A NEW DAY, MONTH, YEAR, AND PLAN

A NEW DAY, MONTH, YEAR, AND PLAN

Written January 01, 2015, Thursday, 901 a.m.

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{NOTE: Whew. I typed 2015 and not 2014 originally. But, as I typed this to pat myself on the back, I typed 2014 instead of 2015. Sigh. Pride always comes before a fall. Chuckling.} 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015 

Once again, I pray you have a year of many blessings, lots of remembering, great meaning, purpose/intentionality, contentment, and joy. 

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A NEW BEGINNING

I love a new page in my journal and I love a new day, a new week, a new month, a new year, and a new decade. They all represent a new beginning, a blank slate, where I choose how to fill it and live it. I do my best to grab it with both hands and hold on tight for the adventure to come. 

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I WANT TO...

I want to remember my present and live fully, deeply, with meaning, and purpose. 

I want to choose every moment to search for the blessings, not the yuck. 

I want to slow down enough to see the wild turkeys (never mind the heron, deer, turtles, and fish) to the side of the walking, while everyone else is zooming by, loudly talking, rushing, acting me-centered, and oblivious to the beauty all around, along with that which is staring them in the face. 

Oh, how often I love that way without realizing. No. Correction. Without thinking. 

I want to slow down, search, stop, take in, enjoy and focus on the bounty of blessings in my life and all around me.

I don't want fast. Fast isn't better. Fast means stressful living, traveling so fast I miss stuff and forget to look for the blessings in every moment. Fast also means pushing past, over, around, and through those trying to slow down and appreciate life and its bounty of blessings. (I don't want to do that either.)

I want to en-joy this year. Live this year in joy. Joy given not by anything or anyone of this world, but by God. 

The only way I can live these wants, and even the don't wants, is through focus. My one word for this year. I want to focus on what is really important, what really matter, and that is a life of meaning found in the Word of God and the blessings of every moment.

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I DONT WANT TO FORGET, NOT SEE, MISS, OR TAKE FOR GRANTED ANY BLESSING

I'm not sure what I lose to say than that. 

Missing or forgetting any blessing is a travesty. 

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I want to focus on blessings this year. (Again. But, more so.)

Hence, Blessings Journaling will be my main focus.
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A JOURNALING PROMPT
What do you want and don't want from 2015?

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BLOG TO BOOK NEWS

Written January 01, 2015, Thursday, 1117 p.m. 

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I GOT A BRIGHT IDEA YESTERDAY

Hah. Stop. Famous last words.

Those words were uttered with simplicity in mind. 

Hah! I just rolled my eyes. Now for another phrase which will let you know I got myself into a deeper hole of trouble because of a bright idea.

It all started with this question: "Why don't I publish all of my blog posts on my RYP Journaling blog from 2014?"

It got me thinking, "I could then do the old journaling material from 2012-early 2014 in an additional book. So, in 2015, I will publish at least three books on journaling."

Huh. It sounded like a good idea to me. Yay!

So, I exported my 2014 RYP Journaling material and put it into a document. It took a moment for the page numbers to populate. I twiddle my thumbs. Ho-hum. Then, my eyes almost bugged out of my head when I saw. Fuh-fi-five hu-hun-hundred four pages! Gulp. 

Me and my bright ideas.

I want to build the largest resource library of journaling stuff on the planet. Yes. You bet. But, that's a lot to edit. Sigh. Never mind all of the formatting I need to do and all of the additional writing I want to include to help clarify and add to the material. 

So, the good news is the book should be around 430-625 pages. 

I smile a huge toothy smile, trying to be cute and irresistible, begging you now to read it. 

When I got my bright idea, I hoped to publish it quicker. That ain't happening. Maybe a week or two, but June 30, 2015 is still the official release date. 

I will work on editing the JOURNALING STUFF 2012-2013 material at this time, and in latter 2014. My publishing

I will then start editing 2015, Part A on July 01 and publish it around October.

2015, Part B will be published around April.  

Then, in 2016 and on, I will do the blog to book publishing around April and October of every year. 

This is the new plan. 

My goal is to make available every type of journaling resource imaginable and this is how I will make this happen. 

Again, I feel quite blessed for having more of a vision for what I want to do with my personal journaling, professional journaling, and blogging. I don't think you will get even more out of these resources with this new plan. 

So, stay tuned.

Now, it's time for me to do some editing. (Gulp. 504 pages worth.)

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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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​END OF YEAR JOURNALING AND NEW YEAR JOURNALING PROMPTS​

​END OF YEAR JOURNALING AND NEW YEAR JOURNALING PROMPTS​

Written December 26, 2014, Friday, 1245 p.m.

THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS JOURNALING PROMPT

How was your Christmas?

Describe your Christmas in 1 word.

Describe your Christmas in 1 sentence.

Describe your Christmas in 1 paragraph.

END OF YEAR JOURNALING PROMPT

We have done this same prompt before; however, I am going to ask you to do it again. Please do not look at your last response when you do the following prompts:

Describe 2014 in 1 word. 

Describe 2014 in 1 sentence. 

Describe 2014 in 1 paragraph.  

Describe 2014 in 1 page.  

Now, look at your previous responses and then do the following prompts:

Describe 2014 in 1 word. 

Describe 2014 in 1 sentence. 

Describe 2014 in 1 paragraph. 

Describe 2014 in 1 page. 

What worked for you in 2014?

What did not work for you in 2014?

What sunshine did you have in 2014 (moments of joy)?

What storms (challenges) did you have in 2014? 

What lessons did you learn?

Again, the following are repeats. Do it once without looking at your previous prompts, then look at them and do this yet again. List 25 blessings from 2014. 

NEW YEAR JOURNALING PROMPT

What do you hope to get out of 2015? 

What learned lessons do you hope to apply in 2015? 

When I use the word 'focus' after this paragraph, I mean focus, goal, and/or mission statement.

What is your 1 word focus for 2015?

What is your 1 sentence focus for 2015?

What is your 1 paragraph focus for 2015?

What is your 1 page focus for 2015?

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