Everyday Journaling: 5 Creative Ways to Document Your Life

1. Introduction: Journaling is a powerful way to document your days and reflect on your personal journey. It's a canvas for capturing your thoughts, musings, and moments all woven into the ongoing story of your life. Hi, I'm Abby C. I'm an artist, author, and creator. I've been documenting my life and travels for over 15 years and counting, having filled numerous journals with my experiences. I've also authored several books on hand lettering and journaling, including the Art of the travel journal. Over the years, I've pursued various creative passions from writing bestselling books to designing for brands, running an online stationary shop, and hosting workshops on hand lettering and journaling. Welcome to my first skill share class, everyday journaling, five creative ways to document your life. In this class, I'll guide you through creating a meaningful journaling practice that fits seamlessly into your daily life, helping you capture experiences, and foster personal growth. Journaling allows us to pause, pay attention, and practice mindfulness and self discovery. I'm excited to share this gift with you, helping you document your days and the experiences that make each day a new one. This class is perfect if you're struggling to start journaling or building a journaling habit. I'll share easy to follow practical tips and advice, helping you record life as it happens, ensuring you remember your days. You don't need to be a pro at journaling. All you need is a pen and notebook to start. By the end of this class, you'll have finished five days worth of journal entries as your class project. Let's get started. 2. Your Project: For our class project, I've chosen five of my favorite prompts to help you build a consistent and creative journaling habit. These prompts are designed to be flexible, allowing you to tailor fit them to your personal style and preferences. To make the most out of this class, I recommend setting aside 30 minutes for daily journaling at the start or at the end of your day. Complete five prompts within five consecutive days to establish a journaling routine. And lastly, to use the prompts creatively in your own way. Remember, these prompts are meant to inspire and not limit your creativity. I understand that journaling is a personal practice, and I encourage you to explore that creativity in your own way without having to feel pressure from social media or having your pages look a certain way. I'd love to see your work so I can provide feedback and offer more guidance on how you can be better at your journaling practice. When you're ready to upload your class project, head to Projects and Resources and click on the Submit Project button. First, upload a cover image for your project to make it stand out. Maybe choose a favorite spread that you'd like to share. Then add a title along with additional photos and videos to your submission. Finally, click Publish. In the Projects and Resources tab, I've also added a PDF featuring journaling layouts as well as bonus prompts. I'm looking forward to seeing your journal spread. 3. Things You'll Need: With journals, it's very important to pick a size that really is suitable for your needs or your lifestyle. For this specific class, we're going to be using the ASIC size journal. This size is very compact, as you can see, and it's very easy to fill up. There are a variety of notebook brands that have different types of paper and different paper layouts, for example, this is a blank one that we'll be using for this particular class. However, there are also grid line dotted depending on your preference. So this is another ASIx journal. This one is obviously very used. So it's dated, which means that you have to write something every single day, and it has more detailed information. Like there's a calendar view over here, and then we also have the moon phase as a checklist. So if you like having a bit more constraints with your layouts, then this is a good idea to have this kind of journal or notebook. If you tend to we long form, another size that I recommend is the A five. I used to use A five a lot because there's just a lot of things that I wanted to write about, for example, something like this. But eventually, for me, I felt like this was too much because I don't have that much to write about every day and didn't want to force myself to do that. So A five is great and spacious. If you have a lot to write, you have a lot to print. You want to really explore and experiment on the different ways you want to journal. Like, I like to do recaps here from time to time. So this is a great size, and yes, it's twice the size of the A six. But not least if you like to have a more pocket friendly setup or you're always on the go, you like to journal while you're at a cafe or you're outside running errands or you just travel a lot. I highly recommend getting something like this. This is a passport size insert, and as you can see, it is relatively smaller than the A six compare. And it's very portable. So you can just bring it whenever you're traveling or you just want to write on the go. For this class, we'll also be using this size. So if you'd like to follow along, I highly recommend getting this size as well. Next, let's talk about writing instruments. So for this particular skill share class, you'll see me using mostly fountain pens. So fountain pens are a great way to enhance your writing experience. It's not required that you use fountain pens. I personally love them because I have my own collection, and I switch out inks from time to time. And it really makes me feel like a writer for some reason. When I use it on my journal spreads. I love mostly green, brown, orange tone ink. So those are the inks that I tend to gravitate towards. They're very versatile and they're very easy to use once you get the hang of it. But apart from that, you can also use whatever you have in your stach such as a regular ballpoint pen. I super love the convenience and ease of use with a ballpoint pen. You just grab and go, you click it and go. I would say this is in contrast to a gel pen where it does come off a bit smoother. I think it depends on the preference. But nowadays, there are a lot of varieties of both gel pens and ball pens that you can try out. Another thing that I like to use a lot in my journal spreads is a brush pen. So a brush pen really adds a lot of definition and thereafter to certain words, or else you want to do a little bit of doodles. I also have been using this for hand lettering. So if you do brush lettering or are familiar with doing calligraphy, you'd probably have encountered this type of pen. It does have a nice soft or hard tip, depending on your preference, and it's an easy way to start journaling and writing headers with. So for stationery, here are some of the recommended items. I want to say that you don't have to have all of these, but I want to show you some of the ones that have been really useful for me when it comes to journaling that I use regularly. First let's start with washi tapes. They're very easy to use, and they come in roles like these in different sizes designs, depending on your preference. So I usually just roll it out, tear it off like this, and you're ready to use these for your journal pages. Another type of tape that you might want to consider or you probably have encountered is the PET tape. So this is an example of a PET tape, and it looks kind of complicated, but actually, it's not. It's basically an entire roll like this, but it has a peelable backing. So what that means is, this is not sticky at all. I like to cut it like this close to the design. And what that does is you have this kind of sticker. And then now you can use this for journaling. These are PVC cards. I find that they're super useful, especially if I need to have a certain type of design. I categorize it for design, so it's easier for me to, like, spot like, Oh, I want to use something pink and yellow and green, and they're all in the same sample, so I just grab and go. Next, I'll talk about stickers. I have this particular sticker clear book. And my general rule is I try to only buy ones that will fit in this particular sticker album. Other way that I file my stickers is I have this sticker release inserts Sticker album, so it has a sticker backing. And sometimes when I go to meet ups or I need to use particular prompts, I try to put them in these little compact notebooks. I love these mood ones. They're so cute, so it's easy for me to just find them. Lastly, I really love using prompt stickers and day stickers. For example, these ones like days of the week or you have something like this, where it's like life lately, happy Mail. I think these add a lot of context to the journal spread, especially if you don't know what to write. Sometimes I just pick out a random prompt. I'm like, Oh, maybe I could get some inspiration writing about my midweek or for the week ahead. So they're great ways to really think about what you want to journal about. Next, we have stamps. So there are two types of stamps I want to show you. The first one being the conventional rubber stamp that you see here. I love these alphabet ones because you can form words, and then you simply just tap it on the ink pad and then you're good to go. Another type of stamp that you can use are clear stamps. These are my favorite because they store really well. They're very compact, and as you can tell, I love anything that is compact. So for these stamps, you simply need a clear block like this. Take out the desired stamp that you want. These clear blocks have a bunch of different sizes. I like the ones that have a grid. So then it's easier for you to kind of place the stamp wherever you want it. And then you simply choose your ink. So these are great inks because they capture a lot of detail for the colors and the type of ink that they have. Pack it like this, like so, and then you simply stamp it on your desired journal page or paper. So this is what it looks like. Now, these are completely optional, but I really love having them around because they come in book form. So these are sticker books and paper books, and these are all peelable that you can use for journaling. You also have these bits where it's like, collages and different pattern papers. So I like to tear some out and then use them also for decorating my pages. And there are also fun ones that are themed. For example, this one, label stickers and tapes. Where you can also use it for the same purpose, it's just nice to have, and it's really versatile for your journaling needs, and you can never have too many paper or stickers, to be honest. Here are some of the tools you'll need. It's good to have a trusty pair of scissors. I have two different sized scissors here. Obviously, the bigger one is more heavy duty and it's a workhorse pair of scissors. It's very used, as you can see here. But if I'm traveling and I need something portable, I like to bring this cute pair. Next, I think this is very underrated, but I really love these clips. They come in either plastic clips or metal clips. Next up in the binding department. The first one is just a generic white glue, and this is simple, straightforward. It's a tube, and then you can just press it out with the white glue. So if you're sticking ephemera or paper that's a bit more tough to stick on paper, is a great way to bind them so that it sticks well on paper. So glue stick is literally a stick that's glue. So usually twist it open, then you have this tube. Usually, for photos, I use this because it's just more heavy duty. Last but not the least, another one that I like to use is a glue tape. I think this is a bit more subjective. I think it doesn't bind as well as the white glue or the glue stick. So I use it asparingly, but I love how portable it is. So this is actually on my desk all the time, because it's just easy to pull out and use for that purpose. Last but not least, this is a photo printer. It's optional. If you have access to an office printer or you print photos at the drugstore. That's also a great way to get your photos in your journal spreads. I want to say photo printers are a great addition, especially if you love taking photos and if you prefer having photo heavy journal entries. 4. Why Journal?: Journaling is more than just writing in a diary. It's a book that you create for yourself, filled with thoughts, ideas, and experiences. You might be wondering, Abby, why should I journal? What's in it for me? Well, let me share with you five reasons why I journal. Journaling allows self discovery. I personally got to know myself better through the pages of my journals, as I showed up consistently every single day to write about my thoughts, my feelings, and my experiences. Journaling encourages personal growth. I find that I have evolved consistently and thoroughly through journaling, through developing a richer inner dialogue, and also seeing the testament of my growth through the pages of my journals, as I documented about my travels. I wrote about my feelings, and I reflected about my experiences. Journaling fosters creativity. There are so many ways you can get creative with journaling, such as keeping ephemera, doing scrapbooking, doing collage, also illustrating, writing, photography, and there's so many creative avenues that you can explore as you develop your journaling habit and journaling style. Journaling celebrates the everyday. It is one of my favorite reasons why a journal because it forces you to really pay attention to the little things that make life great and the mundane moments that make every day meaningful. Lastly, journaling promotes flexibility. There's no one size fits all routine that I recommend you to try because I've also had several trial and errors over the past years. But one thing that I picked up is that I like to pick journals and decide what to document based on the lifestyle that I have. I love to travel. I also love to write daily. So those are the two things that I've been having on my journaling system and has kept me going for the past several years. Whatever your reason for journaling is, I invite you to grab your supplies. Don't forget your journal, and let's begin. 5. Day 1: Vision Board: For our first prompt, we're going to be starting with a vision board. So a vision board is basically a page or a spread that focuses on more of the visuals, and it usually is a compilation of photos, graphics, stickers, and stationery that you kind of put together in a collage format in order for you to have a mood board of sorts, a visual identity of what you'd like your journaling to look like. I wanted to start with this prom so we can ease into the writing process and to be able to set an intention for your journaling practice, especially if this is your first time journaling. I like to do vision boards at the start of the year or every month or every three months, every quarter. It really depends on how you want to organize your themes or if you have something specific that you want to talk about or focus on for a specific month, for example. Me, this one I really wanted to hone in on the idea of writing your own story, which for me, is what journaling means to me. And I'm picking out elements that resemble growth, nature, and all that, like, metaphors that are sort of within the realm of writing your story because for me, there's nothing like writing your own story, telling your own point of view, and through that, we're able to get to know ourselves better and also to inspire our own creative journeys. So I'm just cutting these up in a way that kind of makes sense in terms of shape. You'll see that the larger elements are the ones that I place in first. And right now I'm in the process of just putting everything accordingly, but not sticking anything yet until I see that a composition is forming. I'm working on spread, which is two pages. So it's important to note in these situations that you kind of want the left page and the right page to connect or make sense, whether that's through color pattern. As you can see, there are some torn paper edges on the left page. I also added similar elements on the right page, and that really helps inform the continuity of the journal spread. And since this one is a bit more on the side of, I have a lot of random spaces, I thought it would be a good way to write up a couple of thoughts about how I want my journaling to be or how I want to approach it. I figured this was also a great way for you to really tell yourself and ask yourself, you know, what are the reasons why I would like to document my days? Is there a specific thing that motivates me to do that? Do I want to remember certain memories? I'm sticking in the smaller elements this time, so you'll see that it has more of an additional depth to the pages, and it has a variety of sizes from larger stickers to smaller elements that you see here. I want to share with you what I wrote. So I wrote that I would like to write my own story, and that for me is in whatever way that's possible, I hope to be able to know more about myself through each day and each moment that is written on the pages of my journal. For me, growth is essential, and it is through this growth I will evolve into versions of myself I will get to meet. And realize where life has taken me and allow me to further discover parts of myself as time passes by. You obviously don't have to write everything that you want. Maybe if you have a small space in the page, you can also have a quote. You can also use it as like a mantra, or some people also have, like, a focus. One specific word that kind of encompasses what the vision word is about. So there are many ways to approach this. And for me, it feels more like a manifesto at some point. And that's what I'm trying to do for this particular spread. And I'm just adding in a little bit more details here and there. And if you notice, as the spread came together, I sort of centered on, like, blues, yellows, and browns, and those became the primary color scheme of how my journal spread looked like. And you'll see that the elements are very prominent because you have a yellow fountain pen sticker. You have a Sunser sticker. You know, you have these, like, black and white illustrations and photos, and they kind of compliment each other subtly, but without having to compromise on style and making sure that it looks cohesive in a way that balances out the left side and the right side. So this is the final spread. You don't have to do a spread. If you'd like to do a page that is more than fine, and I hope you enjoy working on your vision boards. 6. Day 2: Today's Top 3: For our second prompt, we're doing today's top three page, and what it essentially is is three things that you would like to write about for a specific day. The top three format is very versatile because then it allows you to think of three things that either happened that day or you are planning to do or something along the lines of three highlights or three moments that you would like to remember from a designated day. For now, I'm just putting together some elements such as the today's top three stamp. I also put in some PET tapes and kind of create a border for all the visuals to come together. As you can see, I'm avoiding the center part, and I'm focusing more on adding decorative elements to the sides. So because I know that the sides will be sort of like a frame to put together the text in the middle part, and I try to be a bit loose with this kind of theme because top three doesn't necessarily mean it has to be really big things that happened, you know? It could also just be simple things that made your day better or improved your mood. I always like to think about top three as, like, Oh, this happened in the morning. This happened in the afternoon or this happened in the evening. That's also a good way to organize your thoughts about the topic. I also have this particular day focused on being able to rest, so I stuck in a rest sticker to really emphasize on that. So as you can see, also, that the rest sticker is over on the left side, and it kind of complements the fountain pen sticker over on the upper right side. So then it has this, like, good balance of visuals here and there. So the first top three, I would say, I wrote that I had a full 8 hours of sleep. It's something that I really value. Good sleep means having a good day. So it was important for me to write it down. And these can really vary, you know, I think it's something about being able to take stock or notice the small things that make the day really valuable and really great. The second one was that I had a very productive morning workday, and that's always nice to remember because every day looks different and whether or not you do a today's top three every day or every other day, you'll also see that you will slowly build up the habit of paying attention to seeing more on what you can talk about or what you can write about and where the dialogue goes. You know, at the end of the day, you are developing an inner dialogue with yourself. And so figuring that out is also something you will hone as you keep journaling about a similar topic or a similar prom. So it's also a great way to develop how your inner dialogue works, especially if you're going to be talking about similar topics and being able to use the same prompts for a designated number of days. For example, you don't have to do today Stop Through every day, but if it's something that you really want to try, that's also a good way to start, but you can also do, like, a today Stop three every Monday or something, you know, to kind of kickstart the week. For the third one, I just wrote that I ran a few errands, and for me, this is something that makes me feel very accomplished in a day. So it belongs to the today's top three list. But it can also vary depending on how the days unfold. You know, sometimes it would be hanging out with a friend. And these are just examples. Obviously, there are a lot of top three options that you can do, and I suggest you think about how your day went and really reflect on the things that have happened to you and you'll be able to draw out a lot of ideas and inspiration on how you can hone in on the top three things that made your day. So this is the final journal page, and I hope you enjoy journaling with this prompt. 7. Day 3: Weekly Recap: For our third prompt, we are doing a weekly recap. So a weekly recap is a great way to close out the week, especially if you'd like to write small updates and highlights for every single day that have passed. So what I'm doing here is I'm dividing each page into quadrants. So there's four boxes in each page. And since they're seven days of the week, the last box, I'm just kind of doing a short summary of the entirety of the week. So I'm using label stickers to label every single day, so that it's easier for me to kind of look at it. It actually feels like a planner at this point where it seems like, Oh, you can write out tasks. But also, this is a great way to use up if you have a planner or if you have something that has templates where you can start to write and decorate alongside the area. So right now I'm just adding a little bit of stickers here and there. As you can see, I'm trying to break the stiffness of the lines. So I've been sticking up these kind of green themed elements to connect both pages and also to be able to develop a more cohesive composition. And through this, I'm also able to see how much text I can write on each box. As you can see, also, I'm trying not to fill up the box too much because I know that every day I have something that I want to write about. And since this is a relatively small journal, it's not that difficult to write on the box, and you have, like, maybe, like, a phrase or a sentence, and that really helps, like, kind of weave the story together. I also add some clear stamps because it's a great way to add more dimensions and create a better layout between every day and have like these bold statements. So I have your chill mode now showing. So it means, like, that day I probably rested or I probably watched a movie. So I'm just adding it a couple more elements, taking a weekly report sticker, and then let's get to writing. So I encourage you to think about this as, like, if you could encapsulate what happened for that day or like one specific thing that happened that day, you know, previously, we did the Today's top three. And for this one, it's a bit more of what happened that day that you remember. And I wanted to be quick in your head because that way, it's easier for you to also think about, Oh, yeah, I did this. I did that. I went on a coffee run. I met up with a friend. I watched a movie. And it's a good way for you to also think about how you can summarize the day through one specific thing that happened uniquely through that day. For example, the sun is out was such a big thing for me, so I decided to write that for Thursday, and it's a great way for you to really be able to draw ideas from every single day that has passed without feeling like you have to specifically write every single thing that happened that day. So another thing that you can also think about is, you know, weekends are more heavy on plans and things that you did. So in that case, you can also vary the layout and have a bigger space, for example, for Saturday and Sunday, or if you prefer having a bigger space to write about your weekend or your routines, that's also a great way to change up the layouts. This is one way of doing the layout, but there are also different ways where you can approach it. I figured this was the easiest way because then you'll be able to see a week at a glance, and by the end of the year, for example, you'll have 52 of these spreads, and I think it'll be so nice to flip back and see how the year progressed through every week that have passed. I also like to use brush pens to kind of emphasize key points, as you can see here with the Coffee Run, Sun is Out National Gallery. So it was nice to really add another layer of color to the journal spread that we're seeing right here. So for the final box, I just wanted to kind of explain a bit about a certain thing that I did. Like, you know, I inked a new pen, and this is the pen that I'm using right now. And also, it could be a short summary, like, a one sentence recap of how the week went, you know, how you felt how things happened. Was there anything that really stood out to you? Did you feel did you feel excited? Did you have certain things that you have experienced for the first time? It's nice to have a short reflection of that so that you'll be able to carry that forward for the coming week. And with that, then you've done a weekly recap. It's a great way to really close out the week and also start to think about how the next weeks will go. So this is what the final journal spread looks like, and as you can see, I still used a bit more of the green but also to complement it, I added some yellows and oranges, and it came out pretty cohesive and it came out pretty neat, but also with the nice element of the stickers on every single part of the spread. And so now we are finished for the weekly recap. 8. Day 4: Checking In: For our fourth prompt, we are doing a check in. So what a check in essentially is is a little reflection on how you're feeling. And this can go about in a lot of different ways, and it can be as free form as you want or as structured as you want. I written down for this particular one. Make sure to check the description. I wrote that I have three things that I wanted to check in with, and I think that's a good way to start, especially if you're working on a smaller format journal like this one. So now I'm just sticking in these transfer stickers. They're very fun to use because they feel like they've been printed on the page. You simply rub it off, like so, and then the design transfers onto the journal page. So what I wanted to focus on for this is I actually thought of having, like, a nice red color scheme going on. When I work on the journal pages and the composition of my pages, I don't really think about what exact color I want. I usually like to flip through my stationary and what I have, you know, some stickers, kind of see if things would flow well in the page, and, like, visually if they would make sense. So that's kind of where I start, and then you see, like, Oh, yeah, I have these bits of reds, and then there's, like, browns and then there's like greens. And then from there, it kind of forms its own or color story, and I start to stick on elements, see how they work out with layering. And one thing that I want you to remember when it comes to, you know, deciding on stickers and things is don't overthink it. It's usually just like, oh, it feels right kind of in a gut feel thing. I don't know how to explain it more than just like, Oh, if you see something that's like coffee themed over here, I'll also stick another coffee sticker, something like that to kind of really combine the elements and see how they draw out and how they play out on the page. I love using these alphabet stamps because they are great as, like, headers, and so I'm using it to stamp checking in over at the middle part for this spread. You can also just start with a page, but I figured that the checking in portion would require a lot of reflection. So the first one is I ask, how do I feel? It's a great way to do a check in around maybe in the middle of the week or like Fridays, because then you're thinking about, okay, how is the week going? How do I feel about it? Is there anything else that I can improve on based on what I'm currently feeling? So I wrote that I've been feeling overwhelmed. You know, there's just a lot of things that I've been working on. And from that, it's a good way to proceed to the next question, which is what's out today? You know, maybe you did something that have helped you feel a bit more in tune with yourself. And this is also great for you to regulate how you've been feeling. And for me, like what I wrote for What's it all Today is like I meditated. I was able to, like, sit a bit with myself and, like, look at tasks one thing at a time and, like, really take time to hold space for myself. And what you can do is the next question, which leads to what can I do better tomorrow, then you're giving yourself this space, you know, this moment where you're think Okay, based on what I've written down so far on how I felt and what stood out today, what can I do better tomorrow that allows you to change up how you've been feeling now and lead to some sort of improvement? And I think for this, it's a great way to rethink about how you're trying to solve your own problems through by writing it down. I think that's something that's very overlooked when it comes to journaling, but it is a great tool. It's a very powerful tool to be able to write about these things and then put them on paper and then read through it and realize, like, Oh, you know, I can fix this. I can get myself in a head space that will work for me and therefore you feel a sense of hope, and I think that's what we all need when it comes to journaling and, like, trying to check in and getting to know how you've been feeling. So, this is the final journal spread, and I hope you get to reflect on how you've been checking in with yourself. 9. Day 5: Gratitude: For our last and final prompt, save the best for last, we are doing a gratitude list journal spread. So this is my favorite prompt for the reason that it's very simple and it's a great way to be more mindful of everyday things. I'm printing out a photo of California poppies. They're my favorite flowers, aside from sunflowers. And what I'm doing is on the left hand side, I am just pasting together a couple of visual elements to sort of inform what my gratitude list will look like. You can obviously just skip the photos, but I like having a visual reference, and I figured that this would be a great way to put together both pages and have a nice visual break from all the texts that I've been writing. So I just printed out an instant print of a photo of me and California poppies. And with this clear stamp, where it says gratitude, I figured it's a perfect way to encapsulate what the spread is about without having to say gratitude list. But you can also write things such as I'm grateful for or other things that really could encapsulate what the idea of gratitude list is about. Now, I tried rubbing this transfer sticker onto the page, and I left it out so you can see that sometimes they just don't peel really well. So I actually had to cover a sticker. So now let's pretend it didn't happen. It's always a good way to remedy these situations instead of having to tear off a page. I prefer to just find ways to remedy them in an easier format, so then I can think about something else and then continue journaling. So I'm stamping on the left hand side this gratitude, kind of, like, dictionary definition. I think it's a really nice touch in comparison to the visuals. And I also had an ink stain there, so I also covered it with a sticker. You can never go wrong with covering with stickers, especially if you have larger sized stickers. So I would suggest it's a good idea to have, like, a mix of small stickers, tiny stickers that you can add as borders is what I'm doing here, little elements, but also have larger stickers that can really cover up mistakes, add more visual context to what you're journaling about, which I've been doing and kind of establishing here. You'll notice that I always start with decorating because once I decorate everything, now I know that there's enough space for me to write whatever it is I want to write. And so I also like to add captions to my photo. So I just wrote here on the left hand side, like why I pasted a photo of this and added some doodles. And on the right hand side, I wrote down a list of things that I am grateful for. This is a very generic list, but you can also do something where it's like, five things I'm grateful for for the day, or if you do it every weekend, then five things I'm grateful for from the week or if you prefer doing it, like every month, it's also a great way to kind of recap the month. And instead of thinking of, like, 30 or 31 things you're grateful for, maybe think of ten things that you're grateful for or five things. And gratitude is such a precious and special thing. It's thinking about how you can be grateful for very small things, mundane things that are often overlooked. But when you pay attention, you think about it and you're like, Wow, this makes me so grateful, you know? Having conversations, the changing of the seasons, people that leave a great impact in your life, or even just as simple as the leaves turning brown or the fresh air that you get once you open the door and take a quick walk. And these are often overlooked moments that are really great to write down because it helps you once again be mindful, but also at the same time, observe what's around you, and that observation allows you to be more present in the moment and with being present in the moment, it also benefits you when you journal because you're slowly documenting life as it happens, you know? And every day that you do this or the more that you do gratitude journaling or any of these prompts, then you kind of develop this habit and it becomes a better way of understanding you and the world around you. So here is the final spread completed spread of the gratitude list. And I look forward to seeing what you'll be writing on your gratitude lists. 10. Maintaining a Journaling Habit: So Let's talk about maintaining a journaling habit. I know it can be hard to keep up with journaling regularly. So here are three tips to make it easier for you. The first tip is the 310 rule. My golden rule is I never go over three days of not updating my journal. In that way, I don't feel like I'm losing the details of my daily life and I'm able to write from memory. I also journal within 10 minutes for every entry that I do. For me, this is the optimal time of not having to think too much about what I want to write and also not spending too long on the journal pages, feeling stuck, and not knowing what to write or document about. The second tip is the R and R framework. There are two ways you can journal about your days. The first one is to reflect whether that's through thoughts, emotions, and how you're feeling throughout the day or to recap an overall experience that you want to document. And the second is to report. Report is more like reporting events and experiences, doing a rundown of things you did that day or different ways on how you can do a recap or to summarize a specific time period. Third one is to always use more prompts and ideas that would feed your imagination and allow you to get creative. As I mentioned, make sure to check out the projects and resources tab or a PDF of layouts and bonus prompts that you can use for your journaling practice. Remember, it's okay to miss a day if you weren't able to catch up on your journal. No one's going to come after you. I won't be coming after you to tell you that you did a bad job. As long as you show up every day or whenever you can on your journal pages, you're doing great. Also, a reminder if you're completely new to journaling, it can really a learning curve to start developing the habit and start to do it day by day. So find a pace that works for you and start from there. For me, something that I've developed over the years is my evening routine, which includes the 10 minutes of journaling that I do every night. But obviously, I had to learn this the hard way, and also I had to start with different routines, whether I like doing it in the morning the midday or, like, catching up five days worth of journal entries, which obviously I did not enjoy. So nowadays, I do love my evening routine with a nice cup of tea, ten minute timer, take out my stickers and supplies, start decorating, start journaling, and it's such a relaxing way to end my day. 11. Final Thoughts: Mm. You've made it to the end of the class. As a teacher, it has been such a pleasure to guide you through journaling, and I hope you were able to develop a deeper understanding of what journaling means to you. Thank you for sharing your time and energy with me, and I hope you enjoyed journaling together. I hope you've discovered journaling as a tool for capturing experiences and fostering personal growth. Continue this practice beyond our class, and I'd love to see all the lovely journal pages and spreads that you'll come up with. Don't forget to share your with the community over at our project gallery so I can provide feedback and more suggestions for you on your journaling journey. And if you enjoy this class, please consider leaving a review. Thank you, once again, keep documenting and always be creating. Bye.