The Journal Keeper's Practice

Day 1 is an introduction to the course, an overview of each lesson, and an invitation to make this course experience, and your journaling practice, your own. This course is designed to help you build a transformative and sustainable journaling practice. In this course, you will build a solid, foundational practice based on the four cornerstones of Why We Journal, How We Journal, What We Journal, and The Life of the Practice itself. We end with a journal prompt.

On Day 2, we talk about the first of the four cornerstones of a journaling practice: Why We Journal. We explore why you are or want to be, a journal keeper by identifying the benefits of journaling that resonate with you. Your resonance with these specific benefits will motivate, inspire, and support you in sustaining your practice. We end with a journal prompt.

On Day 3, we take our exploration of why you journal a little deeper. We discuss the emotional value and power of intrinsic motivation, how to anchor and activate that power, and the role the benefits of journaling play in the process. We close with a guided visualization designed to integrate the experience. We end with a journal prompt.

On Day 4, we delve into the second cornerstone of a journaling practice: How We Journal. We affirm the freedom of creating your own practice. We discuss the many types of topic-specific journals available, the challenges and pleasures of both paper and digital journaling, and review a few digital options. We end with a journal prompt.

On Day 5, we continue discussing the second cornerstone of practice: How We Journal. We talk about the nuances of journaling; writing with authenticity and passion. We discuss venting versus positivity. We review helpful tips for mining the gold of your writing, making it easier to access the benefits of your journaling practice. We end with a journal prompt.

On Day 6, discuss the third cornerstone of practice: What We Journal. This session is full of prompts and suggestions for writing. It is a stand-alone session you can listen to again and again for those times when a blank page has you stuck. We end with a journal prompt.

Day 7 begins a discussion of the fourth cornerstone of practice: The Practice itself. This is an introduction to the various ways you can craft the habit, or design the ritual, of being a Journal Keeper. We learn a simple yet powerful secret for anchoring any new habit. We end with a journal prompt.

Day 8 continues the discussion of building a practice by addressing the challenges that keep us from writing. We talk about resistance, fear, and vulnerability. We address basic privacy concerns, how to be courageous in meeting the inherent vulnerability of journaling, and the balance between risk and reward. We end with a journal prompt.

On Day 9, we conclude the fourth cornerstone of practice by considering the life of a journal. We talk about journals as a legacy: making the decision, how it changes what and how we write, and leaving directives. We explore the challenge of what to do with old journals when it’s time to let go. We end with a journal prompt.

Day 10 is a review of the course and each sessions’ key points. We consider if there are any other facets of a journaling practice that would be helpful and where to find them. We acknowledge that although this is the last day of the course, it is just another day in your Journal Keeper’s practice. We end with a journal prompt.