EVALUATION OF MY NEW METHOD AND WAY OF JOURNALING

06-07-2015d Personal Journaling, Sunday, 1038 a.m.

EVALUATION OF MY NEW METHOD AND WAY OF JOURNALING

I figured it's time for me to stop and evaluate my new way of journaling. I started it with full-time use on Wednesday, June 03, 2015.
My new method and way of journaling is by doing my entries in a document. I then email the document a couple of times per day to myself and save it on my laptop and tablet, along with the Cloud. I will also save it to my external hard drive once a week or so.
Is it overkill to do all of these saves? Probably.  However, with all of the problems I've had between movers losing ten years of my journaling, and irreconcilable differences with an online journal, I do not think it is. I want to keep all of my journaling for the rest of my life and pass it on, this journal keeping legacy. So, saving my journaling in multiple ways, throughout the day, brings me a piece of mind I wouldn't have otherwise. And, it ensures I do not lose my journaling.
So, what do I think of this way of journaling?
I'm loving it. I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever.
I cannot help but feel foolish as to why I haven't done it like this until now.
I do not need the internet in order to journal or see my past journals. I have all of my journaling saved so I can view it at any or all times on my laptop, tablet, and cell.
It's easy to search and find information.
However, the biggest benefit of the way I am journaling now is how I can email my journal to my tablet and the tablet will automatically then put it into e-book form for me. I can then highlight things and add notes to it. Then, I can print that out, email it, and save it multiple ways in multiple places.
So, on a scale of 1 to 10. I give it at least a 12 so far.
I use a word processing program that is free, so this way of journaling costs me nothing financially either. This is another benefit. (Woo-hoo!)
I cannot recommend it enough.
~*~

Journaling Stories, Exercises, and Prompts

Change It Up in Your Journaling

Written 06-04-2015, Thursday, 545 p.m.

Journaling is not static.

The best journaling can change throughout the day, never mind throughout the week, month, quarter, or even year. We need to go with the flow and see where, and how, our journaling leads. We need to be willing to try something new whenever our journaling leads us. The newness is found in how we journal. This is what should,and does, constantly change ad transform into something better, something deeper, something more meaningful, and these things lead to far more blessings.

This fosters the best environment for our journaling practice. Being rigid and refusing to bend or transform can hold back our journaling and even make us want to take a break from it, give it up, and stop. But, if we are willing to try something new, the rewards we reap make it worthwhile.

Never be afraid to journal in a different way or journal about different things. Experiment and have fun with it. It will bless you far more deeply than you ever might imagine.

So, go ahead. Keep things fresh. Try something new or different than what you are doing now as you journal. It will bless you. I guarantee it.

Try journaling in one word sentences only.

Or try two word sentences only.

At yet another time, try journaling in three word sentences only.

Or, what about doing different journaling prompts?

Have you tried to review your journaling and see if it inspires you in your current journaling?

Have you journaled about each of your photographs? And, what about someone else’s?
Have you journaled about your three memories you made today?

What about going through your journaling and adding to what you already have written?
There are so many things you can try.

Go through this blog or blog book (or any of the other books I write about journaling) and see what other ideas you might glean.You never know where it might lead.

~*~

A Personal Journaling Nightmare

(My Personal Journaling: The Confessions of a 32+ Year Journal Keeper)

Please do not skip this. Read this section in its entirety. There are several lessons to be learned from here.

Three days ago... Or was it four days ago? I’m not sure at this point. It’s been an emotional roller coaster, so the days have blurred together on me. Forgive me, please.

At any rate, three or four days ago, I was on a journaling high and was quite thrilled with everything I have accomplished the last month in my journaling. I have made my personal journaling my priority and have focused on it at the expense of my blogging and writing. My journaling life soared and I was great--until...

I was great until the bottom fell out.

(See. This is what I really enjoy about journaling. There are no grammar rules. I personally find cliches useful--when they are done right and aren’t overused. A cliche conveys more meaning than other words or phrases.)

So, I had a mild panic attack for a couple of days as I dealt with an issue in my favorite online journaling program (which also has an app). I pay for an upgraded version of this journaling program, let me add. I pay the upgrade because I can email journaling entries to myself. This for me is a non-negotiable.

Well... I sent myself several emails of things I journaled and figured out none of them made it through. Days--of--journaling--vanished in my online journal. I was able to gather all of it in my emaila nd copied and pasted that into a document. But, I shouldn’t have to do that. I paid for that service.

I contacted the company two days ago via email.

Nothing.

I contacted them again via email yesterday morning, bright and early.

Well, I still haven’t received a response.

Let me had how it’s rather ironic. My yearly fee is due in July. Consequently, I’ve realized I need to make a decision as to what I’m going to do. Time is of the essence.

Needless to say, yesterday I started to think things through and try to come up with a workaround. After all, I believe there is always a workaround. How could I do my journaling differently--and in a way that works for me?

My poor hamster of my mind worked so hard she did a marathon on her hamster wheel.
There are several journaling apps and online programs out there. Each of them have faults. Therefore, I did some research and figured I, frankly, didn’t know if I wanted to invest in any of them, only to have them fail me, like my online journaling program did.

So, now what?

Long pause.

Followed by much silence.

This has been painful for me.

Another pregnant pause.

It’s been far more painful than words could ever convey. After all, four years ago, our movers lost roughly ten years of my journaling (never to be returned, let me add--and I put my name, address, phone, and email in all of my journals). Therefore, this is all the more painful for me.

I determined one thing for sure yesterday. I had to save all of my journaling from my online journals into my laptop and my tablet, on the Cloud, and on my eternal hard drive. As of this morning, I determined to save them all in a txt file, a doc file, and in a pdf file--on my laptop, on my tablet, on the Cloud in two different places, and will save them on my external hard drive at a later date.

I took a few hours today and got that accomplished. (Check.)

How was I going to journal for now on? This was the question tat kept running through my mind off and on for three or four days, but particularly yesterday and today.

I know paper journaling was out. For, movers can lose them. Acts of God, and weather, can destroy them. So, paper journaling was a no.

Online journals and apps are another no for me.
So, what then?

Huh. More hamster on the wheel thinking.

Yesterday, I decided to try journaling in a new way and see what I thought of it. It was old school, but with a new twist. Today, I tried more of it--and determined it is the only way to journal. It guarantees privacy, that acts of God or man or computer can destroy. Yes. It’s the only way.

The last couple of hours, I have decided it’s how I should have been journaling all along. It’s already made a difference and has turned into something special and to cherish. It's taken me deeper already and has given me a dream for the future and I’ve set up goals in my head to fulfill the dream.

The truth is I never would have tried this if my once cherished online journaling program hadn’t started to give me problems. And, since it had, I have come up with a far better, far cheaper, easier, more private and secure, productive, and long-term of a system I will use in and for my journaling.

Something challenging and frustrating... Yes. But, it’s more so than that. It’s something bad... No. Worse than bad. It’s something terrible... something heartbreaking... This is something nightmares are made of. That’s what this online journal has brought me.

Am I overreacting? Hardly. It’s my journaling, my innermost thoughts, feelings, experiences, goals, dreams we’re talking about here.

Never mind how this also means change is required. I need to look into journaling in a different way. Will I find a way that stifles me or will I flourish? Fears bubble up, as does irrational thinking.

A journal is a sacred space.

Whenever a journal is violated, the individual is violated.

Okay. I'm going to stop there. I'm sure you're wondering if I am blowing this out of proportion?

No. Again. A journal is a sacred space. It's a set apart and sanctified place. A journal is far deeper and had far more meaningful than anything else in this world.

Period.

End of story.

It's our innermost depths.

Do you see how serious this is? I cannot possibly understate the seriousness of this. My journal and I have been disregarded, ignored, and stymied. It's forced me to utterly change the way I journal. The situation has brought a wedge, boundary, block to my journaling.
So, what now and how can this be avoided in the future?

I will address each in future blog posts this week and I will teach a great deal more about how to journal in the process.

Through this... yuck... Yes. That's the best description. Through the yuck, I faced change and transformation. I worked through my fears and I have figured out a new way to journal. This new way is now a major blessing.

Something bad and evil has turned out--not just for the good, but for the best.

I have figured out a way to journal that is far better than what I have been doing. It's going to be far more of a blessing.

I cannot wait to share with you the rest of my journey and a new way to journal.

Stay tuned this next week or so. I will share. I think this will bless your socks off, too.

~*~

CAPTURE THREE MOMENTS: A JOURNALING EXERCISE OR PROMPT

Capture at least three moments of your day on the page each and every day.

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JOURNALING EXERCISES OR PROMPTS

JOURNALING EXERCISES OR PROMPTS

Do a SOC (Stream of Consciousness) Journaling for at least ten minutes for each word listed below:

1 Cat

2 Coffee

3 Stars

4 Tacos

5 Dog

6 Blue

7 Years 2000-2015

8 Books

9 Music

10 Morning

11 Friday

*~*~*

Journaling Hints, Tips, Exercises, and Prompts

THE GOAL OF THE RYP JOURNALING BLOG

Written: 2015-06-02 20:01:21, Tuesday

It is goal over time to create the largest journaling resource or guide on the web and in a published book (and book series) form. It's the everything you ever needed to know about journaling resource. 

The truth of the matter is I have a great deal more information that I've written about journaling than what is on this blog. That being said, I hope to change this over time as I keep adding material to this blog. 

It's my goal to covert this blog into book material every year, along with some other mini books on different types of journaling. 

Right now I have three books I am editing:

1 Journaling Stuff: An Introduction to Journaling

2 Journaling Stuff 2014 (about 500 pages before editing)

3 Journaling Stuff 2015 (about 218 pages so far before editing)

*~*~*

THE TRUE PLEASURE OF JOURNALING

Journaling is not like any other component in our lives. It is very unique in that our journals and journaling never have to be static, dull, boring, unimaginative, etc. We never have to get stuck or blocked with our journaling. Our journals and journaling can constantly change, transform, and grow. 

After all, the true pleasure of journaling is we can do whatever we want. We can make our journal and journaling be anything we choose to make it. What can journal what we want, when we want, and how we want. 

We can explore as we journal. We can be as creative as we want, or not be creative at all. Our journaling is whatever works. This is what makes journaling so pleasurable. 

*~*~*

WHAT I ENJOY ABOUT JOURNALING

Of course, the answer to the question of what I enjoy about journaling is simple and multifaceted. There are hundreds of things I enjoy about journaling in all honesty. However, I will try to boil it down to the simplest answer. 

What I enjoy the most about journaling is how I can journal anything I want, when I want, and how I want. 

It is the most welcoming activity we can do. After all, we can journal a million different things in a million different ways. This is what makes journaling so enjoyable and pleasurable.

Journaling is whatever we choose. 

Journaling is also whatever we decide to make of it. 

*~*~*

JOURNALING EXERCISES OR PROMPTS

Answer any or all of the following. Be thorough in your response. 
1 Who are you?

2 What makes you tick?

3 Who would your best friend say you are?

4 Who would your family day you are?

5 Who were you in the past?

6 Who do you want to be?

7 What makes you--you? 

~**~**~**~

Journaling Blog

I am starting a new journaling blog. It's called: Journaling Stuff.

It's everything you ever wanted to know about journaling.

See the link listed below, please.

Blessings,
--Stacy Duplease

Email:
agodlyvision@gmail.com
rememberingyourpresent@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://journalingstuff.blogspot.com
http://rypstories.blogspot.com
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet

JOURNALING STUFF 2015 #11

JOURNALING STUFF 2015 #11
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Written January 20, 2015
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
What do you think of your journaling today?
This week?
This month?
The last quarter (three months)?
The last 6 months?
The last year?
The last two years?
Etc.
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
How has journaling helped you live a fuller, more meaningful, deeper, and more purposeful life?
How can it help you to live a fuller, more meaningful, deeper, and more purposeful life?
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
What does your journal (or your journaling) mean to you?
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
How can you get more out of your journaling?
Just in general?
Today?
This week?
This month?
Over the next three months?
Six months?
Year?
Five years?
Decades?
Your life?
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ALL OVER THE PLACE (MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES 2015)
Written January 20, 2015, Tuesday, 317 p.m.
Today has been the all over the place kind of day. Then again, that can be said of January for me as well. There is a reason why my one word for the year's FOCUS.
I am having difficulty figuring out which memoir angle I want to take, but I just realized, once again, what it all boils down to: I am a journal keeper. Period. This is my life's theme. End of story. Want to know me? I am a journal keeper. Who am I? I am a journal keeper? What do I do for a living? I am a journal keeper? What do I find the most rewarding thing I can do? Journaling. What is my biggest dream? To journal and to coach others to journal.
So, you see... My memoir can be summarized in one made-up word: Journalkeeper.
My whole life and all that I am and want to do is summarized in these two words: Journal Keeping.
How would I summarize my life? I'm a journal keeper--or journal keeping.
Journaling is what makes me--me.
If I don't journal as I should, I start to unravel. I get edgy. I feel irritated, off, not whole if I do not journal as I should or want--or need for that matter. My mind, emotions, and soul depend on journaling and need it.
A need is defined as something we cannot live without. Journaling is a need for me. I am not kidding. I start to unravel if I fail to journal as my soul, mind, and heart crave. I am not the same if I do not journal as I want.
Journaling is how I live. It's a way of life.
I am a far better person inside and out because I journal.
A life of journaling is the most blessed life I can live.
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
What makes you--you?
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
How can your journaling bring out the best in you?
How can journaling make you the best person you can be?
How can journaling help you live a deeper life?
How can journaling help you live a more meaningful life?
How can journaling help you to see how blessed you are?
List 25 or so blessings in your life today.
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JOURNALING IS HOW I PRAY AND COMMUNICATE BEST WITH GOD
Journaling is how I pray best to God. It's how I communicate best with Him. After all, true prayer is listening as well as speaking. Journaling forces me to do both. Journaling makes me slow down in my crazy, busy life and makes me take a moment to breathe and think. Hence, I can then offer more to God.
I journal as though God was the One reading my journaling entry (and He is). He is my audience. He is the One I seek to curl up with when I journal.
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JOURNALING HELPS ME TO FOCUS ON CHOICE, NOT ON EMOTION
I think that in today's world, we are all about action and feelings. We are go-go-go and we assign value to feelings. For example, people will actually not buy a house, even if it is their dream home and is the perfect price if they "are not feeling it."
We think feelings are really important. We base life decisions off of feelings.
Feelings change quicker than the weather and are fickle. They never last. So, putting value on feelings is ludicrous.
Let me make another point. People marry because they feel as though they are in love. Then, those same couples are the ones who divorce later.
Feelings are actually a choice. We can and should choose how we feel.
Case and point:
I choose to love my husband every hour of every single day. My feelings do not matter. I choose to love him because I chose to say "I do" to him--no matter what--til death do us part. No matter what. No matter how I feel. I can choose how I feel. I can choose to love him or not. Hence, I make sure to choose to love him every moment, no matter what, and make my/our love far deeper, richer, and more meaningful than feelings could ever be.
Hence, my emotions are a choice and are something I choose to control.
It has not always been this way. Ask those closest to me and they will tell you I used to be quite emotional and wore every single emotion on my sleeve. In fact, I used to drive people nuts because I was so emotional. However, life experience, maturity, and wisdom have taught me how I actually lived a lesser life because of it. I was not able to thoroughly enjoy life and all of its blessings because I was so focused on emotions.
I did not realize how much emotions cloud our judgement and thinking. I also didn't realize how emotions prevented me from fully living.
I am not saying not to feel. No. Not that. Rather, I am saying to control your emotions, rather than to allow them, to control you. Chose how you feel. Do not let people, things, or circumstances to ever control your emotions. You are the one with intelligence and can control how you feel. So, do so. Feel, but only if you thoroughly think something through--and do not feel something through. Feeling something through will lead to problems and will prevent you from fully living.
My journaling helps me to control my emotions and not allow my emotions to control me. This is one of the reasons I journal. Journaling helps me to control my emotions so I can see all of the blessings in that moment no matter how I feel. My emotions could otherwise cloud my vision and prevent me from seeing the blessing in every moment--even the challenging moments. It's in the times of challenge and storm that often bring the most blessings in our lives, but if we are feeling and emoting, we might miss them.
Journaling helps me to work through my emotion so I can choose to look for the blessings of each and every moment.
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
How do your emotions control you?
How do you control your emotions?
How can journaling help you with your emotions?
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​HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015! (AND A JOURNALING PROMPT)

​HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015! (AND A JOURNALING PROMPT)

Happy New Year 2015, everyone.

I pray your next year will be bountiful with blessing, surrounded with those you love, memorable, and purposeful. 

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A JOURNALING PROMPT

What do you expect from 2015?

What do you expect from your journaling in 2015?

What are you carrying over from 2014?

What do you look forward to in 2015?

What are ten blessings in your life right now?

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(Image credit: Microsoft images online.)

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.31.2014)

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.31.2014)
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JOURNALING STUFF, BOOK 1 NEWS
Written December 30, 2014, Tuesday, 154 p.m.
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THE WRITING PROGRESS OF BOOK 1
This first book has two parts. One was written from 2012 to early 2014 (265 pages). The other part I've written this month and it's on this blog. What I want to update you with is on the latter.
So far, there are 114 pages and 36,180 words of the newest part of this book. (Yay!)
It's been my goal to create a resource so you can either begin your journaling practice or help you continue with a fresh perspective.
It's quite exciting to know our journaling journey together has just begun. I look forward to seeing where this takes us.
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JOURNALING PROMPT
Have you done your daily journaling template?
What about your weekly template?
What about your weekly summary?
What about your weekly review?
What about your monthly template?
What about your monthly summary?
What about your monthly review?
Quarterly of each?
Yearly of each? Now is definitely the time to do each.
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THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR 2014
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MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES AND JOURNALING STUFF
Written December 31, 2014, Wednesday, 834 a.m.
THE TIME PARADOX: MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES
Goodness. Is it Wednesday already?
Imagine with how much that astounds me what I think about it being the close of 2014. I stop. I blink. I look up and to the left as I think. The calendar says this is the last day of the year, and so do all of my blog entries since July, but it does not seem like the end of the year.
Sure. In some ways, it feels as though 2014 lasted a decade, if not more. However, in other ways, it feels like I blinked a year ago and when my eyes opened, it was/is a year later. It's rather mind-boggling.
Time is a paradox. It crawls and flies at the same time.
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BREAK
Written December 31, 2014, 1015 a.m.
Today was a slow start of a day. I sure haven't been in any kind of a hurry. (Blessing #1490).
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STOP RUSHING: JOURNALING STUFF
I don't know about you, but this year, I've learned from a very wise man how rushing has never helped me in any way. It only makes me stressed, angry, and anxious. Rushing, then, sets the course of the rest of the day. And it isn't a very good one.
Rushing me we gets me anywhere quicker. Whereas slow and steady always, and without fail, wins the race.
If I am pressed for you time, that wise man has taught me to actually slow down, which seems counterintuitive. In my rush, I only add more stress and anxiety to the stress of being pressed for time. Needless to say, if I slow down, I stop additional stress and anxiousness and am able to think clearer and I won't forget anything, overlook anything, or do something silly (like get in an accident--whether it's run into a doorframe with my elbow or into a curb with my car). Plus, rushing always impacts whoever is with me. Slowing down clams the situation and I am actually able to get things done quicker and actually make up time.
Hence, I took my time getting with it today.
I wanted to actually slow down and enjoy life, rather than rush through it.
(Thanks, hubby for this quite valuable lesson, which I am finally grasping after almost fourteen years. 1491.)
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A JOURNALING PROMPT: JOURNALING STUFF
How have you tried to rush this year? And, how has it helped you?
How can you slow down and enjoy every moment in the next year? (Hint: Journal is one answer you should list! Wink.)
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MY THOUGHTS AT THE CLOSE OF 2014: MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES, BOOK 1
Written December 31, 2014, Wednesday, 1035 a.m.
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BLESSINGS OF 2014: CHRISTIAN STYLE
{NOTE AND WARNING: CHRISTIAN TALK COMING UP.}
I am quite grateful, Lord, for 2014 (1492) and all of the lessons learned (1493). Now, I hope to apply them accordingly and purposefully.
I cannot believe how blessed I have been this year (1494). Talk about humbling. I KNOW how I do not deserve ONE blessing. Not one. I mess up constantly. I am the polar opposite of perfect.
This is not me coming down on myself. It's reality. It's fact. Truth always matters. To try to pretend I'm something I'm not is to live a lie and is deceiving myself and others. There is no profit in that.
However, with that being said, I am redeemed (1495). I am forgiven, thanks to the blood of the Lamb (1496).
Let me clarify something. The forgiveness extended to me only by the grace of God does not give me license to do anything wrong. It does mean, though, that when I stumble by accident, there is provision. I am forgiven. If I willfully do something wrong, then I must be corrected and correct myself--and the Lord is quite good at that (1497). Hence, I am quite blessed (1498).
{NOTE AND END OF WARNING: MORE SUBTLE TALK FROM A CHRISTIAN AFTER THIS SENTENCE.}
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BLESSINGS OF 2014
I cannot believe how much has happened this year--sunshine and storm. But, I would not trade any of it for the world. It's been a blessed year (1499). I have learned so much (1500).
I have been tried and tested (1501).
Yes. I could that as a blessing. After all, through the storms of life, we are pressed to search for blessing. And, when we do, we see how there are far more blessings than possible or imaginable--even in the storm (1502)... Which then teaches us how blessings are that which exists outside of situations, people, things, memories, (1503) etc. Blessings are transcendant (1504).
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THE BLESSINGS OF THE LAYERS AND DIMENSIONS OF EACH AND EVERY SACRED MOMENT
I have also learned how every moment has layers or dimensions (1505). This is true even in times of sunshine or storm (1506). There is far more going on that what we see or experience at the time (1507). There are emotions, the six senses, thoughts, behaviors, connections, chain reactions/snowball effects, choices, dreams/goals, the spiritual dimension, the historical dimension, the family tree/lineage dimesnion, interpersonal and relational dimensions (and each individual involved has all of these layers going on in their own lives in this moment as well), the national dimenion, the world dimension, the politics dimension, etc. There are far more layers, dimensions, and things going onw e don't know or see at the time. And, in each of those are blessings, if we look for them and seek them (1508). This is what makes every moment so special, set apart, and sacred (1509).
Every moment has an infinite of things going on, past, present, and future in orientation (1510). And, this is why we should journal. It helps us to see things from different points-of-view and perspectives (1511)--and helps us find all of the blessings in each (1512).
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
Chew on all of that for a few minutes. Journal your thoughts as you do. Try to grasp what was just shared.
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THE BLESSING OF TIME AND WHAT IT BRINGS
Written December 31, 2014, Wednesday, 1100 a.m.
I cannot believe how it has taken me thirty-two years to learn one of the most valuable lessons of my life (1513). Furthermore, I cannot believe how I have learrned two of them this week (1514). (Better late than never.)
LESSON 1: I learned how I should make journaling my main journaling and writing theme. I should make it the main theme of my life story. (This lesson was learned two days ago.)
LESSON 2: How to journal in such a way that I go the deepest I can, and how I can write every word with depth and meaning. (This lesson was learned yesterday.) (1515)
Let me phrase Lesson 2 another way: I learned how to do deeper in my journaling and writing and how to intertwine great meaning into every word. (1516)
LESSON 2 PUT INTO PRACTICE: I shared what I learned and now, I am putting it into practice through counting my blessings as I journal (1517).
LESSON 1 PUT INTO PRACTICE: Through writing MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES (1518).
Time was what I needed in order to get to this point.
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LESSONS LEARNED AND AHA MOMENTS
Those lessons learned are a big deal. Both were major AHA moments (1519).
I cannot believe how I received both lessons, and learned them, back to back like that--and learned them the last three days of the year.
Oh, how silly of me to take this long to find my true writing voice. But, I know it's been a process (1520). I had to experiment and try several things, learn from them, and they led to this moment (1521). This sacred moment (1522).
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YOUR STORY
I would love to hear your story and interact with you about journaling. Please attach a comment at the end of any blog post and share who you are, when you started journaling, and share your journaling story. Or, send an email or do a tweet with #RYPJournaling.
Let's form a journaling community.
Let's learn from one another and encourage one another.
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CONGRATULATIONS ABOUT YOUR JOURNALING
Congratulations regarding your new journaling journey.
I hope and pray the next year will be the most blessed and meaningful year yet for your life. Your journaling, if you continue, will help this come to pass.
Well done.
Happy New Year!
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SEE YOU NEXT YEAR
I'll see you next year (for Blog to Book 2).
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*** THIS MARKS THE END OF WRITING:
"JOURNALING STUFF: A RYP JOURNALING RESOURCE, BOOK 1." ***
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HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!: AN END OF YEAR JOURNALING PROMPT

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!: AN END OF YEAR JOURNALING PROMPT

Written 811 a.m.
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Happy New Year's Eve!

We're bringing 2014 to a close today.
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AN END OF YEAR JOURNALING PROMPT

What do you want to remember from 2014?

What were your biggest lessons learned?

What are your strongest memories?

What were your biggest blessings?

In ten, twenty-five, and fifty years (even one year from now), how do you want to remember 2014?
(Image credit: Microsoft images online.)

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JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.30.2014.)

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.30.2014.)

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JOURNALING PROMPT: END OF YEAR JOURNALING

What has been the biggest surprise from this year?

What has been the biggest, most important, lesson learned this year?

What was your greatest weakness in 2014?

What was your greatest strength in 2014?

What were your ten greatest blessings in 2014?

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MY PERSONAL MORNING JOURNALING

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 714 p.m.

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Need to get a few things out and down on the page so I can get to the substance and the heart of the matter. Once I get the extraneous stuff out that's weighing me and my mind down, it frees up heart and mind space so I can go deep and focus on the stuff of real meaning in my life.

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JOURNALING HINT AND TIP

What do you need to get on the page so you can get to the stuff of substance?

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MY TO DO LIST

Let me get this out of the way. MUST get haircut this week. My hair is driving me CrAzY.

Get Kara's medicine from vet.

DAV.

Moving checklist, create one.

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B and I have been fighting and suffering from the crud off and on for a week and a half. Ugh. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Sorry. Had to complain.

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I just got an idea for a writing prompt for blog. Wrote that. Now I'm back.

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Words?

I'm finding it difficult to find the words and focus my thoughts on something really important to me. I tried to find them yesterday at no avail. Sigh.

It's raining cats and dogs, by the way. 729 a.m.
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A JOURNALING HINT AND TIP: Yep. I am definitely all over the place. But, there's a lesson I learned long ago. Go with it. Write what you think is extraneous nonsense down on the page. Later, you will see a pattern or will have an AHA moment. It's when we get frustrated or don't capture the nonsensical we lose great opportunities for self-reflection, creativity, and insight. So, get it all down, no matter how odd or out of place. These moments are when our minds are trying to file something away or bring forth new thought.

Okay. Words. What about words? Sigh. Ahh, yes. I remember.

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Two days ago, my husband and I went to Historic Jamestowne.

Thank God it wasn't as painful as the last time we went.

I have never felt more at home than I felt there.

I felt this the first time we went there. Peace. Belonging. A homecoming.

The first few times it just didn't make sense.

Then, when I started to work on our family tree, and do some genealogy, then it made sense. A whole lot of sense. It was then I discovered I had family members come to Jamestowne in 1607.

MORE

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JOURNALING HINT AND TIP

Write MORE in a place you want to explore and write more about later. Then, focus on what comes to mind now.

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2014 brought the decision for B and I not to have children. We can't and we're older.

So, exploring my family tree is particularly painful. My rich family legacy (and tree) ends with me. The same goes for my husband. Ouch times two.

It is so rich with meaning I don't want it to be lost. But, who would care, besides me/us?

Hah! I figuratively slap my forehead and remember this: Stories matter.

Any questions? I ask myself and shake my head.

Stories matter.

Every story should be captured on the page.

My story is my family's story. This story is of the birth of the United States of America and is a Christian story. This story is your story, too.

My story is the true history of the United States.

My story is also how we made our way West.

Every story is sacred and that means this story is sacred, matters, has meaning, and has shaped who I am.

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Why was it painful to go to Jamestowne the last time we went? I knew we were moving and I had to start saying goodbye. To my home. To my origin story. To the origin story of the United States.

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Family Tree Journaling is also memoir.

This is what calls me and beckons.

Learn these stories.

Tell these stories.

Family and nation matters.

How all of these shape who I am and my life are important to explore.

Every story matters.

My Family Journaling will help me come alive and will help us learn the truth about history.

Every story is sacred.

My family story is a very unique one and should be told.

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MY JOURNALING FOCUSES FOR 2015

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 817 a.m.

1 My RYP Journaling Stories

2 Journaling Stuff

3 Journaling Stuff for Christians and Blessings Journaling

4 Jamestowne 1607 Family Tree Journaling

5 Home DIY Journaling

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MY JOURNALING SCHEDULE 2015

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 824 a.m.

1 My RYP Journaling Stories: Daily.

2 Journaling Stuff Daily.

3 Journaling Stuff for Christians and Blessings Journaling: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

4 Jamestowne 1607 Family Tree Journaling: Tuesday, Thursday.

5 Home DIY Journaling: Tuesday, Thursday.

Unless I write more... These are at the very least.

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MY BOOK COVERS

I just wanted to explain.

My book covers are plain and are temporary. They are not the final product by any means. They are simply to help distinguish between books until I publish the books and have a real book cover. 

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OH, DEAR

Written December 29, 2014, Monday 832 a.m.

I just realized I forgot to include Critter Journaling in my journaling schedule. But, then I realized I will naturally include it anyway in My RYP Journaling Stories.

Phew.

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MY BLESSINGS JOURNALING AND BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST (12.29.2014.)

1337 The pitter-patter of rain as it kisses the Windows.

1338 The sounds of beagle sleeping peacefully.

1339 The warmth of Zack Beagle as he snuggles against my left side as it sit, journal, and count my blessings on our sofa.

1340 My Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9-inch, 1st version. It's what I use to do most of my journaling and writing. What a major blessing. It's just large enough it's a pleasure to use, but small enough to carry everywhere--and I do.

1341 Kara, our elderly, once feral, deaf, declawed, cancer cat hasn't really played many children, if at all, since we got her. Well, hubby and I sat on sofa two nights ago and we heard her playing with a ball in the hall! Then, when we went to bed, we still heard her. Yay! 1342. And, she played with the ball yesterday 1343 and this morning 1344. Talk about a way to make me smile.

1345 Also, Lady Kara is now roaming our first floor freely. She feels comfortable enough to do so. Hadn't until last week. 1346. She still won't go upstairs, but there is progress. She could, though, if she wanted. Yay! 1347. Also, we never lock her up in the study now. 1348. We used to so she and Sinan wouldn't fight. They may argue now, but she puts him in his place and he runs off. So, all is well. Yay! 1349.

1350 Clean sheets.

1351 Sleeping on clean sheets.

1352 Revelation 20.

1353 Psalm 145:5 TLB

1354 Snowmen

1355 Snowman coffee cup

1356 Warm shirt

1357 Favorite style, favorite color, warm shirt on a colder day

1358 Preparing for what is to come.

1359 Planning on home DIY stuff. Fixing up a home. Making it ours.

1360 Looking forward to owning my first house in fourteen years.

1361 Hubby and I owning our first house together and it will be our only house 1362.

1363 Looking forward to no longer paying rent.

1364 Going to Historic Jamestowne on Saturday.

1365 Kara is getting pudgy. The once malnourished cat is healthy. She is not fat. She is at a healthy weight. Finally. Took three and a half months, along with two types of medicine (thyroid and anti-nausea). (The medicines are a blessing. 1366 and 1367.) Too easy. She looks really good. 1368. Acts healthy. 1369. Would never guess she was elderly or had two types of cancer. 1370. Thank God.

1371 Today is a quiet day.

1372 Ran some errands.

1373 Starting to get a vision for the RYP Journaling blog and journaling hints and tips writing, the journaling resource.

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A JOURNALING PROMPT: IT'S YOUR TURN

Count your blessings for today.

Count your blessings for December.

Count your blessings for 2014.

Count your blessings for different things in the past.

Count your blessings for 2015.

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NEW YEAR JOURNALING PROMPTS

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 142 p.m.

What do you hope happens in 2015?

What do you expect or want from your journaling in 2015?

What journaling do you want to do in 2015?

How many blessings per day do you want to count in 2015?

How much journaling do you want to do each day or each week in 2015?

What is your one word for 2015?

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JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.30.2014.)

JOURNALING HINTS, TIPS, AND PROMPTS (12.30.2014.)
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PLEASE FORGIVE THE FORMATTING ERRORS 
*** I haven't been able to figure out how to fix the formatting errors in this blog post. Please excuse this. ***
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YOUR JOURNALING SHOULD... ( JOURNALING HINTS AND TIPS 12.28.2014.)

Written December 28, 2014, Sunday, 1058 a.m.

Journaling should help you compensate and deal best with your weaknesses.

Journaling should magnify your strengths.

Journaling should help you learn from the past and remember, live fully in the present, and prepare for the future.

Journaling should make you more you. 

Journaling should help you search for and count your blessings in each moment

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JOURNALING PROMPT

Does your journaling do each of those five things?

How can your journaling bring out more of each of those five things? Be thorough in your reply. 

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BRINGING THE POINT HOME

Over the last few days, I've realized how those five facets of journaling are benefits of journaling, but also are absolute requirements. If our journaling doesn't bring these facets and shoulds out, then we have missed the mark. And, we are probably bored with our journaling and out journal is probably bored with us. After all, we will be spinning our wheels, wasting energy and time, and getting nowhere. 

Our journaling should help us vent out the yuck in our lives and bring out and focus on the good. If it isn't, we need to adjust what we're journaling and/or how we are journaling. 

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JOURNALING PROMPT

How can you get the most out of your journaling?

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MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES, BOOK 1

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WRITING MY STORY

Written December 29, 2014, Monday, 340 p.m.

This year, I will write my story. 

I've meant to do it for decades now, but simply haven't done it. Oh, I've tried, but it just hasn't felt right or sounded right. Or, I start with a theme, but then life happens. I go through a storm and that theme no longer seems as important, so the latest life story or memoir I worked on would then die a quick death. 

So, here I go again. I want to try to write my story and leave my legacy. 

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AN UNIVERSAL, TIMELESS THEME

I realize it will take several books, but that's okay. I have enough life material to write a library full of life stories. Are they interesting enough to write and share with others? You bet. I will make sure to share them in such a way, they will be interesting and will make people want to read them. 

Now, how do I go about that?

The whole theme idea, which is how most memoir writers write nowadays, works really well. There are several best sellers out there because of a theme. The catch is to find a theme that is timeless for my stories now and those that will happen as I write. Timeless so that whenever someone reads it, no matter where they are or when they read it, it applies to them. 

What is my timeless theme this go-round?

Hmm. I'm not sure. 

And, do I share any of this journaling entry in my story?

Wait. There is a theme that is absolutely timeless. It's timeless in my life and in others. It's a theme everyone can relate to, no matter what era.

The theme is that of JOURNALING.

Yep. Journaling. This is the common thread in all of my stories.  I can continue writing my stories if I keep this theme, no matter what happens and what curve ball life throws my way. No matter the storm, and no matter how much sunshine, journaling is my main life theme. It always has been, is now, and will always be. 

Journaling is my universal and timeless theme for my stories. 

My company's name is: Remembering Your Present, LLC.

My blog is called: RYP Journaling. 

Hence, this book's title only makes sense: MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES. 

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MY RYP JOURNALING STORIES (12.30.2014.)

Written December 30, 2014, Tuesday, 851 a.m.

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MORNING JOURNALING AND BLESSINGS COUNTED JOURNALING

{NOTE: I'm going to start counting my blessings within my journaling and in my blessings list; needless to say, you will see numbers within my journaling. I bet I will count all the more. }

What a blessed morning it is (1400). God is so good (1401)--all the time (1402).

It's been a precious morning (1403). The critters all know B is returning to work after Christmas and having the crud, so they are extra alert and clingy (1404). 

Sinan (Turkish name for "spearhead," for he is the spearhead of trouble--pronounced ' See-name-n') Orange Maine Coon cat hung out with B as B got ready for work (1405). Then, Sinan wanted to cuddle with B as B sat on the sofa with Zack and me and B had a cup of coffee (1406). Once the coffee was gone, Sinan assumed it was game-on and wanted B to play before he left for work (1407). I got some really good pics of cuddle and play time (1408).

Then, it was Kara's turn. She is only an indoor cat now (1409), but, oh, how she loves to have the front door open so she can look out the storm door (1410). She bellows until we open the door. Too cute (1411). Thank God, her lungs are doing well enough she can bellow (1412). 

Also, she doesn't try to run outside (1413). She knows she has it good (1414), but sure likes to look out, thank you very much. She gets bossy about that. Love it. Too precious (1415).

B left and neither cat is in sight. Poor! Vanished. But, Zack sure is a snuggle bug (1416). Yay!

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BLESSINGS COUNTED JOURNALING WITHIN MY JOURNALING

I am really enjoying counting my blessings as I journal (1417). It's bringing depth (1418) and more meaning to my journaling (1419) and I am counting more blessings because of this new way of journaling (1420). Consequently, I'm really enjoying this change (1421). 

I'm being lazy and taking my time getting up, around, and ready this morning (1422). There's no reason to rush (1423), but all the reason to slow down, enjoy, and truly live (1424-1426). 

Plus, Zack normally has bad dementia when B returns to work after the weekend. He does better if we snuggle on the sofa. So, here I sit and journal (1427) and we are both thoroughly enjoying the snuggling and special time with one another (1428).

I cannot help but giggle with joy (1429), Lord, as I count all of these blessings, gifts from you (1430). 

How many blessings have I missed because I just tried to keep a Blessings Counted List? I realize I can copy and paste this journaling entry into my blessings counted journal (1431).

Sinan is now looking out front storm door (1432). 

I swear both cats are the nosey neighbors who would gossip. (Chuckling.) 

I can tell how much I have journaled by how much battery life I have left (1433). This morning, so far, I have the lowest  have seen and I started with 100% (1434).

I have had several AHA Moments this morning (1435). The first was when I realized for the JOURNALING STUFF FOR CHRISTIANS devotionals, I want to focus on heaven/eternity (1436) and Revelation 21-22 (1437-1438). 

Lord, You gave me that insight (1439).

We tend to forget to live for eternity--today. It's for eternity we live today.

The other AHA Moment of insight was when I thought to count my blessings as I journal (1440). 

Moreover, another AHA Moment of insight was when I realized that JOURNALING STUFF, the main and big resource book and library, will act as the "all-inclusive" resource of journaling and will be all of my blog posts (1441). From there, I will divide the posts into other books (1442).

I want most of the material to be on the RYP Journaling blog for free, but to give you the option to purchase the edited material, plus some additional material, in one convenient place (1443).

So, this blog to book is the JOURNALING STUFF: A RYP JOURNALING RESOURCE is all-inclusive. It will help inspire us to journal.

I cannot believe tomorrow is the last day of writing JOURNALING STUFF: A RYP JOURNALING RESOURCE, BOOK 1 (1444). (Then, it's editing time 1445 and publishing time 1446.)

The new material I post on the blog, starting January 01, 2015, will be part of Book 2 (1447). Book 2 will consist of material from January 01 to June 30, 2015 (1448). 

I will then offer Books 1 and 2 individually (1449) or as a bundle (1450). 

I cannot wait to see what happens because of these blog posts (1451) and each subsequent book (1452).

And, I cannot wait to hear the stories, journal entries, journaling goals, journaling questions, and journaling hints and tips from fellow journal keepers on this journaling journey (1453). 

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JOURNALING PROMPT

Journal your thoughts.

What jumped out at you and why?

What do you can think of counting your blessings as you journal?

Count some blessings.

Share your journaling stories, thoughts, and questions as a comment at the end of any blog post send an email, or tweet to #RYPJournaling. 

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