The most important books in your house
When I saw the small watercolor set and journal lying on the dresser in my bedroom, tears immediately stung my eyes. I had signed up for the retreat weeks before, knowing there would be a journaling element and that we’d have an opportunity to try watercolor, but something about seeing the supplies waiting for me along with my name on a hand-written note made me feel like something inside of me was finally opening up. Emotionally and spiritually, of course, but it felt like something physical, too.
It wasn’t that I was new to the journaling part. Journaling has been a daily ritual of mine since I was a little girl. Putting my words on paper helps me make sense of the 10,000 thought trains running inside my brain. It shows me how to go after my dreams and calls me out when I don’t. It calms me and fires me up all at the same time. But I had never thought of adding a watercolor practice to my journals until that weekend, never knew I could.
One year later, a peach-colored brochure from my local community college came in the mail. It comes twice every year, and I usually take a quick peek and toss it. But this time, I didn’t. I found myself reading the adult learning section instead, my heart drawn to three classes — pottery, watercolor, and a two-part writing course. I should do the writing course, I thought, I love writing. But then, the big dreamer inside of me started whispering, “What if. . . “ and I knew.
Six months later, I have a desk overflowing with journals and books (as always) and something new, too—my own watercolor paintings, paint sets, brushes, and jars of paint water. It’s not something I have a genius hidden talent for (admittedly, most of what I try is pretty bad). It’s most likely something that will always be for only me (although I did photograph one of my paintings recently and turn it into a cover for my new book). But it’s now a tool in my self-care toolbox, a bright spot in my day, something I can do for myself that brings beauty into my life.
Which leads me to what I really want to say to you today, dear reader ⤵
The most important books in your house are the ones you’re writing — your journals.
➳ They’re rare, first-edition, one-of-a-kind volumes.
➳ They’re full of wisdom, bursting at the seams with insight.
➳ They’re a record of how far you’ve come, full of hints about where you’re going.
Truly, there are so many experts out there who write phenomenal books (& we should absolutely read their books and learn as much as we can every day we’re alive on this planet), but you are the only you there is.
Your journals are where the magic that is you shows up, makes a mark, leaves a trail for others to learn from. It’s where you show yourself the way forward. And when your time in this life is over, your journals are the first books your people will go searching for when they want to feel close to you. It won’t be your copy of Eat, Pray, Love or The Artist’s Way they reach for—it will be your original thoughts in your handwriting on the pages of your journals they’ll turn to. (Trust me, I know.)
So today, I want to encourage you to go for it.
Start small. Start today. Start right now with what you have, right wherever you are. Even if you’ve tried to journal before and failed a million times. Even if you’ve never tried and don’t really think you’d have anything valuable to say.
It doesn’t need to be big, beautiful, brilliant, or genius. It just needs to be you.
Just start.
💛
Not sure where to start? (or restart)
Here are my current go-to’s:
Meditation — these are the things I’m grateful for & what I want to be mindful and intentional about. . .
Motivation — these are the things I’m envisioning for my life, my affirmations, the quotes I love. . .
Discovery — this is what I wonder when I let my mind wander, this is my inner artist. . .
Growth — this is who I am now, how I’ve changed, how I want to change. . .
Balance — this is me being safe and risky, working and playing, artistic and creative, funny and serious. . .
Freedom — this is me being wild and free, no judgment, no comparison, trying weird stuff, making a mess. . .
Discipline — these are the things I do daily, just one a day, as many days as I can. . .
(You can find more journaling prompts in the books I publish — check them out here)
💛
This weekend I’ll be curled up on my reading porch catching up on a few journaling goals of my own that I’ve been neglecting lately, playing a little bit of catch-up and putting a few splashes of paint on my pages, too. Wherever you are this weekend, I hope you’ll be joining me.