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How Stream of Consciousness Writing Works
Last week, I published a post about stream of consciousness journaling. This week, I decided to go more into detail about this style of writing. One of the easiest forms of journal writing is stream of consciousness. What is it? This is where you just start writing about anything and everything. You don’t have to pick just one topic, use a prompt, or even make sense. Just write what comes to mind for a certain amount of time or until you’re done writing, and that’s it. It takes all the pressure off journaling about the right topic and just lets you do a big brain dump. Here are some things…
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Journaling Tips for Teens
Last week, we looked at journaling for kids. This week — we look at teenagers. Our teens are dealing with a lot of different emotions and could use a way to release those emotions and thoughts in a safe way. Journaling can do that for them, and it’s so flexible and easy to do, that it really is great for all adolescents. Here are some tips to help your teens start journaling. Buy Your Teen a Hip Journal If you want your teen to love writing, they need to love what they are writing in. This includes a journal or notebook that is just their style, along with some fun…
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8 Amazing Benefits of Gratitude
Beth was a negative nelly who struggled to find anything good about her life. As a result, she was chronically unhappy. She didn’t make as much money as her co-workers because her boss had it in for her. Her marriage wasn’t fulfilling because her husband wasn’t romantic enough. Her book wasn’t published because her agent wasn’t working hard enough. Finally, after hearing yet another rant about everything that was wrong in her life, Beth’s friend suggested the common denominator. “Perhaps the problem isn’t everyone else. Perhaps the problem is you. Do you even realize how often you complain?” her friend asked. Deeply offended, Beth began logging how often she complained.…
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Day 30: Thankful for Those Who Have Passed On
Just wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you for taking a daily break with us to focus on thankful thoughts and grateful gestures for the last 30 days. On our last day of the 30 Days Thankful Challenge, we’ll be giving thanks for those dear family members and friends who are no longer with us. The holidays can be a difficult time for those who have said goodbye to a loved one too soon. As you make plans and get preparations underway, you may feel a twinge of sadness now and then at the loss of loved ones who have shared Thanksgivings past. Yes, you may think back to the…
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Day 29: Thankful for Carefree Times
It is almost the end of our 30 Thankful Days Challenge! I hope you have found it helpful and remembered the things in your life to be grateful for. On Day 29, we will be thankful for our carefree times. How often do you permit yourself to enjoy carefree times? By carefree, we mean no agenda. No schedule. No set plans or obligations. Just the whole, blessed day before you, to fill your spirit with whatever satisfies you! What would you do if given a stretch of time full of endless promise? Some people might use the time to get work done. But others might opt to indulge their senses…
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Day 28: Thankful for Grandparents
On day 29 of our 30 Days Thankful Challenge, we’re showing our gratitude for grandparents. Do you remember your grandma or grandpa? Perhaps they’re still with you today. Many people have fond recollections of Sunday dinners at Grandma’s house, spending holidays and special occasions with their parents’ parents. Grandmas and grandpas were, and still are, the perfect people for a kid to enjoy simple pleasures and one-on-one time with. They’ve already lived a full and seasoned life, and yet somehow, they can be on the same wavelength as a young and curious child. Grandparents Are Healthier Today’s grandparents are livelier and more active than ever before. Life expectancy is longer…
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Day 27: Thankful for Dancing
Today’s 30 Days Thankful exercise is a simple one. We’re going to show our gratitude for being able to dance. How will we do it? By dancing, of course! Do you love to dance? Or is it something you actively avoid when possible? Have you ever noticed that babies don’t need to be taught how to dance? When their ears catch a tune and their feet feel a beat, they instinctively bob up and down to the music. Women typically encourage each other to dance. Think back to the last wedding you attended. Who danced? Mostly the ladies, right? Many men either don’t want to dance, or their peers have…
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Day 26: Thankful for Our Mentors
Hello, and happy Day 26 of the 30 Thankful Days Challenge. Today’s we’ll be focusing our grateful thoughts on the mentors in our lives, and in the lives of our children. When you hear the word mentor, what comes to mind? Do you think of a teacher who made a positive impact in your schooling? Does the word mentor mean someone who served as a role model of sorts, who taught you invaluable skills? Some people these days use the word mentor to describe someone like a coach whose guidance you sought out to help you reach your goals. Mentors often help us grow, not just in terms of what…
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Day 25: Thankful for Life’s Precious Gifts
Hi there… if you’re still following along with the 30 Days Thankful Challenge, that’s wonderful! We’re so happy to have you here for our final week of gratitude exercises. This is Day 25 and we are looking at gratitude and mindfulness. As the University of California Robert Emmons is known for saying, viewing life as a gift opens the door to better relationships, stronger communities, and greater success and happiness. What does this mean exactly? It means that when we cultivate a spirit of gratitude, we attract others who embody this same sentiment. Have a Positive Attitude People who view the world negatively tend to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If…
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Day 24: Thankful for Peaceful Times and Peaceful People
Welcome to Day 24 of our 30 Days Thankful series. For our thoughts today, we’ll focus on peaceful times and peaceful people. Peace begins with the individual. If a person goes out in the world with a combative spirit, he’s likely to find himself in opposition to others. It’s not peaceful to constantly be at odds with other people. Families and Boundaries In a family, peace has to do with boundaries. We come into this world with a perception that we are merely an extension of our own mother. At some point, it becomes necessary to form a separate identity. Once that happens, life becomes a constant balancing act of…
