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How to Keep Your Passion for Journaling: Review and Giveaway

journal10

I am journaling again. Oh I know you are thinking-  isn’t that what you do every day on your blog thriftymommastips.com? Yes, in some ways. But 10 years ago when my kids first joined our family, and before they joined us, when we waited to adopt, journaling was one thing that kept me sane. As I waited in between the period of time when we applied to adopt and were matched with a child, I wrote in a journal, a bit like this one, about all of the challenges and feelings that brought. A few years ago I gave that journal to my oldest girl. It is, after all, part of the story of her adoption. Then another daughter came along and life got busy and suffice it to say that a decade has gone by and I have blogged a lot, but traditional journaling fell by the wayside. At least until a few short weeks ago. A package arrived containing this lovely book (shown above). It is Journal 10+, designed to last you for a decade or more. Each page is divided by date. So, for instance May 20th and then four lines are given for each entry. Brevity after all is the source of wit. Or so they say. The beauty of that, although it took me a time to get used to, is that I can nine years from now open the page to the 20th of May and see what I wrote for the last nine years, compare what I was doing in 2012 with what I was doing in 2020.

I am enjoying the routine and the simple act of jotting down a few short sentences each day on what our kids did that day, and any unique things that may have happened. I originally planned to give it to my Mom. But she’s not writing that much any more and frankly I can document relevant details for her and include her in my journal, because she is now a big part of each day, now that she lives in town. I love that I don’t look at Journal10 + and see only a massive white space before me demanding to be filled with words. Journal 10+ is simple and easy to manage daily. I love the simple ribbon bookmarks that help hold my spot and save time too.

If you love journaling, you will enjoy this. You can keep Journal 10+ forever, use it for an entire decade and it is appealing in appearance too. Keep it or gift it, Journal 10+ is a unique twist on an old tradition. I give this a $$$$ out of $$$$$. It loses one $ for price, otherwise I love the product.

My tips for Journaling:

1. Make it a routine. First thing in the morning, or last thing at night. You will remember to write regularly that way.
2. Do it in the same space most days. Whether that is the bedroom or the living room, or the den, journaling can be a simple relaxing reflective activity. Keep your atmosphere reflective of the mood. Plus you won’t lose your book that way.
3. Pick out the highlights. You have a very small space here to jot down your thoughts. Edit a bit. Think to yourself, if we went around the table at dinner and were talking about two interesting things that happened today what would I say. Write those down.
4. Family friendly please. No graphic sex scene or anything you would be mortified to find out your cleaning lady or daughter had read. This is not the space to start writing your version of Fifty Shades of Grey.
5. Stay motivated. Keep going and pick up where you left off. Of course you will miss a day over the course of a week, a year, a month. It happens. If you remember details then jot them down as you remember them. Don’t beat yourself up. If you forget, forgive yourself and move on.

I have one of these great Journal 10+ books to give away to a reader. Open to Canada and US. These would make incredible gifts this Christmas. I love that this gift is an heirloom and memories and creativity all rolled up in a pretty package.
The cost of this 2012 to 2022 is $39.95 and you can order Journal 10+ from http://www.journal10.com/
Last year’s 2011 to 2021 is $29.95. Follow the instructions to win.

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Mom of two beautiful active girls, traveller, fitness junkie, social media consultant, and keeper of the sanity.

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