Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - J is for...

J is for...Journal

Like most things, journals and the reasons they were kept, have evolved over time. According to Wikipedia¹, the word diary comes from the Latin word diarium, meaning “daily allowance” and journal originated from the same root diurnus, meaning “of the day”.

For the sake of this post, I will use the word 'journal', since most adults refer to their appointment books as diaries and their electronic diaries as calendars. A diary also implies a daily entry, whereas a journal entry does not have to be a daily occurrence.

Semantics you might say, but for clarity, I will stick to using the word, journal.

Unless you are an accountant or bookkeeper, then the Journal is something you use to fix other people's mistakes. I am just saying.

At the beginning...

Journal writing actually began way back in the second century AD. People used their journals to record transactions, events or visions. These entries depended on who you were and the significance of these events in your life.

Only later on, about the 11th century, did people's journals start to reflect the styles we associate with our modern times. Personal reflection, inward events or experiences that we perceive as important enough to note.

From the Renaissance onwards, people started to record more than the events of the day. It was also these personal records that researchers found to be valuable about life and times in that era.

Publication of these personal journals was never an option to people in those days, making their observations of particular importance to historians today. Their words were not intended for an audience although they might have ended up that way.

The modern journal

“Frank Smythson made history in 1908 when he created the world's first practical, portable diary. From its stitched spine and supple leather binding to the clean, crisp leaves of Featherweight paper and glint of gold, Frank's original design remains virtually unchanged to this day.”²

If you look at the Smythson website, you will agree that not much has changed since then, with the exception of the advent of the online journal.

Who could then resist recording the events and thoughts of your own? All that was required was the ability to read and write, or maybe draw a picture if the journal was kept by an artist.

While it might not be your or my cup of tea, it became almost fashionable to publish the journals of people of note from the nineteenth century. The most famous of these are the journals of Anne Frank, about her experiences hiding during the German occupation of Amsterdam during the Second World War.

There are many other examples, if you are interested please follow the links on the Wikipedia page for more information.

The digital journal

Online journaling is more what we would be used to or expect to use these days. The first recorded online journal was published in 1994. Since then the recording of personal thoughts and commentaries have become more prevalent on blogs.

Personal journals, for recording of private reflections and thoughts, are typically not for public consumption. The writer could use encryption to guarantee continued privacy.

The online journal has become portable with many of them providing a smartphone app to allow the user anytime access to their online journal.

As with handwritten journals, these online journals could be bequeathed to an heir upon the death of the writer. Check with your online journal supplier if this is something you could do for your children or grandchildren.

Why keep a journal?

Why do people keep a journal? The answer to that can be as varied as the reasons why people write.

History taught us that journals were kept to record financial and other transactions. People noted the events of the day in their environments. World travelers recorded their comments on the places they visited and recommendations on the best food, or route to follow.

Nowadays, journals have expanded their usefulness towards the recording of sleep patterns, diets, life experiences, notes on achievements, personal thoughts and goals. If you can think of a reason to record any and all observations, either internal, external or of any significant value, there will be a person (or ten) out there that does it.

Have you thought about the value you have gained from keeping a journal? Take a minute and note your thoughts in your next entry.

1  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diary

2 http://www.smythson.com/diary

Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - I is for...

I is for Inspiration

💜 For today's post, I leave you with a few quotes

- to inspire you. Enjoy! 💜

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
― George Bernard Shaw

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
― Winston S. Churchill

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”
― John Lennon

“If you only write when inspired, you may be a fairly decent poet, but you'll never be a novelist.”
― Neil Gaiman

“Disciplined runners consistently clear their heads and focus fully on the journey ahead...because their passion and zeal for the goal supersedes the strain. The goal beckons them onward. Passion doesn't negate weariness; it just resolves to press beyond it.”
― Priscilla Shirer

“When we procrastinate, we also put a hold on happiness.”
― Charles F. Glassman

“If you don't acquire the discipline to push through a personal low point, you will miss the reward that comes with persevering.”
― Jeff Goins

“Discipline allows magic. To be a writer is to be the very best of assassins. You do not sit down and write every day to force the Muse to show up. You get into the habit of writing every day so that when she shows up, you have the maximum chance of catching her, bashing her on the head, and squeezing every last drop out of that bitch.”
― Lili St. Crow

“Every time I hear writers talk about ‘the muse,’ I just want to bitch-slap them. It’s a job. Do your job.”
― Nora Roberts

“Don't wait for the muse. She has a lousy work ethic. Writers just write.”
― Barbara Kingsolver

Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - H is for...

H is for...Happiness

This whole blog series is aimed at finding your Happiness through a journey of journal writing. So that begs the question: what is happiness? Or should we rather contemplate what happiness means to us as individuals?

I think for each one of us being happy may mean something different, and yet we still have many things in common that we can all nod and say, yes, that would be my happiness too.

In his book, Flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, dug deep into the psyche of what happiness truly is. I would say with 20+ years of research, he knew what he was talking about when he wrote - “in the quest for happiness, partial solutions don't work.”

When you sit for a moment and think about that statement, you will come to agree that it is true.

The partial solutions Mihaly mentions are the weight-loss, get rich with this formula, do this to be successful books. And there are many available. Many. While they might be true, you will be thin, rich and successful, but will you be happy as a result?

These books promise you the sun, moon, and stars, but they never tell you what to do once you have reached the promised land. What happens if you are now rich, but the underlying reasons for your unhappiness can't be fixed with having money? Or being successful? Or thin?

So why aren't there many books offering you the 'full solution'? Because nobody can tell you what you need to be happy. Is being overweight making you unhappy, or is it the relationships in your life? Is not having any money the reason for your unhappiness, or is it jealousy about what other people have? Do you really want the same success as your friend, or are you afraid that they will reject you if you do not achieve the same as them?

Can you imagine what such a book will look like if someone were to write it? It would be thousands of pages long, and then it could still not make you happy. Because, it was not written for you as a person, an individual.

Happiness is not about pleasure either, despite what the world tells us in its attempts to sell instant gratification as happiness. Pleasure is a fleeting thing, short-lived and the act or its results has no lasting impact on our inner self as a person.

So what else is there?

Enjoyment, as opposed to pleasure, is an experience rather than a moment's gratification. It is making a choice to do things in a different way.

I wish I could tell you where to find the answer, the solution, the recipe, to being happy, but I cannot. No one can. Only you can do that. Only you can pave the way towards your own happiness.

You can start on that path, using your journal, to explore the following:

1. Challenge yourself with activities that require skill

Mental and physical activities are included. This is not just about your hobbies or personal time. We spent an enormous part of our lives working, and yet people constantly complain about their jobs. How could you possibly find any enjoyment doing a job that doesn't challenge you on some level?

2. Give the task your absolute attention - concentrate

I am sure you are familiar with the saying, 'time flies when you are having fun'. People say that because they are so focused on their task (whatever the task might be) that their awareness of time is different. They are not clock watching because they are concentrating on getting the task completed. Being focused and giving all your concentration on a task, is a choice irrespective of the level of enjoyment of the task. Just remember how good it felt when you finished a task, even if it wasn't something that you enjoyed to do.

Case in point: I hate ironing (I am sure there are more people that feel the same). Since I have a back problem, standing or sitting in one position for any length of time causes my back to ache, a lot. So I have learned to do any standing or sitting activities in 20 to 30 minute periods, without pain.

Since I dislike the chore so much, and cannot dawdle in its execution, I have managed to optimise my technique in such a way that I can iron on average 15 long sleeved shirts in 20 minutes. For most people that may sound odd, but for me, it is a task that I give my full attention to, mostly to get it done and out of my life.

It is still 20 minutes of my life that I would rather spend doing something else, but getting so much done in such a short time, provides me with a sense of accomplishment.

3. Set clear goals for the activity and the achievement is obvious

This is fairly straightforward and even works for an unpleasant task, like my ironing. Some goals are long-term and it can be difficult to keep your eye on the ball. In such a case it would be good to set milestones along the way to help keep you motivated and feeling accomplished as a result. Who wouldn't feel elated when the short-term achievements bring you closer to your long-term goal?

4. Enjoyable activities bring a different kind of enjoyment

Some aspects of our lives can be worrisome and stressful, and we cannot avoid those. Taking part in activities that you enjoy, activities that require focus and concentration, will help in alleviating some of the constant negativity our minds can often fall into.

The same applies when it comes to the setting of goals and the achievement thereof. Again, these activities do not have the physical to provide the focus our minds require.

5. Sense of control

This is more of a physical activity element, in that danger exists in some sports, like rock climbing. The sense of control helps the climber prepare his mental approach towards the climb. The risk is still there, but the goal and the achievement thereof rests with the climber in his ability to control his ascent and the way he approaches the climb.

Personally, I think the same sense of control is prevalent in the practitioners of martial arts, even those styles where full contact can be dangerous. Their ability to focus on the activity and the control they practice to exert themselves, brings about the achievement of the goals set as part of their studies.

Your journey and journal

Your challenge is to identify the activities where focus and concentration can bring about change in the way you do the task. The enjoyment of either the activity itself, or the achievement of the set goal, is the primary objective.

None of these elements of enjoyment will bring you happiness overnight, nor will they do so in isolation. It is a path, a journey, where you can grow into the happiness you see for yourself.

Explore these elements as you set a task for yourself, its goals, and the way you experience the completion thereof. Would it change the way you set the next task? Did the successful completion of an unpleasant task change the way you will approach a similar task in future?

Live in Balance: April is no fool's month

The month of April is well underway and I trust yours has been as creative and productive as mine so far. I am also looking forward to a couple of weeks of leave to spend more time with my writing and art.

With Francois back from Botswana, I have quite a few of his photographs in mind for art projects. My favourite (he is still busy working through the 5000+ he had taken) image is one of a baby hyena. It is so cute, and yet as an adult, it will inspire fear and respect.

Also on my Francois-picture wish list are two photographs of a leopard and two birds. Very excited to get going on those, but I have a protea that I am busy with that I want to finish first. You can believe me when I say that I cannot wait for my leave to start!

The A-to-Z Challenge letters for the coming week are as follows:

Monday: Letter H…for Happiness (what this whole challenge is about)

Tuesday: Letter I…for Inspiration (a touchy subject amongst creatives)

Wednesday: Letter J…for Journal (had to sneak that one in)

Thursday: Letter K…for Knobs, knuckles and knitting (journaling can be lighthearted too)

Friday: Letter L…for Life (another art journal entry)

Saturday: Letter M…for Music (dum, dum, du-dum...)

If you missed the first letters last week, here is a quick recap (just click the letter!)

A   B   C   D   E   F   G 

Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - G is for...

G is for...Gratitude

This is probably the one theme that you will find in every single book about journals and journal writing. But what does it truly mean to be grateful? Is it a list of the things we own (eg. house), the things we are (eg. healthy), the situations we find ourselves in (eg. employed)? Or can there be more than just a list we should be contemplating in our journal entry today?

Would there be a universe if I were not here to appreciate it?

In his course work book, The Journal-Writer's Guide to Staying Started, Nathan Ohren posed the question: Would there be a universe if I were not here to appreciate it? (quoted from page 22)

I'll bet that unless you have done Nathan's course, this would be one question that you would never have thought to write about. It is a philosophical question that you might like to debate with yourself, but there is a fundamental concept hidden in the words of the question - if we live a life of gratitude, it will influence the world around us.

Change yourself, change your world

I am sure you have noticed how people tend to avoid someone who is constantly complaining or always negative about the world around them. The opposite is also true - people are drawn to someone who has a more positive attitude towards life.

Set yourself a challenge for one week: be more mindful of the world and the people around you. Appreciate the beauty of the natural world. Be more grateful towards people who cross your path, especially in the small things that they do. Even something as small as a smile when they greet you in the morning.

Note in your journal how you experience the changes in yourself and the reaction you receive from others. Don't be fake in your approach, people will pick up on that and be distrustful of your intentions. You will also hamper your journey towards happiness if you do.

Be honest in your actions. And share with others (if you want) on how living and being more grateful changed your perspective.

At the end of the week, note in your journal the difference in the list of things that you are grateful for before and after the week.

My change, my world

I have a stressful job, and for years my relaxation time was focused on my writing. At some point I found that writing as an outlet was no longer enough - I needed more.

I have often mentioned that my husband, Francois, is an amazing photographer and I find a lot of pleasure in the way he captures the natural world and the people in it.

As he developed his skills with a camera, I realised that I too could do the same, but through visual art, not a camera.

Is my gratitude centred around my talent (still developing) as an artist, or in the subject matter that I want to capture on paper or canvas?

While I am grateful for my talent, I find the ability in myself and others to showcase our world in art to be the primary source of my appreciation. I don't have to express my gratitude in words, and upon occasion, I find that even with an extensive vocabulary, that there are no words. In those cases I let my pencil and paintbrush do the talking for me.

In doing so, my view of the world around me has changed too. It is not the change alone that I am grateful for. The way my eyes were opened to appreciate the talents of others, the beauty of my country and the smiles on people's faces when they too 'see' what might have been an unnoticeable thing before, has been humbling.

And to you, thank you...

I am guilty of not saying it often enough - thank you. To you my readers, my blog visitors, and followers: thank you for spending the time to read this post. Your time is valuable and these few minutes spent with me is truly appreciated.

Thank you!

 
Note: the A to Z Challenge will continue on Monday, although you can see what my posts for the next 6 letters of the alphabet will be about tomorrow. I hope you will join me then!

Linzé

Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - F is for...

F is for...Forgiveness

We have to agree this is not an easy topic even for your private journal. While it is hard to forgive someone who wronged us, it can be more difficult to forgive ourselves.

For today's topic, you need to take a long hard look at yourself. What in your life still exists as an obstacle to moving forward?

Who do you still resent about something that was done to you, either intentionally or accidentally?

Old and new resentments hamper us in our journey towards happiness since they drain so much of our energy and emotions. Take the decision today to let go of the hurtful things that are standing in your way.

Write a letter

Start your entry today with the date and time. Note the place and your general emotional condition. Maybe you feel like a prayer, or a few moments of contemplation before you start to write. Please do what you need and then start your entry.

Write a letter to yourself if you need to. If there is someone else you need to forgive, address the letter to him or her. It doesn't matter if the person is dead or alive. Write the letter to cleanse your heart and mind of this burden.

Do not mail the letter if it is addressed to another person. This is an opportunity for you to be honest with your feelings and to move forward without this burden that you may have been carrying for a long time.

When you are done, note the way you feel now after having done so.

If there is more than one person you need to forgive, do not write more than one letter per entry. Emotional entries can be exhausting and you need to let go of the first issue before doing another letter.

Time to move on

Wait a few days then note your feelings about the first letter. Are you ready to move on? Is there still something that you feel you need to forgive with this same person? Or yourself?

If you are not ready, do not force the issue. The time will come when you are ready to address a second issue, or another person that you need to forgive.

Journal writing might help you see more than just the reason you felt wronged. It will be that realisation and the letting go, that will help you grow and move forward.

Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - E is for...

E is for...Explore

While most people would associate the word 'explore' with activities outside, maybe a little travelling, or going to the local market to find a treasure or two. This time, however, we are exploring one thing that is almost impossible to find in our modern world: silence.

Have you noticed how noisy our world has become? Traffic. Computers. Air-conditioning systems. No matter where you find yourself physically, there is almost always a hum or a buzz going on in your surroundings.

Should we seek out 'silence'?

Take a few minutes to read this article - http://buff.ly/2nL4XO0

When I read the article the first time, I felt overwhelmed by the intensity of the author's experiences. What was the most interesting to me was the end of the article - the experience had not been easy, and yet she was ready to go back to do it all over again. That maybe just her own unique self, but what about the rest of us? Do we seek or avoid the silence?

What do we hear?

In the book, In Pursuit of Silence by George Prochnik, the author himself sought some answers in his pursuit of silence. He visited a monastery and spent some time with monks who spend their lives in silence. What fascinated me was the research George did about the evolution of our hearing and how sad the statistics are on hearing loss.

Did you know our ears are capable of amplifying sound? I didn't know that. If you can imagine the world many, many years ago, there was not so much noise in our environment - no traffic, and certainly no televisions or computers. Back then primitive man needed to be more aware of the slightest sounds around him, his life depended on hearing the threat approach before it was too late.

But our ears are also capable of suppressing sound. And that is nothing new either. Apparently, our own voices were such a strain on our hearing, that the middle ear had to adapt to protect the sensitive inner ear from the 'noise' being generated by our vocal chords.

Hmmm...that could also be the reason that I perceive my voice to sound funny when I hear it played back from a recording. My ears don't like my internal sound generator either! LOL!

Silence is golden, right?

So if we are physiologically designed to live in a more quiet world, why are we accepting the high levels of noise? Do we want to hide from our inner voice by drowning it out with loud music, and technology? Or do we want to find that silence, that place where we can think, dream, and listen to that inner voice?

This question is not answered with a simple yes or no. Consider your surroundings and the noise emanating from it. Is it drowning your inner voice?

Take a few minutes and explore your silence in your journal today. What have you learned? What do you think you can learn if you spend more time in silence?

Need practical ways to find silent time? Check this out - http://buff.ly/2nKQqlm

If you are a writer, you might also like this article - http://buff.ly/2nKIGjq

Book Feature: PROVOCATIVE by Lisa Renee Jones

Provocative by Lisa Renee Jones is coming April 18th!

Pre-Order PROVOCATIVE Today!

Special $2.99 pre-order price - will increase after release!

Amazon alert: http://bit.ly/ProvocativeAmazonAlert

B&N: http://bit.ly/ProvocativeBN

iBooks: http://bit.ly/ProvocativeiBooks

Kobo: http://bit.ly/ProvocativeKobo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34602810-provocative

Book two: SHAMELESS will be out on July 11th!

Pre-Order notification:http://bit.ly/2nocwgZ

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34602828-shameless

Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - D is for...

D is for...Dare to Dream

When we are children we dream of becoming a pilot, or an astronaut or maybe even a celebrity. But what do we dream about as adults? To have more money? Fame? A peaceful existence?

In her book, The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron implores the reader to rediscover their creative selves. The dreams you had when you were young but were either too fearful to chase or were convinced that such a life was not the responsible thing to do.

There are many reasons why people suppress or ignore their creative sides. Time is one reason that many cites. But what if you made a commitment to explore that side of you again? You make commitments to many things: your work, your family, friends, other responsibilities...but do you make any commitments to yourself? Can you honestly say that by giving so much of yourself to others, and nothing to yourself, can truly lead to a path of happiness?

Here is my dare to you today:

Find an hour somewhere in this week, and book it in your calendar. Go to your room, a quiet spot in the garden, or secluded spot in the park - somewhere quiet where you can be by yourself. Leave your mobile phone and computer - or switch them off. Use pen and paper and spend a minimum of 20 minutes to consider the following:

1. What in my life makes me truly happy?

2. What do I miss doing?

3. How can I bring more creativity back into my life, even if only to please myself?

While writing your thoughts might drift to things you liked as a child, or a young adult. Explore the way that doing those things made you feel. Not every exploration has to be dramatic. It could be as simple as taking up reading again. Or going fly fishing with a close friend.

Make a commitment to yourself

If there is more than one activity, or you cannot decide which one, make a list and explore each one. The journey to find your activity in itself might lead you to where you need to go.

The number of activities is not important, nor is the amount of time that you spend doing it. The important part is that you need to be happy actually doing it.

On a personal note: I found my 'activity' when I realised that I could spend hours and hours doing something and not feel the time pass. It was the same for both my writing and drawing. At first, I painted too. Although I liked it, it was only once I did a very basic pencil drawing not intended as an outline for a painting, that I truly found my creative happiness. I also love reading.

So my list has three activities where I can lose myself with happiness. It is often difficult to decide where to spend my time, but I am working on that too. (part of my Live in Balance goals for 2017)

Be kind to yourself

Remember this is a journey, not a race. If it takes you days, weeks, or months to find that one thing where you can lose yourself for hours, don't worry about it. Note your journey and how each new activity makes you feel and grow.

Also, read Julia Cameron's book. There is a good reason why so many books about journal writing use hers as a reference.

I dare you!

Live in Balance: A to Z Challenge - C is for...

C is for Colour

We all need a little colour in our lives whether it be literally, or metaphorically. Today I am focusing on the literal meaning of the word. I am sometimes teased because my favourite colour is black. My engineering friends and colleagues (including Francois) constantly tell me that black is not a colour. Well, technically I suppose they are correct since black does not feature in any colour of light. Note: if you mix all the colours of the rainbow (in lightwaves) you get white, but no combination will ever give you black.

When mixing paints you do get black, but let's not argue that point.

Today I want you to explore your favourite colours in an art entry in your journal. I have done mine with the video clips you find below.

Before you watch (and dig in) a few pointers:

1. Wear an old t-shirt to protect your clothes. Most water-based paints will set permanently once dry and ruin your clothes. A lesson I learned once when I dropped a paintbrush covered in black paint on my favourite denim-blue tennis shoes. I went out and bought the eye-blindingly bright pink housecoat you see me wearing in the video clips (now I paint with those shoes!). It works, what more can I say.
2. You are most welcome to copy my designs for your journal or use your own. Keep it simple, something you can draw and paint in a matter of minutes.
3. If you want to use another medium or design that takes longer to be ready, allocate the space in your journal to glue it in later when it's ready.
4. Use the link here, to find your colour (or its closest match) and pen your thoughts about that. Remember to explore your emotions about the colour, as well as your experience of doing the art project for today's prompt.

Hints and tips:

• Put down a layer of plastic on your work surface to protect it from the paint. I used a plastic bag that I cut open. 
• Put newspaper on top of the plastic. It will absorb any excess moisture and prevent your artwork from unwanted bleeding across the paper.
• Try to use only the text part of the paper. Any pictures will create odd colours or shading of your design.
• Measure your journal's page size and cut the paper rectangles the same size or smaller. This way you know the end result will fit.
• Remove any jewellery from your hands. Paint sticks to everything and will dry quickly because of your body's heat. If your wedding ring has no gemstones, grooves or uneven surfaces like engravings, it may not be a problem, but the smallest crevice will be very hard to clean once the paint is dry.
• I put my hair in a ponytail because I have accidentally painted the ends a time or two and then the paint gets transferred to my face or glasses. But that's just me.
• Lastly, enjoy the art project!

Watch the short YouTube Videos!

Introduction

Drawing and painting a flower

Finishing the leaves

Preparing the design

Finishing the design in my journal

My favourite colours, what they mean, and my thoughts on that

Black

According to the website, it is a colour of mystery and secrecy. While I would like to think that I am mysterious and secretive, the closest I ever get to that are the mystery novels I love to read. Deep down I don't think I want to be mysterious.

Perhaps because I am an introvert who is happy to be on my own or left alone to do my own thing. Took me years to figure that part out. Only when I got to know other writers, did I begin to understand this part of myself. Interesting thing to discover in your early thirties, I can tell you.

But knowing this also allowed me to more easily accept this part of myself. Understanding it has been a journey, but I feel that understanding this part of me, helps me define my path to happiness.

Purple

This is the colour of creativity. My mother used to tell me that it is the only colour where you can wear any shades of it together without clashing with yourself. I am no fashionista and have no interest in dressing fashionably (if I do, it is pure luck), so I don't know if that is true. What I do know is that creativity is something I am still learning about every day.

After reading The Artist's Way, it opened even more doors in my mind. While I love my art projects, I have not experimented much simply because of my (mistaken) notion that painting (irrespective of the medium) was the only true expression of visual art, excluding sculpting.

Logically, I know that is not true, but until recently painting was all I did. I liked it, but it didn't grab me by the throat to drag me to the blank canvas. Only once I started experimenting with pastels and pencil do I feel as if I have truly found my art. I have a lot still to learn, but learning is easier for me if I have a passion for the subject.

It was the same for my engineering studies until I discovered electromagnetism in my third year. But that is something to explore at another time.

Jade

The closest colour to jade (or teal) on the website is turquoise. According to the website, it is the colour of balance because it sits right in the middle of the rainbow (mix of blue and green).

Sheesh, was I surprised when I read that the first time. There is no way I can convince myself that my choice of jade as a favourite, can have anything to do with my Live in Balance motto for this year. I have always loved this colour (it is also one of the few colours that both my mother and I liked equally), so the meaning cited on this website was pure coincidence, but not an unwelcome explanation!

When I think about my three favourite colours and their meanings, I am quite happy with the combination. Of course, there are negative connotations too, but I prefer to focus on the positive. I am striving for happiness after all!

👉 What have you learned today about your favourite colour(s)?

Live In Balance: A to Z Challenge - B is for...

B is for Books

Since I am not a trained therapist (of any kind) my perspective on journal writing comes purely from years of experience and a lot of reading on the subject. I read wider than only journal writing - one does need a wider perspective in my view. Writing a journal is a simple exercise of taking a pen and writing in a notebook.

The problem with keeping a journal is that people very often start but do not keep up with the practice because they want to achieve something, set a goal, get to it and then you are done. Journal writing is not about achieving some goal. It is a process and as such can be difficult to keep up, unless you find another reason for doing so.

For me, it is the pure pleasure of writing. Of having a means to work through an issue in my head. Our subconscious minds are powerful and often we don't let it do the work it can - helping us make decisions, or sort through an issue we are having difficulties to define to ourselves. Journal writing helps me with putting the issue out there, even if I don't understand it or don't have an answer yet.

To my mind keeping a journal is not something I do, it is something I am. Whether it is a prayer entry, a whining and moaning day, or just recording some events because I feel I have to, my journal is a part of who I am; a part of who I have become. Even if the changes I have seen in myself over the years have been subtle or dramatic, I wouldn't hesitate to attribute at least some of that to my journal.

If you have recently started to keep a journal but find it hard to keep up the practice, you need to find something in the practice that you like. Writing with a beautiful fountain pen? Time to yourself, if only a few minutes? The way you feel after you let go of the stuff in your life that keeps you down or lifts you up after realising that something good has happened. We live such busy lives and it is only when we sit down to take a breath to take stock that we can see what is lacking; to see what we need to find our own happiness.

That is one reason why writing a journal by hand allows you to slow down and spend the time with yourself.

Books and articles I like that may also help you find your journey to happiness through journal writing:

• You Love What You Invest Yourself In 
• “Mind Surgery”: My 10-Day Silent Meditation Retreat

• Persist. It Matters
• 50 Ways Happier, Healthier, And More Successful People Live On Their Own Terms
• The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
• Flow - the Psychology of the Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
• Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief by Jordan B. Peterson, Ph.D
• Creative Journal Writing by Stephanie Dowrick
• The Journal-Writer's Guide to Staying Started by Nathan Ohren

... and there are many, many more.

Read widely and explore with your journal, what these topics could do for your journey in life.

Live in Balance: A weird week

A weird week

The past week had been odd because every time I had to buy something I had to use my credit card. While that may not sound weird to most people, Francois and I have an agreement that only items we both need to pay for (e.g. groceries or things for our dogs) will be bought using our credit cards. It just makes it easier to figure out who is responsible for what expense. For my personal things or buying gifts for him, I would use my debit card.

But the bank made a screw up when they issued my new card - they linked it to his personal savings account. So yeah, I had to get that sorted first, which I could only manage yesterday. The next credit card statement is going to prove a challenge to sort out.

Staying on track

On my Live in Balance goals, the only thing I am really happy with this past month was my weight-loss. Nothing dramatic, but that is a good thing. Keeping my blood sugar levels stable while adjusting my diet is important. And clocking a consistent loss so far is something I am quite happy with.

April and its challenges

The blog challenge is proving to be a true challenge for me. To be honest I am a bit nervous about the response some of my posts might get, because it is more than a blog challenge; it is a journey. The daily entries are but drops falling into the river of life itself.

My journal writing has been on this journey for more than thirty years and yet some days I feel as if I am just starting out. But that is how it should be, otherwise, I would stagnating instead of growing as a human being, an artist, a writer.

Even with my goals for this year, my journal forms a significant part of the journey to Live in Balance. April is the month dedicated to my journal, yet it never functions as if it is a separate entity in my life.

The A-to-Z Challenge posts for the coming week will be as follows:

Monday: Letter B…for Books

Tuesday: Letter C…for Colour (simple art prompt)

Wednesday: Letter D…for Dare to Dream

Thursday: Letter E…for Explore

Friday: Letter F…for Forgiveness

Saturday: Letter G…for Gratitude (prompt)

See you then!