We Have Moved! - Come and Visit Us

In the words of Warner Brothers, "That's All Folks"

This is the end of Journal Addict - but it's not The End. 

We are now officially live at Kaizen Journaling. Many of you have already joined us there, and I'm thrilled to have you there. 

I hope to see more of you. It's been a great journey here, and I hope to now continue that journal even more intensely, with a lot more journaling experiences and experiments, and let it evolve further for both me and my readers. 

Thank you again, for all your support, feedback and time here. 

Please come and say hi at Kaizen Journaling.

Lots of Love,

Dolly. 

We are moving

Only 7 days until Kaizen Journaling goes live officially. This blog will no longer be updated with any current material, but I hope to see you in my new home, where you will be able to find some excellent goodies from day one :-) 

Check out the page, and subscribe to get the launch announcement. 

I want to thank all of  you again for being my readers, for your support and stories over the last few years. Without you, Kaizen Journaling wouldn't have been born. 

Exciting (and scary) News

I have been talking about potential new journaling venture here for a while, and have asked for your feedback. Several of you have provided that valuable feedback, and I thank you for it.
Time for revelation. 

My new blog which will replace Journal Addict will be launching soon. You can sign up to make sure that you are the first to know about any important updates, and the launch. 
www.kaizenjournaling.com 

I am really excited about this. For years, I have thought about doing something more with my journaling. After this blog, and especially emails I received from people with questions or just feedback, I knew there was more I could do to offer my help. 

So as I said before, Journal Addict was about me. Kaizen Journaling is about you. I hope that I can provide content that will be add some value to my readers' life. I hope that together, we all grow because of our shared knowledge and shared community. I would love to see you over there. 

I haven't finalised what I will do with Journal Addict, but I think I will probably leave it as it is because there are so many wonderful guest posts, comments, and discussions on here. 

Don't forget to sign up for the launch announcement. 

Check out the cool launch page. www.kaizenjournaling.com 

Meet A Journal Keeper: Lynn Fisher

I start most of my days with writing. When I was young I made brief attempts at keeping a journal, starting here, and ending there. I always thought if I found just the right journal…or just the right pen, it would all gel and I would be writer. At the time I never thought of combining my love for art with my love of writing in one journal, (I wrote entirely in spiral notebooks) but once I did, and abandoned the idea of writing on straight lines, it all came alive for me. Journaling has become a habit, one journal at a time. Not journaling now, is just NOT possible; I feel incomplete, as if I went to work without combing my hair.

Our personal stories are worth recording. As a writer and an artist, I can find no better way to begin than just beginning…put pen to the paper and start, and once I read Natalie Goldberg’s, Writing Down the Bones, I felt completely validated. I write every thought that I have, completely emptying my brain, letting it flood down my arms, through my fingers and pen. If I journal before beginning another writing task, I find that I have an easier time getting down the information. It’s as if I moved a giant road block that stands between me and the blank page.

I’ve used my journal to not only record my day, but to work on a novel, write poetry, or work out some issues with an article I’m writing…sometimes to write the entire article.

My journal is my cheerleader, my Mom, and the tiny, and the otherwise unnamed voices in my head. Also, I’ve developed a great fondness for “found poetry.” Found Poetry is poetry written with any group of words at hand; a single page from a magazine, or combination of two or three pages. I set my own “rules” and very often limit myself (for best results in the least amount of time) to a single ad, mixing up only the words found there, and gluing them down on a painted background, letting the words be what they want to be.

I have now amassed what most people would regard as a fire hazard of journals in a variety of sizes, shapes, handmade, or store bought. All reflect the joy and heartache of the examined life in a way that most precisely mirrors what and who I am as a person right now.



Lynn Fisher

http://onandoffthepage.blogspot.com

Be The Best You

I'm working on a new, super-exciting journaling project, and for that, I could really use your help. I'm trying to gauge what would my readers find most useful. If the below concept appeals to you and it's something that might be of use to you, I would really appreciate it if you could participate in a little questionnaire for me. Either over skype, or by email would be great. It should take no more than 20 minutes.

Thank you in advance, from the bottom of my heart!! And even if you don't want to participate, thank you for being my reader :-) I appreciate you being here.

If you would like to participate, please send me an email at journaladdict [at] hotmail [dot] co.uk

• It's about helping you to find the strength to be who you are, regardless of what the world (or your mom, or spouse, or children)want you to be.
• It's about learning to have the courage to live by your own rules, whether or not it conforms with what you "should" do.
• It's about being the best you can be, and changing your world one page at a time.
All through Journaling. Whether you keep a journal and want to optimise it, or if you have never kept a journal (or never managed to make it regular), as long as you have the longing to be you, this is for you.

Journal Writing Prompt 39 - Planning for Dreams

Dreams and Planning - they don't really go together, do they? Dreaming is such a spontaneous, no restrictions thing, and planning is all about order and boundaries. But they in fact go together perfectly. First you dream, and then you plan to make those dreams come true.

That's where your journal can help you. Record your dreams. Unabashedly. Freely. Be outrageous. Be true to yourself. Dream.

Then plan.

Decide. Brainstorm. How exactly are you going to make those dreams come true? Go...because the world is yours to take!

Big Ideas. Your Feedback Requested.

It's strange, writing this post. I started this blog to share my love of journaling, to post whatever I wanted about my journals. This was a hobby, a respite from my more "serious" writer blog. I never thought so many people would read it, let alone become regular readers. But you guys embraced this blog, participated with your insights and comments, and made me realise that I am not the only journal keeper out there. 

It is such a private endeavour, keeping journals. Sharing parts of it with you has been rewarding and interesting. But it's one thing to share views on journaling, and quite another to open up dreams and wishes. But you all have been with me on this blog journey, and you are the people I want to speak to about what I am considering. 

I have often thought of writing a book about journaling. I even have outlines, rough drafts. But that, like this blog, was another one of my "fun" projects. A hobby. This blog has gotten far more comments and page views than my writer blog, which has more posts and more followers. Not just comments, but I actually have conversations with people. Some of you, I have gotten to know so well that I would consider you my friends. But what I kept getting back, especially through people who emailed me privately, is that many of these entries helped people. It surprised me, because after all, this was just my hobby. Something I was sharing, because I loved it. But as I got more and more comments and questions, I began to wonder what else I can do to not just help people on their journey to self-awareness and self-development, but to encourage them to journal. How can I show other people that journaling is far more rewarding than you could ever know until you try it? How could I explain to those who haven't been able to keep a journal for more than a week what rewards await them? 

This has been going on for over a year in my head. Because this was after all a hobby. 

I started this blog for me. For anything and everything regarding journaling that I wanted to speak about. That's why there has never been a fixed schedule. There has never been a fixed format. Because this was all about me. 

Now, I want to make it about you. The readers. The people who love journaling and find it helpful. The people who know what a journal is, but haven't gotten very far. The people who think journal is a diary with secret locks that little girls keep. I don't know what exactly I am going to do, because I am still brainstorming possibilities. But what I do know is that I am going to re-launch this blog, one that reflects the change that this blog now caters to my readers. I want to get on and finish that journaling book. Instead of a hobby, I want to make journaling what it actually is - my passion, and my invitation to others, to come and join. 

I hope you will join me there. 

If you have suggestions for a new brand name that reflects this new purpose, I would love to have your input. 

The Master In the Art of Living

Jonathan Mead, of Illuminated Mind shared this in his Trailblazer Group. I am sharing this with you, because if even a half of world's population can live like this, our world would be far better for it.

The master in the art of living
draws no sharp distinction between
his labor and his leisure,
his mind and his body,
his work and his play,
his education and his recreation.

He hardly knows which.

He simply pursues his vision of excellence
through whatever he is doing
and leaves others to determine
whether he is working or playing.

To himself, he is always doing both.

- James A. Michener

Which of these three options is MOST important to you?

My fellow journal keepers and blog readers, 

Which of the following three things are MOST important to you? They are all related, but if you were to focus on just one thing, right now, which would it be?

1. Self Discovery
2. Personal Development
3. Your Life's Purpose (Passion)

Feedback most appreciated. 

Journal Writing Prompt 38 - Life On Your Terms

Today, a very simple but very profound question. Are you living your life on your terms? I am not at this moment, but I am conscious of it, and trying to move towards living my life on my terms.

What does that even mean?

It may mean different thing to different people. To me, first and foremost it means being in-charge of my own time. To work for things I believe in. To do things that nourish my soul. I don't think that's a lot to ask. 

Some people might consider it selfish. You especially hear that from "traditionalists" who focus on what one "should" do rather than what one "wants" to do. But think about it - if you do things you love, you are more likely to do it well. You are more likely to contribute something significant to the world. That's a WIN - WIN. 

So what do you think? Are you living your life on your terms? If not, what are you going to do about it?

Journal Writing Prompt 37 - Favourite TV

Journaling is not always about serious introspection. It can also be fun, silly, light-hearted. Today's topic is one of those.

If you are anything like most people, you watch TV, whether little or a lot. So what are your favourite TV shows? Why are they your favourite?

And for those of you interested in further introspection - think about how this taste relates to your taste in other things? For example, do you like similar type of books and movies too? Or do you like these shows because of their actors?

So go on, have fun. If you like bit of art and colour in your journal, you can draw/paste pictures from these shows, or write the names of these shows in funny pictures.

What Is Your Journal Writing Style ?

Check out this cool quiz at Journal Writing With A Twist about your journal writing style.

My style is C, which is actually true. According to the description:

Try journaling like you're telling a story to a friend. Or think about journaling as a creative writing exercise. Your journaling is probably already pretty interesting to read—keep challenging yourself to make it real and keep it as fun as possible!

What's your style?

Journal Writing Prompt 36 - Habits

Since it's the new year, and hopefully you haven't completely given up on resolutions, goals and plans. Habits go hand-in-hand with those topics.

The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.
- Samuel Johnson

He was a clever man, that Johnson. Today, in your journal, write about your habits. Which habits are wrapped around you like chains? Which habits move you forward in life, and bring you happiness?

Are there new habits you would like to form? How will you go about achieving that?
What habits would you like to discard? How will you accomplish that?

Journal Writing Prompt 35 - The Desert Island Scenario

We've all heard of this game, probably even tried it.

What would you take with you if you knew you would end up on a desert island, alone? Robinson Crusoe had the good deal. Not all of us are going to build a pretty house in the forest. So let's forget the essentials.

Let's stick to books.

Say you have to leave the rest of your life (however long that might be) with only 10 books at your side. (No e-readers - so none of that thousand books in one device kind of thing).

What books will you pick? Why? 10 precious books...if you are anything like me, the choice seems impossible. And of course we can't REALLY be sure until we are in that situation, but let's have a play at it. This might reveal what books are important to you. They would probably be the ones that shaped you, that made you smile or cry, that changed your world in some way, however little.

So go have fun....

Journal Writing Prompt 34 - Your Favourite Quotes

It's an easy one today. Write in your journal (and feel free to share them here in the comments if you wish) your favourite quotes.

I find that quotes often inspire me and motivate me. And when I come across a right quote at just the right time, it gives me a swift kick to start with the action. So quotes - even if they are clichéd - can be a great source to tap into.

What are your favourite quotes?

A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a witty person, but a pebble in the hands of a fool. ~Author Unknown

Your Last Wish About Your Journals

Before he died, Franz Kafka wrote to his literary executor and friend Max Brod: "Dearest Max, my last request: Everything I leave behind me...in the way of diaries, manuscripts, letters (my own and others'), sketches, and so on, [is] to be burned unread."

Max Brod did not follow through with that request. He published Kakfa's diaries and letters. From the point of views of millions of readers who've gained an incredible insight into the mind of one of most capable (and weird) writers, it's been an amazing gift.

But what about from journal keepers point of view?
If we entrust our journals to someone, declare that our last wish was that they are destroyed, unread, how would we feel about this betrayal? This was done for the best of reasons. Max Brod felt that Kafka's diaries should be read. He was right.

But what about Kakfa's own wishes?

Okay, I know, he is dead. He doesn't know. So what's the right thing here? To go against one man's wishes who is dead, or to deprive millions of people and many generations of these diaries?

I don't have an answer. I'm aware of the dilemma on both sides. I agree with both, and I don't know what I would have done, had I been in Max Brod's shoes.

What about you? How do you feel about this? Do you have strong feelings about either side? How would you deal with disposal of your own diaries?

Journal Writing Prompt 33 - Trust

How much we trust others is a result not only of our upbringing but of our experiences. If we experience betrayals in life then inevitably it makes us jaded. Sometimes, it even makes us mistrust everyone. Even for those who are independent, happy in their own company, can you actually live without trust?

Today, in your journal, explore your relationship with trust. How much do you trust others? Do you trust everyone? How does that work out for you?

Do you trust no-one? Does that result in fullfilling relationships?

Do you trust a select few? What makes them these select few?

Trust is such an important concept that colours our entire life, all our relationships - both personal and professional. So take time to explore this. It may lead you to few discoveries about yourself.

Journal Writing Prompt 32 - Plans

Adventure is just bad planning - Roald Amundsen

I totally agree with the above quote. Now, some of you may like adventures, and that's okay. But for those of us who want to have at least a sense of control over our life, and goals, planning is essential. Resolutions are a new year tradition. But resolutions are weak. We make them, and forget about them. So instead, I have goals and plans.

What about you?

That's what today's journaling is about. Do you have goals and plans? Do you write them in your journal?

Journaling can be an excellent way to not only record your goals, but to understand your process, what works for you and what doesn't. It could be a reflective tool, and enlightening tool. So if you haven't tried it, give it a go.