Thursday, June 25, 2015

Summer Project: Journaling

Keep the journal idea, but ditch the length and write down just a sentence or two each day to record your most prominent memories. You might think such short entries aren’t enough to make any difference in your life, but [author Gretchen] Rubin insists that this idea is both manageable and impactful. “One sentence is enough. When I look back on it years later, that one sentence really does keep memories vivid—it really does bring back the past—which is one of the things you really want a journal to do,” she says.
~ Jessica Stillman, "The One-Minute Writing Activity That Will Make You Happier Every Day"

As for the health benefits of journaling, they've been scientifically proven. Research shows the following:

Journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma, arthritis, and other health conditions.
It improves cognitive functioning.
It strengthens the immune system, preventing a host of illnesses.
It counteracts many of the negative effects of stress.

~Elizabeth Scott, "The Benefits of Journaling for Stress Management"

Are you looking for something to do this summer in your spare time? Of course, we're a library blog, so our first recommendation is reading (have you signed up for our Summer Reading Program yet? It's not just for kids!). But, maybe you want something more. Maybe you are looking for a project. Something to take up for the short term, that may or may not grow into a long term occupation. Something you can do indoors, because summer is here with a vengeance!

How about journaling? Keeping a journal is recommended for a variety of reasons, including stress relief. And it doesn't have to run into volumes, like Virginia Woolf's, unless you are so inspired! In fact, many items in the library catalog lean towards creative journaling, making your own book or journaling with art.

Would you consider taking up journaling, for pleasure, as an aide-mémoire, to encourage creativity, or for stress relief? Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way recommends what she calls "Morning Pages", which is a great idea to get yourself started and get into the habit - we have employed this model in the past.

Inner Hero Creative Art Journal: Mixed Media Messages to Silence Your Inner Critic by Quinn McDonald [eBook]

No Excuses Art Journaling: Making Time For Creativity by Gina Rossi Armfield [eBook]

Journal Your Way: Designing & Using Handmade Books by Gwen Diehn

The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make It Your Own by Traci Bunkers [eBook]

How to Keep a Sketchbook Journal by Claudia Nice [eBook]

Artist's Journal Workshop: Creating Your Life in Words and Pictures by Cathy Johnson [eBook]

Raw Art Journaling by Quinn McDonald [eBook]