A funny thing happened while I started writing in a paper journal once again after many years.  I’ve become calmer as it allows me to start the day with a positive note rather than reading something on social media and getting anxious about answering tweets and direct messages first thing in the morning.

I’ve now had this practice for a little over 3 months as I started Juliet Cameron’s The Artists Journey that encouraged this practice every day.  I completed the 12 weeks and there was a LOT of writing in that program plus this concept of an ‘artists date’ (which I used to do for myself anyway without naming it as such).

Well anyway, I stuck with it and I’m glad I did.  You just don’t know how delighted I look forward to waking up every morning, making my cup of coffee and then sitting down at the kitchen table to write in this beautiful book.

I was given this journal notebook many years ago from a friend and I’ve only just used it. Maybe it was it’s time to be used?

It made me realise just how much I love the tactility of paper and the feeling of it and the pen as your thoughts drift.  It’s something that a keyboard can never, will not emulate.  I certainly don’t get the same feeling picking up my tablet to write or take notes into it.  If anything, there’s a slight feeling of dread every time I do because a notification will ping in and take my attention onto something else.  Or, the desire to tap into another application or go down a rabbit warren into Google or YouTube thus keeping me away from writing.

Despite me being in a field where I espouse technology and encourage people to use technology in their every day lives and for their work, there’s also a part of me that hopes that they don’t let go of the wonder, awe and beauty of paper, the cover and the pen in your hand – especially if it’s one that just glides on the page.

In a time where we are all rushed off our feet and the moment we press the ON button of our computer, something clicks over in our brain to write that blog post; answer that email; click on that notification – at least the steadiness of a paper journal will at least keep your attention to it – and it alone.

For that, it’ll never go out of fashion.  If anything, I believe it’s what many people will return to.

 

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I’ve been writing every morning in journals this year. I used to do it many years ago but only started the practice up again and captured a lot of ideas, reflections and frustrations of being in lock down. There’s something about writing in a nice journal with a lovely pen that online or using tech doesn’t capture. Also writing first puts me in a different mindset than picking up my phone and checking social media streams. Where one calms it, prepared me for a new day and allows my mind to wander, the other stresses me, annoys me and agitates me. I know what way I’d like to prepare for the day. What about you? Do you journal or write in your morning pages?

A post shared by Helen Blunden (@_helenblunden_) on Sep 29, 2020 at 1:49pm PDT