Surprise Yourself By Looking For Things That Go Together

At first glance, it may seem like an odd exercise — a journal page inspired by things that go together. But you can make all sorts of surprising discoveries when you look at everyday objects and experiences via the things that come with them. It’s kind of like word association with intention.

I made the page in two parts: the top half for putting things together and the bottom half for making sense of the resulting combinations.

It took me a minute to figure out how best to journal it.

The first thing I noticed was that my first answers mostly didn’t work. Getting to meaningful associations involved writing a succession of words into almost every answer box. It was like trying different puzzle pieces until one fit, but when it finally did, there was that wonderfully satisfying feeling of “Ah, that’s the one”.

For example, under dinner and, I first wrote dessert, which didn’t reveal anything useful or exciting. Then, I pictured the previous night’s dinner and wrote conversation, which felt much better. Then, finally, together time. Ah, that’s the one. The best part of my day. The thought of dinner tonight with my favourite people makes me smile just thinking about it.

I had a heck of a time with memories and. The prompt evoked an unsettled mixture of memories. I wrote nostalgia, then after a long while, deep breaths. I think I actually took a deep breath just then and with the exhale came storytelling. Ah, that’s the one.

The most surprising answer emerged with joy and. I’m not going to share it, but it had a lot to do with finding joy amidst uncertainty. I will also say I was glad it was the last prompt in the top half of the page. By then, I felt super confident with my pairs, and words were flowing out of me.

I wrote more about my joy pair in my journal and thought a lot about where my unexpected discovery might take me. I can’t wait to put some new ideas into action and see what happens!

Want to explore some of the things that go together in your world? Click here or on the image above to download this page.

 

You Know What to Do: gathering your tips, tricks, and pick-me-ups

Worrying about the unknown is taking up a lot of my time these days. Both of my daughters are making big decisions about their futures, and I’m thinking about mine, too. Add to it the uncertainty out there in the world, and, lately, it feels like there’s too much to sort through and make sense of.

One idea I keep coming back to, especially when I feel overwhelmed, is that there’s a lot I do know. Over the years, I have assembled, borrowed, and dreamed up all sorts of tips, tricks, fixes, and pick-me-ups I can call on whenever I need them. I bet you have, too.

I made this page to remind myself that there are some problems (mostly small, some big) I already know how to solve. I can start by applying myself to them, feeling reassurance in the things that work well, and moving forward from there.

Here are a few thoughts about the page after journaling it:

  • Each prompt asks for one thing, but I ended up packing every box with thoughts and alternatives. Watching the page fill with colourful words and useful ideas felt so good. (You’ll find a glimpse of it in the photo above.)

  • If I were looking for a theme in my answers, I’d say that small steps forward, uncomplicated things I can do with quick results, are the foundation of my approach to information gathering and problem-solving. For me, the path forward is much easier to envision and confidently pursue if I’m already in motion.

  • Once you’ve jotted down your wise ideas, this page can become a resource you can rely on in the days and weeks to come, whenever you need it. Creating an enduring record of bright ideas and helpful insights is one of the things I adore most about journaling.

Want to jot down some of your best tips and tricks? Click here or on the image above to download this page.

 

Who You Want to Be: a new journal page for thinking it through

I played on my dorm’s intramural soccer team for one season in university. I had little experience with team sports and occasionally took off in the wrong direction, but nobody seemed to mind.

Our unofficial coach was an upper year student who lived a few floors above mine. I can’t remember his name, but I can picture him, clear as day. He stood on the sidelines at every game and cheered us on — by name. Even during my worst performances, I could hear his encouragement above the cross-talk on the field.

“Way to hustle, Christie!”

“Great pass, Christie!”

I’ve never forgotten how it felt to be cheered on like that. It helped me play better. It made me look forward to every game.

Fast-forward a generation, and my daughter is a track athlete. Recently, as I watched from the sidelines during a very challenging meet, a vision of my unofficial intramural soccer coach sprang to mind. Suddenly, more than anything, I wanted to be that person.

I went for it, cheering loudly for every athlete who was giving it their all — by name. It was strange at first and a little scary, and totally awesome. I like to think someone heard their name above the din, felt encouraged as I did years ago, and found some untapped energy to finish their race or jump a little further.

I don’t know that I’ll ever fully embody the sideline parent who confidently encourages every competitor on the track, has a wide-open smile, and easily strikes up conversations in the stands, but that’s who I want to be. Having a clear vision to guide me makes it a lot easier to walk in that direction.

Of course, I wanted to think more about this, so I started a new journal page, which quickly turned into two! They’re all about putting words to our images of who we want to be in different situations and thinking about small steps to get there.

There are so many ways to think about who you want to be — far more than I could include in two pages, but these were the ones that inspired me. If you’d like to give them a journal, click here or on the image above!

(The pdf file includes two page sizes: letter and A4.)

As always, I’d love to know what you think! What insights do you have about who you want to be?

 

Using What You Already Know to Point the Way Forward

Have I mentioned how much I love making journal pages? I do. I really, really do.

A crisp new sheet of letter-sized paper is just the right size to think through an idea or jot down a handful of colourful observations. It’s big enough to ask meaningful questions but small enough not to overwhelm.

The Idea

Usually, I start with a question or thought about daily living.

This question, for example, led to the page I’m sharing with you today: What if we approached everyday challenges by making our own how-to instructions?

This idea appeals to me for a bunch of reasons:

  • Journaling is a fantastic tool for tapping into wisdom. I’m obsessed with uncovering all the things we already know, and I adore the process of becoming an expert in our own lives.

  • Writing a quick how-to is a fun way to develop and record valuable strategies for tackling similar challenges in the future.

  • Formulating a set of lighthearted instructions helps break the challenge down into smaller, more manageable pieces and makes it easier to see new ways to approach it.

The vision

Next up, I think about what the page might look like.

A two-part setup seemed right in this case. The top half-ish would be for gathering information, and the bottom would be dedicated to creating an on-the-spot, super-personalized how-to based on the information from the first part.

Cool.

The details

Then it’s down to making the page:

  • identifying issues we encounter every day (like starting daunting tasks, reaching out when we’re not sure what to say, finding joy in difficult moments, and so on)

  • writing prompts from a variety of perspectives

  • playing with different layouts in Illustrator

  • making colourful spaces for the answers

  • wrapping it all up with a title

Before I know it, I’m staring at a new journal page on my computer screen!

At this point, there are just a few things left to do — print the new page, journal it with my motley collection of fine-tip markers, edit the parts that don’t quite fit, and, eventually, maybe, put it out into the world.

For my first how-to instructions journal page, I chose the challenge of starting something right now. Here’s what the finished page looks like:

I love the idea of focusing on one immediate task, thinking about ways to start from different perspectives, and then dreaming up even more ways.

Once your thoughts are on the page, you can mix and match them, refine them, choose the best options for moving forward, and, right then and there, give yourself a quick set of marching orders — using what you already know to point the way forward.

There may one day be a complete how-to series, but it’s still very much under construction. Sometimes, it takes ages to put together a full set. Sometimes, an idea only works for one page. Such is the nature of adventures in journaling.

For now, though, if you’d like to give this page a try, click here or on the image above to download it!

P.S. The pdf file includes two page sizes: letter and A4. For instructions on printing one or more pages, visit my shop welcome page and scroll to the bottom.

P.P.S. I’d love to know how it goes! What’s one step in your plan to start right now?

 

Journaling the Constitution - Article 1, Section 3, Paragraph 1

Hello and welcome! This is the seventh post in my series, Journaling the Constitution. I’m reading the United States Constitution step by tiny step and creating colourful printables as I go. 

We’re starting a new section! Woohoo!

Section 3 is all about the Senate. Right away, we encounter the 17th Amendment, which changes part of the first paragraph. Luckily, we’ve already encountered similar wording in the first paragraph of Section 2.

I’ve included both the original paragraph and the revised one so you can easily compare them and find the change. I’ve also made a new puzzle maze for recording the text!

If you’d like to journal my quick and colourful Paragraph 1 printables, you’ll find them — and all the other pages I’ve created so far — in my Constitution collection.

See you back here soon with Article 1, Section 3, Paragraph 2. Vacancies!

 

Journaling the Constitution - Article 1, Section 2, Paragraphs 4 & 5

Hello and welcome! This is the sixth post in my series, Journaling the Constitution. I’m reading the United States Constitution step by tiny step and creating colourful printables as I go. 

Paragraphs 4 and 5 wrap up the Constitution’s introduction to the House of Representatives.

After reading the text, I was still curious about a few things:

  • The power of impeachment — I wasn’t clear on its exact meaning, so I looked it up and included a quick definition.

  • Officers of the House of Representatives — Do you know who they are? I didn’t! They’re listed here, too.

  • Alternate spelling alert! One word in Paragraph 5 is spelled differently today. Can you spot it?

Puzzle-wise, I’m trying out a new format: each paragraph reads forward, but individual words are backwards. Just a little something to keep things interesting while writing the text of Paragraphs 4 and 5.

Which brings me to one final tidbit about this project in general — each set of pages includes space for writing a small part of the text of the Constitution. By the end of the series, we’ll have written the whole thing!

If you’d like to journal my quick and colourful Section 2 printables, you’ll find them — and all the other pages I’ve created so far — in my Constitution collection.

See you back here soon for Section 3, the Senate!

 

Journaling the Constitution - Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3

Hello and welcome! This is the fifth post in my series, Journaling the Constitution. I’m reading the United States Constitution step by tiny step and creating colourful printables as I go. 

Paragraph 3 of Article 1, Section 2 (House of Representatives - Apportionment and Enumeration!) marks the first instance of a Constitutional Amendment replacing an original part of the Constitution — and it’s hugely consequential.

Not only is part of Paragraph 3 replaced by an Amendment, but part of that Amendment is no longer fully in effect due to a later Amendment. It was quite moving to map out the sequence of events that led to today’s version of Paragraph 3, including the abolishment of slavery, counting every person as a whole person, and prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on race.

It took me four pages of printables to make sure I understood it. There are puzzles, match-ups, and a step-by-step look at the original wording and applicable Amendments.

If you’d like to journal my quick and colourful Paragraph 3 printables, you’ll find them — and all the other pages I’ve created so far — in my Constitution collection.

See you back here soon with Article 1, Section 2, Paragraphs 4 and 5. Vacancies, officers, and impeachment!

 

Journaling the Constitution - Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 2

Hello and welcome! This is the fourth post in my series, Journaling the Constitution. I’m reading the United States Constitution step by tiny step and creating colourful printables as I go. 

The second paragraph of Article 1, Section 2 would be a super simple list of qualifications for members of the House of Representatives — if it weren’t for all of the double negatives. There are oodles of them!

After creating a quick puzzle to record the paragraph, I made sure to include a double-negative-free zone to neatly recap all three qualifications.

If you’d like to journal this quick and colourful printable, you’ll find it — and all the other pages I’ve created so far — in my Constitution collection. 

See you back here soon with Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3. Representation and enumeration!

 

Journaling the Constitution - Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 1

Hello and welcome! This is the third post in my series, Journaling the Constitution. I’m reading the United States Constitution step by tiny step and creating colourful printables as I go.

The first paragraph of Article 1, Section 2, is only one sentence, but don’t let that fool you. There’s more to it than you might think. It starts quite momentously, then it gets a little less momentous, and then there are amendments. It’s a whole thing.

The People

Paragraph 1 begins by giving the people of each state the power to choose members of the House of Representatives.

This was a big deal! Previously, positions like these were mostly appointed without giving people a say in it.

The Electors

Then, halfway through the sentence, the term elector is introduced. It threw me a bit at first. Wait, aren’t the people of the states the electors?

The answer reminds me of one of those logic statements from math class. All electors are people, but — and here’s the important part — not all the people are electors.

In order to be electors, and thus participate in choosing their members of the House of Representatives, the people need to have “qualifications requisite.” These qualifications are left to the states to determine based on their voting rules.

The result, early on, was that a great many people in the states were not allowed to vote, including African Americans, Native Americans, and women.

The Amendments

In the years since, four constitutional amendments have been passed to prohibit the denial of voting rights based on race, sex, the payment of poll taxes, and age. We’ll chat more about these soon.

Long story short, the paragraph stands, but the amendments explicitly guarantee certain voting rights.

Here’s a peek at the printables for Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 1:

There’s a new of puzzle for recording the paragraph and additional step-by-step prompts. There’s also a quick jumble at the end, just in case you’ve ever wondered which were the original “several states” at the time of the Constitution. I know I did!

If you’d like to journal theses printables, you’ll find them here.

See you back here soon with Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 2. Qualifications of Representatives!

P.S. If you’d like to hear a little more from me on these pages, I’m making a series of shorts about them over on YouTube.

 

Journaling the Constitution - Article 1, Section 1

And we’re off! With the Preamble journaled, I’m digging into the first of seven articles.

Article 1, Section 1 is pretty straightforward.

It tells us to whom the Constitution has given the power to make laws.

Even though it’s a short statement, a quick puzzle and fillable infographic helped me think through the basic structure of the U.S. Congress before diving into the nuts and bolts of how, when, and where the legislative branch does its work.

If you’d like to journal this printable, you’ll find it here.

Things will quickly become more complicated as we move forward. I’ve already made two pages for the first paragraph of Section 2, and there are five paragraphs in that section alone! Additionally, a part of the third paragraph was changed by the 13th and 14th amendments. I’m not sure how I’ll journal that yet.

Before I go, I want to mention a few resources I’m using so far.

For the text of the Constitution, I’m looking at the versions provided by the National Constitution Center and the National Archives.

Alongside these, I’m reading the handwritten original thanks to high-resolution images from the National Archives.

The Office of the Secretary of the Senate created an annotated copy of the Constitution in 1994, which I’m finding helpful, as well as the Common Interpretation notes from the National Archives.

For help with plain word meanings, I mostly use the online dictionary from Merriam-Webster.

As I find additional resources, I’ll be sure to mention them!

See you back here soon with Section 1, Article 2, Paragraph 1. The House of Representatives!

P.S. If you’d like to hear a little more from me on these pages, I’m making a series of shorts about them over on YouTube.