Gounded by Paper
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Peace, Paws, and Pages
Some people go to the spa to find peace. Me? I open my journal to find my zen and scratch behind my golden retriever Hudson’s ears. Both bring incredible peace and calm. And neither asks anything of me that I’m not effortlessly willing to provide. My journal is the place I go when the noise of the day gets too loud. My thoughts pile up like an overstuffed junk drawer. I flip it open and start writing, seeking that sense of journaling zen. The words don’t have to be polished or profound—they just have to show up on the page. Once they’re down, I can finally breathe. My journal never…
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Previously on My Life…How My TV Show Helped Me Take Control of My Story
I moved to Chicago a few years after college. I didn’t know anyone and made very little money. I spent a lot of my time journaling in my bedroom. I wasn’t thinking about “healing” or “personal growth.” Honestly? I was just looking for a way to make sense of my days. And since I was already hooked on TV shows—obsessed, really—I thought: Why not write my life like one? So I did. I wrote my journal entries as if they were TV show recaps. You know the kind—play-by-plays of last night’s episode with a snarky tone and a little bit of exaggeration. Suddenly, my life wasn’t just a string of…
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Cleaning Out the Pipes: Why I Start My Week with Pen and Paper
Monday Tuesday mornings can feel like stepping onto a moving treadmill. The week ahead is already rushing at you. Emails are piling up. Your to-do list is growing by the second. Before addressing any of that, I grab my pen and my journal. Journaling for clarity helps me process thoughts, and prioritize them. Why? Because I like to start the work week by cleaning out the pipes. No, not literally. (Though, yes, coffee is involved.) I mean clearing out the mental clutter that builds up over the weekend — those random thoughts, leftover worries, new ideas, and sometimes just the nonsense buzzing in the background. Putting it on paper unclogs…
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When I Don’t Feel Right, I Know What’s Missing
You know that feeling when something’s just… off? It’s not a full-blown bad day. However, it feels like the edges of the world are a little fuzzy. You can’t put your finger on why. For me, I’ve learned that usually means one thing: I haven’t journaled yet. Journaling is more than a tool; it’s my method of using journal as therapy to process emotions. It sneaks up on me. I’ll be halfway through the day, feeling restless, unfocused, maybe even cranky. My to-do list is glaring at me, my email’s piling up, and I’m not showing up as my best self. Then it hits me: I didn’t put pen to…
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Ink & Artifacts: Unearthing A Life in Handwriting
When I page through my old handwritten journals, it feels less like reading and more like excavating. Each journal or notebook is a dig site, each entry a shard of pottery, a fragment of who I once was–sometimes with indications of who I was becoming. Some days, I was scribbling like my pen was trying to keep up with a stampede of thoughts. Other days, my handwriting looked neat, careful, even ceremonial—like the act of writing was just as important as the words themselves. The fascinating part isn’t just what I wrote in those handwritten journals, but how I wrote it. My handwriting has moods. It slants differently depending on…
- Gounded by Paper, Handwriting, The Starring Me! Journal, The Write Track Planner, Twisted Plot Paper
🎉 Frienday + Friday + Journaling = Joy
It’s Friday—though if you ask me, I prefer to call it Frienday. Because really, what’s better than making space for the people (and practices) that keep us grounded, laughing, and moving forward? After all, journaling brings joy and adds to the vibrancy of life. For me, Fridays are a reset button. A chance to close out the week with a little reflection, a little connection, and a whole lot of gratitude. Sometimes that looks like dinner with friends. Other times, it’s catching up on a good show. Yes, I still narrate my life like it’s a series. But more often than not, it starts with pen to paper. There’s something about…
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Why Daily Journaling Works (And Why I Swear By It)
If you know me at all, you know I’m a pen-and-paper person. There’s something about scribbling thoughts onto a page that feels grounding, clarifying—even magical. And while I used to think of journaling as a “when I have time” kind of thing, I’ve learned that daily journaling makes a noticeable difference in how I feel, think, and move through life. Here’s why: 1. Journaling reduces stress. When my brain is buzzing like a broken fridge at 2 a.m., journaling is my reset button. Research supports this—expressive writing has been shown to help reduce stress and enhance emotional well-being. By unloading thoughts onto the page, you create mental breathing room, all…
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Ready for Your Close-Up? 🎬
Here’s the thing: life isn’t a dress rehearsal. Every day the cameras are rolling, the audience is watching (even if it’s just your cat), and you’re already the star. The question is: are you playing the role like you mean it—or are you stuck in the background as “Person with Coffee Cup #2”? That’s where the Starring Me Journal comes in to help you take the lead role in your own life story. Enter stage left: The Starring Me! Journal. This journal isn’t just a notebook. It’s your script, your stage, your place to write your plot twists, spotlight your wins, and rehearse your dreams like they’ve already come true. Because…
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Why Handwriting Still Wins (and Why Your Journal Deserves It)
Hey, Plot Twisters—let’s talk about something I’m so passionate about: handwriting. In a world dominated by screens and keyboards, putting pen to paper through journaling feels almost rebellious, but for good reason. Let’s unpack why it’s not just nostalgic—it’s smart. 1. It’s a Brain Booster Seriously, handwriting engages more of your brain than typing ever could. Studies show it activates regions linked to memory, sensory processing, and motor control—which helps you actually remember what you wrote, not just skim it later . Feel like you retain more when you write things down? You do. Plus, your brain literally connects more dots when you write by hand versus hitting keys. 2. It’s a Form of Therapy Journaling by…
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Pen + Paper > Pandemic
When the world shut down in 2020, it felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under all of us. Days blurred together—endless headlines, endless uncertainty, endless quiet. I remember sitting at my kitchen table with my coffee going cold, staring at the same four walls and thinking, Well, now what? It was during this time I turned to writing in a journal to process my thoughts. That’s when I picked up a pen. Not because I had anything profound to say. Not because I thought I was recording history for the ages. Honestly, I just needed somewhere to put all the noise rattling around in my head. So…
