The Creative Notebook

I got a box of stuff from my parents house that had some of my childhood things in it.  Looking through it brought back tons of memories.  I had some Raggedy Ann stuff, barbies, gold bracelets like I wore in the 80’s-the bangle style ones.  I was glad to have the box. 

What do you have from your childhood that brings those days back to you?  Do they bring good memories or ones you’d rather forget?  Write about it.

With my move, I’ve been sifting through my belongings.  It’s my goal this time to get rid of as much stuff as I can that remains from my marriage.  The divorce was painful for me and I’m ready to be done with anything related to it.  I’ve been shopping furniture stores, thrift stores, and surfing sites like Bush furniture.

As I go through my house, I feel like I’m also going through my life.  It seems very ironic to me that like my belongings, my life, feelings, and old baggage are sorted into the same piles:  keep, give away, and throw out.

 I want you to analyze your feeling this way, too.  What are you holding on to that you shouldn’t?  What should you keep?  What should you give away-or back to the person who said it-making them rightfully responsible for it instead of harboring it yourself, and what should just be let go of and forgotten?  

It’s been a very cleansing experience for me.  I hope it is for you.

In our journal writing, we spend a lot of time rehashing the past.   We work through old issues, write down memories we don’t want to lose, or recap the day.

As my life changes, I find myself looking ahead more than behind.  I am planning a move, planning my college re-entry, and thinking way ahead to retirement.  IRA’s, pensions, savings, whole life insurance, health insurance, and such are on my mind.

But that’s not all I’m thinking about.  I’ve spent a lot of time planning what I want to do with my time as my kids grow up and leave and all the other changes happen.

So here is your prompt.  Look ahead.  What do you want your life to be like ten years from now.  20 years from now.  In your retirement years?  Make a list of things you’d like to be doing.  How will you spend your time?  What are you looking forward to? 

Most people move through their lives at the speed of light.  I see people who lead such fast paced lives I want to hand them the latest radar detector reviews, because the serentiy police should surely give them a ticket for not slowing down and enjoying at least a little of the time they’ve been given on this planet.

To me, that’s were living creatively and creating your own simple abundance comes into play.   It forces me to slow down just a bit, even just one day a week, and really see the world around me, really enjoy life.  Sometimes when my kids are gone with their father, I fix a meal, set the table just for me with candle light included, and sit their, slowly enjoying the lighting, food, flowers, and finery.  I do it right.  I’m not a drinker, but my juice or soda goes in a long stem wine glass.  If I have a little extra money, I’ll order take-out from one of our nicer restaurants(read–no burgers,cardboard packaging, or plastic toys).

I love to spritz my bed sheets with something good smelling, and it’s even better if it’s my own blend of essential oils and a quick drying alcohol base. 

I love good smelling laundry.  It adds a little sensual pleasure to my morning as I’m getting dressed.  Even my kids love this now.

It’s easy to slow down a bit.  With a little bit of creativity and some self-pampering, you’ll feel much more peaceful and avoid that ticket.

Sometimes we all get so bogged down in the daily stresses and anxieties of life that we tend to focus too much on the negative in our life.

Today, date the top of your page and number from one to ten. Write down ten things you have to be grateful for this week. It doesn’t matter how trivial it seems. Even if the best thing that happened was your morning cup of coffee, put it down.

You’ll be surprised because the more you do this the more you’ll find you have to be thankful for. It may be a struggle at first, but it will help you see what you do have versus what you don’t.

You can leave your list in the comments, or post a link to your list if you have a blog. Just hit good ole Mister Linky! He’s waiting to be inspired by your gratitude.

This tidbit from another blogger. Enjoy!

Keeping a “Limited” Journal: a “While-People-are-Boarding-the-Plane” Journal

Here are some links to articles about keeping a journal for your child, and about encouraging kids to journal.

Capture Memories of Your Child With a Journal

Help Your Child Learn to Write Well

Teach Your Child to Keep a Journal

Waiting Adoptive and Foster Families and LifeBooks

Creating your child’s legacy journal

If you find any more good links I can add to the list, let me know and I’ll add them and give you credit for finding them.

My son has always been a handful, from conception.  One of my big regrets is that I didn’t keep a journal for him, to record all the fun, crazy, and offbeat things he’s done since he was able to move around by himself.

He’ll be able to remember a lot of things that happen now himself, since he’s almost ten.  But maybe I should still start now, and record his wordworking adventures, his model rocket experiments, the car he made with his dad from balsa wood with flames down the side that ran on it’s own with a c02 cartridge, or the funny little comments he makes.   I know he’ll want to remember how he has always had his own style, and has never been afraid to be himself(a trait I hope he carries into adulthood). 

But I wish I’d gotten it all down from the beginning.  If you have a little one, journal for them.  You won’t regret it.