discovering that she had passed away, I recounted how much I missed her presence in my life, and I told her all the things I wanted to tell her…and had or did not have a chance to…and I told her about my days…what I was doing, how her grandkids were doing, how much we all missed us and how she had affected all of our lives.

The experience was not easy. At times I would cry rivers and not be able to write, at other times, I would be so angry…I just had to get my anger out…at other times, I would feel a profound sadness at my loss…the emotions were real, they were deep, and they were hard, but I kept at it, because no matter what I wrote, afterwards, I always felt a sense of piece and the knot in the pit of my stomach would dissolve a little bit more…you know the one, where you wake up everyday and it hits you, “Something is not right in my world”…and then it hits you again, I am a motherless daughter…and then you feel it in the pit of your stomach…as you try to start your day..and pretend that everything is normal…even though it is not.
To me a grief journal is the most powerful journal we can write…it keeps us focused, it keeps us centered and it allows us to connect with a loved one in a way that is deep, profound, and leaves nothing unsaid.
My mom is now my constant companion. I no longer write everyday to her, but I think of her daily and miss her dearly…
Cuidate…mis amigas…
Zulmara

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Dream Boards and Vision Boards

Dream Boards and Vision Boards



Many of us have heard about the importance of Vision Boards to help us focus, guide our intentionality, and help us grow in the direction that we see for ourselves. Vision boards also help us to bring clarity and voice to what is swirling around in our heads as we try to decide what we do next. When we are aligned and we do what we love and love what we do, we are constantly celebrating. Celebrating what is right with the world and celebrating what is right in our lives.
However, and there is always a “however”, it can be hard to find time to do a vision board and it can be even harder to have our vision boards grow and change with us as we grow and change. So I now use a very simple vision board with MicroSoft Word. It requires nothing special and nothing fancy, I don’t have to buy and download software and I can modify it and adjust it anytime I see fit.
I start with a table. I usually start with a 3x3 table giving me 9 different work areas. It is a nice tic-tac-toe board and keeps the concepts simple and easy to use. Some times I use landscape and other times I use portrait and then I add to each box. When I am done adding to each box, I either make the lines darker or I get rid of them altogether if I like the board to have a more integrated look.
Each box then becomes a place to put in my vision and images for intentionality. It can be for my family, my own personal growth, or my business. Or ,I may do a vision board of how I will pamper my muse or take care of myself. The possibilities are endless.
Here are the 9 categories i start with, but I also change them up as I see fit. Use the categories that resonate with you and that help you to visualize and intentionalize what you envision for your business.

Places I want to see business grow
Social media that I will hone into
My best and ideal customers
What products I will be selling to promote my business
Business logo or name
Where I will travel to promote my business
Quotes that inspire me
Books that inspire me
Web resources that resonate with me




These categories resonate with me and offer me a guide, but do not become rigid. Additionally, they offer me an opportunity to use words, clipart, pictures from my files, or quips and quotes...and I do not have to stick with the 9 boxes, it is just a quick and simple organizing tool.
So, start with a tic-tac-toe board and create your vision board for what you want to attract and manifest in your life. What is it that you want for you, tu vida, tu familia, y tus socias? Go ahead, visualize it.
Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos adelante,
Zulmara

Camaron que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
Shrimp that sleep are taken by the current.



Monday, February 20, 2012

Using Apps

Using Apps

As we enter into a journaling journey, there are apps out there to help us. For those of you who are thinking, this is all fine and good, but I have no time to write in a journal, cut out pictures, find clipart, or do any of those things that successful journalers do, I just have no time. There may be an app that will do the trick and allow you to do the amount of reflective journaling you want to do without having to get up 20 minutes earlier and hope no one else in the house has the same idea.

The apps that I have enjoyed using are the social apps. My favorite is Awesome Note. Awesome Note allows me to have as many folders as I want that deal with the different aspects of journaling.

I currently have about 15 folders on Awesome Note for the various types of journaling experiences I want to document on the run, quickly and easily. One is for Artist’s dates. When I go on a date to pamper my muse and restore my creative energy, I take pictures on my phone and add a few words of wisdom. I have a folder for Quips and Quotes, when I hear a quote or see a quote that resonates with me, I pull out my 4S and turn on SIRI and have her take down my quote.

The other apps that I use are Storie, LifeNote, MyTymz, Penzu. If you have a smart phone, look at the social apps available and find one that resonates with you and one that helps you get on the journaling journey you want to be on. It can be very simple,take a picture and a caption…and you have a record of being in the right place at the right time. Or just take a picture and write an affirmation.

You will have so much fun, you will start looking for opportunities to write down those moments that make your day. You will have a place to write those quips and quotes that resonate with you, without having to think,”OK, where did I leave my journal last time I wrote in it?”

If you have an iPad or a tablet, you may find that you have more and more to say and to write, with the bigger keyboard screen, it will make your journaling experience that much richer. Y vas a disfrutar and you are going to enjoy your journaling journey.

So go ahead and get a few of those apps and start recording with pictures and quotes, these can become fodder for your journaling journey or they can be the place where you record all of the affirmations in your life.

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos adelante,
Zulmara


No por mucho madrugar, amanece mas temprano.

No matter how early you get up, dawn doesn’t come any earlier.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Discovering your Inner Diva

Discovering your Inner Diva
Journaling to the best you, you can be…

 As you journey through your life and you find your self facing adversity, wanting a change, being extremely happy, needing to decompress, or release stress, journaling, in its many formats, will help you to reach your goal, change what needs to be changed, or get through a particularly stressful time.


And you will find that the journaling takes many forms…you may not feel you write well enough to keep a grief journal, but cutting out pictures that remind you of your loved one or finding quotes you would have liked to share with them, can have the same healing effect. You may want out of a difficult situation at work, but feel you cannot articulate the life you want in a journal, so find the pictures that resonate with you and cut them out and put them in a journal…that will help you find the path to the change you desire. You may find that you are angry at the world…keep a simple gratitude journal and jot down 5 things that make you happy everyday.


The mind is a powerful, living, breathing organ and what we think we manifest, so therefore when you want a change, want a difference, want a new job, a soul mate, a good person in your life, you can visualize it into existence…just by believing in the power of your dreams and creating the visualizations in your life. You can do it with journaling or you can do it with quotes, pictures, songs, ideas, quips, scrapbooks, and blogs. The important thing is for you to realize that you have the power to create the life you wish to create and writing it down will make it happen for you…as long as you believe in the power of your dreams to be manifested in the life and the work that you do.
It has been a great pleasure to share this journaling experience with all of you and I want to sincerely thank each and everyone of you for your participation and responses to these posts. 

Otra vez, mil gracias a todos mis amigos…for joining me on this terrific journey…

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos, ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

"Barriga llena corazon contento."
Full Stomach, Happy Heart.

Friday, February 17, 2012

The Writer's Journal/Notebook

The Writer’s Journal/Notebook…



I am often asked what advice I would give to aspiring writers and my answer does not vary much…you have to read, read, and read some more and simultaneously you have to write, write, and never stop writing. Keeping a writer’s journal is essential to help you gather as many tidbits of information that will help you with your writing later on and will keep your writing fresh and interesting.

You have to write about everything, anything and then some. That is how you become a good writer…by writing…and when you are ready for the story, the book, the novel, the idea, then a writer’s notebook comes in handy…

The writer’s journal is where you jot down ideas, collect names, collect quotes, and other tidbits of information that may or may not make it into your stories, novels, poems, or shorts. This is where you mine the gold mine that is your life to help prepare you for what it is you want to write. This is where you start preparing the fertile ground for your creativity…and you never know what will make it in and what won’t. This is not where you filter your work or your words…anything is good, everything and anything goes. This is to have fun, with quips and quotes and anything notes.
The Writer’s Notebook, on the other hand, is much more specific. This is where you are laying the groundwork for your story…this is where you have scenes, characters, plot lines, and ideas. Science Fiction and Fantasy writers keep the most elaborate notebooks, since they are creating virtual worlds and they have to keep them straight. Some fantasy writers even create a language that is specific to their world and their characters may visit other worlds in order to be ready for what is coming next.

Many writers use different strategies for organizing their stories and keeping them straight but they all have some way of getting to know their characters and of understanding what the characters are all about. They have some way of detailing, fact checking, and ensuring that there is a logical fit for the reader, especially if there are multiple books in a series.

JK Rowling was a master at keeping detailed information straight and she even got some of her facts wrong, especially with dates and ages, as do many writers. So, as an aspiring writer you have to write…in all sorts of genres and you have to find a process of organizing the story that keeps it straight and keeps it real in your mind. For example, the most effective writers know more about their characters than their readers do, because in developing the back story, they had to know so much more than they shared with the reader…alas, our gay wizard…

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos ADELANTE!!!
Zulmara

"Preguntando se llega a Roma."
Asking will get you to Rome.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

I am not a writer, what can I do??


I am not a writer, what can I do??


 We are almost at the end of our journey together and this one is for the skeptic, the non-writer, the person who has many journals started, but none of them finished. So what do you do? Follow your strengths and go with the flow. In the first place, don’t force yourself to write, keep a visual, pictorial journal that flows with pictures cut from magazines or drawings that you make, or comics that speak to you. Review these regularly and stay focused.

Get into scrapping your life and write captions or buy ready made captions to capture those special moments in your life with your family and friends.

Do a collage of your goals…find the picture of you at your perfect weight, your dream house, your favorite food, the place you want to vacation and put them in plan view as a constant reminder of what you want to accomplish in your life.

Get a sketchpad and markers and draw your gratitudes, goals, aspirations, and innovations. This will help you to capture the essence of who you are and who you want to become.

Go online and do a vision board, it is like playing with pictures and lets you focus and you do not need to write to follow your bliss, you just need to find the pictures and sounds that work for you.
Oprah has a great vision board that is free and simple to use. You can find it here:

http://www.oprah.com/spirit/O-Dream-Board-Envision-Your-Best-LifeTM


Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos ADELANTE!!!
Zulmara



"Al que con el lobo se junta, a aullar se enseña."
He who runs with the wolves will learn how to howl.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Your Memoirs

Why write your memoirs?
Me and my muse...from our great Build a Muse Day!!!

Memoirs are the story of our lives, sometimes embellished, sometimes not, that leaves a sense of history, who we were, what we accomplished, and how the many narratives that make up our lives fit together. Es la estoria de nuestras vidas.

Many famous people write their narratives because, we their adoring public, like to know who they are, what makes them tick, how they became who they ended up being. However, why would we write our narratives? Several reasons, one is that as writers, we are in the best position to preserve a family history, which gives our families a sense of self and a sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves. When we write our narratives, we are giving voice to our ancestors, who they were, what they endured, how they survived, and how we came to be who we are.

Additionally, we are giving the young ones in the family a sense of where they came from, the sacrifices made by those who had come before and the expectations that are a part of the proud stock from which they come.
We also write to honor, love, respect those who have been there for us, to let them know we care and we appreciate all that they have done for us in the process of being a part of our lives.
And, what do you choose to write about? Well, it depends, individual usually start with an incident that had an impact on them, getting married, birthing a child, graduating from high school, losing a loved one…and go from there. Our stories are powerful and as writers we owe it to our selves to write them down for our families to have a strong sense of who we are and what we have to offer.

So, just start writing about those things that have made a difference in your life. Creer es lograr.

(If you are truly interested in creating a work of art of your life, be on the lookout for my ecourse for a step by step guide.)

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos, ADELANTE!!!
Zulmara

"El que es perico, donde quiera es verde."
You are who you are no matter where you are.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Finding Prompts: quotes songs poems pictures

Finding Prompts: quotes songs poems pictures


For those who feel a sense that writing a journal is something they would like to try, but are having trouble getting started, I would say, start with quotes-songs-poems that resonate with you…and just jot them down.  Es una conexion.
Choose a poet or a singer that resonates with you, copy their poem in one of those…too pretty to write in journals, and respond to the poem. You can come up with a question as I have done for each of the poems in my Guided Journal, or you can just respond to how the poem makes you feel. There are many wonderful poets online who frequently share their poems on their blogs or other posts.

Songs lyrics are another inspiration. As you are listening to your playlist, jot down a sentence or two and make that your prompt for writing for the day. Music is inspirational and often speaks to us in many different ways and enters our soul through different channels, if you love music and are very auditory, this may be your path. La musica es una inspiracion.

Quotes are another source of great inspiration for writing. Get a quote book and pick a quote and write how it resonates with you, speaks to your, or makes you angry. You will be surprised at how this exercise allows you to get in touch with your inner you…and who you want to be and gets started on your journaling journey.

(Bumper stickers that make you chuckle or cringe are also great, just whip out your phone and speak in a note for later writing in your journal or snap a picture and include it in your journal.)
Pictures offer wonderful prompts. Dewitt Jones does a great job of writing his bliss when he celebrates what is right with the world with his pictures and his captions. Some of the captions he creates and other times, he uses quips and quotes. Photos that you take yourself or that others take are a great place to start a beautiful journal as you journal your bliss.
Magazine and Newspaper articles often contain interesting tidbits of information that make for great journal entries, copy down a headline and get creative…you can respond to it, think about what it is going to be about, or write the article based on the title using your own voice and interpretation.

Conversations…a great place to find interesting tidbits to write about. Turn a phrase into a random question, or jot down an idea and expand it later.
Prompts are all around us and when you start looking for quips and quotes and anything notes, you will find that you will stumble on more prompts than you can possibly use.

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos ADELANTE!!!
Zulmara

"En la casa de un herrero, asado de palo."
In a metal worker’s house, there is a wooden hoe.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Rituals, do they really work?

Rituals, do they really work?


With journaling, there are as many ways that it works as there are people who find they journal successfully. Some journalers have to start at the same time every day and they follow a routine…I get a cup of tea, go to my chair, turn on the iPod and write away… These individuals cannot even imagine being unprepared for a journaling session and they find that the ritual helps them get grounded, stay centered, is almost meditative.
Others, journal when the mood strikes them. They may not write everyday, but they write when they feel a need, are starting a new project, or need to get out of a funk. They write what is in their heart to feed the soul and nourish the spirit, but only when the muse strikes them. Others, find that they when they are inspired, it works for them to journal, so they seek out that inspiration…a favorite coffee shop, a favorite beverage, a favorite playlist, a favorite snack…sets the tone and the mood for the journaling to begin. Todo tranquillo.
So, do rituals work, yes, for some people they do, others find them too confining and too contrived. I find that I use a combination of both. La vida es dulce. As I read, I am harvesting my readings for great quotes, quips, and anything notes to jot down…when I am feeling overwhelmed, I stop, get a goal journal out…and write down my goals…to stop the swirling in my mind. When I am in a certain space, like shortly after my mom passed away, I set up a ritual and journal for healing…and take the time to get the cup of coffee, put on that special playlist, light the candles…and enjoy that inner tranquility that only comes when you take quality time for yourself.

Please share with us what type of journaler are you…do you have a special ritual you follow? Do you prefer the spur of the moment?

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos, ADELANTE

Zulmara








"Arbol que crece torcido, nunca su rama endereza."
A crooked tree never grows a straight branch.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Write it down, make it happen…

Write it down, make it happen…
Going the Extra Mile



One of the main reasons to journal is to get clarity in your life about what you want and where you are going. Journaling in pictures, with words, with ideas, or with quotes, help you to focus as you write it down to make it happen. Those who have five year plans, find that, miraculously, what they decided they wanted 5 years ago, actually happens in their lives 5 years later. Write it down, make it happen. Want to lose weight and get it shape, write it down and make it happen, want to meet a special person, write it down and make it happen, want to go on a cruise, write it down and make it happen. The more you write, the more you visualize the end, the more you have the “end in mind” the easier it is to create the life you always wanted to live. Write with love, write with abandon, write with clarity without censure, and you will be impressed…how the car, the house, the job, the vacation, the relationship that you have always wanted can materialize into your life. El éxito es tuyo.

Some call it faith, some call it the law of attraction, some call it the secret, some call it Let Go and Let God, and others, just know it happens…so one more reason to have a goals journal…once you write it down, you can make it happen. 
I was once a skeptic, especially about weight loss, since I had tried everything and still could not get the weight off…and then I wanted to renew my vows for my 25th wedding anniversary and I wanted to drop at least 25 to 30 pounds…and I did it…keeping a food diary, keeping a goals journal, and staying focused. My mom passed away shortly after that and I lost my focus and regained the weight…(chocolate was my comfort food). I am happy to say, I am back at journaling and my weight has begun to come off again…

So, get yourself a goals journal and start making all of your dreams come true…get clarity, stay focused, and keep your eye on the prize. Si, asi es la vida.

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos ADELANTE!!
Zulmara



"A rio revuelto, ganancia de pescadores."
When the river churns, the fisherman do well.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Getting Started

Getting Started

Now before you can get started on your journal, there are a few decisions you have to make. First, you have to decide where you are going to keep a journal. It can be right here on your computer or it can be a fancy story bought journal, or a composition book, or a three ring binder. We will be exploring types of journals in future blogs, so for now, I suggest you choose something to go with and change when you have had some experience or are looking to spice up your journaling time.

Next, decide where you are going to keep your journal. You should choose a handy spot next to where you will be writing and where you can find it easily. It can be in a basket by your bed, by a favorite chair, or on your desk. And, before you get started, decide if you need to keep the journal under lock and key…and if the answer is yes, invest in a small lockbox so you do not have to worry about your privacy being breached.

The last thing to do is to decide on the setting that will work best for you: with your morning coffee, after a writing, painting, singing, or otherwise artistic session. Do you need a routine; can you do it anytime anywhere…is it best ten minutes in the morning before you start your morning routine? Or is it best after dinner when the family is settling down, or do you prefer to journal right before falling asleep. It is most effective to set up a routine and stick with it for at least 30 days for the routine to become an expected habit, however, what works for you is what works for you, so go for it. Cree en tu mismo.

The First Entry
Now you are ready for your first entry. It can be a free flow of information an answer to a question, a response to a poem, a quote, or a response to a picture. Now is the time to select what your current journal will be…and you can have more than one…and get started. You can copy the following poem, answer the following question, or just do a free flow of information. The important thing is to start…and do not worry about being overly creative, sometimes, just jotting down a quote, a stanza from a song, or pasting a picture is enough to get you over the hurdle. Siempre hay un camino.

My first journal was a journal of Quips and Quotes and anything notes that I started when I was 16. It was filled with wonderful quotes that inspired and motivated me…and it started me on a wonderful life of life-long journaling…

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos, ADELANTE

Zulmara

"El valiente vive hasta que el cobarde quiere."
The brave will live as long as the coward lets him.

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Secret to Success: Try Different Styles

The Secret to Success: Try Different Styles

I have known many who ask me, how do you do it, how do you stay motivated and inspired to journal everyday? How do you make it happen and keep it real? And, my answer is simple, I mix it up. Sometimes, I am writing letters to a friend, other times I am scrapping, other times I am doing letters to loved ones, or a good friend. Sometimes, I have a journal with lines and others, I have a journal with no lines. At times, I write with a pen, others with markers, and sometimes, I embellish with stickers…or pictures, or cut outs from magazines.  Tienes que desfrutar.
As I mix it up, it is easy to stay motivated, engaged, inspired, and enthused. I also match my journaling to my moods, my needs, my life circumstances. When my mom passed away, I did a grief journal, when I wanted a change in career, I did a dream journal, when I wanted to start my own business, I wrote a goals journal. That way, the journaling does not seem contrived or forced, but it is easy, fun, and inspiring, because I am not journaling just to journal, but for a reason, a purpose, with a rationale.
I also have more than one journal going at a time, this way, I journal what I need and I journal for inspiration…and it works very well for me. I follow my fancy and enjoy the ride. If I feel disengaged, I try another form, another way, another style…as long as I am connected and inspired, I know I am on the right track. When I feel disconnected, I try to readjust. I try a different type of journal, write a letter to a friend, look for pictures that I connect with, or fill a pretty journal with comics that make me laugh, smile, or giggle.

How do you stay motivated? How do you stay engaged? When you are disengaged, what does that mean? How do you get yourself back on track?

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos, ADELANTE

Zulmara

"Echa tu pan al agua y al cabo de muchos días lo hallaras."
Give to others and good things will come your way.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Types of Journals


Types of Journals

There are different journals for different purposes and many people will say this is not working for me because they did not think through the process first of what they wanted to achieve and accomplish, their life circumstances, and what would work for them. Hace que trabaja para ti.  Here are a number of different journals I have tried that I love. If you have something else that you have tried, please share it with the group.

  1. Electronic: You will have a place on your computer or online where you enter your daily journal writings.
  2. Fancy Store Bought Journal: This is a cute, sturdy journal that helps you get in the mood and resonates with you. It is usually very pretty and invites you to relax, open, reflect, and tell.
  3. Scrapbook: for those of you who are very visual, sometimes a scrapbook is the best way to journal…here you can cut and paste quips, and quotes, and anything notes that resonate with you and who you are becoming.
  4. Regular Notebook, Yellow Pad, or Composition Book: these are great for rants and raves, letters you will never send, or pages you want to burn.
  5. Three Ring Binder: Many writers like the flexibility of a 3 ring binder to help them organize stories, ideas, names, character sketches, places, and worlds. The 3 ring binder can take pages with lines, no lines, typed pages, and a nice place for photographs.
  6. Apps: There are many different apps for your smart phone that are great for journaling on the run or when you have no time, stay tuned for a full post just on apps.


Remember, you want to go with your strengths. If you are visual, choose a form with no lines and markers for including visuals. If you are a collector, choose a form that allows you to cut and paste the little things you want to keep. If you are a writer, try using a medium you do not usually use…handwriting, for example, if you do all your writing on the computer. Or fuzzy, fun markers if you write your initial ideas with a ball point pen. Be creative and work through your strengths.
What types of journals have you found particularly interesting? What has worked for you, please share with the group?
For a special treat, check out the following Crafty Chica blog

For a wonderfully creative Bliss Book Idea for crafty journalers…these are truly a work of art that you will treasure and can share with loved ones as a gift. Es tu felicidad.

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos ADELANTE!!
Zulmara

"El de buen entendor, de pocas palabras."
He who is wise, needs few words.