GUIDED JOURNALING FOR LOCKDOWN 2.0
t R i → r e W t → i l r l→W te→Ritua →Write→Ri i l r i a W R u → → t l e i a t R i → r e W t → i l r a W al→ ite→Ritu l→Write→R al→Wr ite→Ritua l→Write→R al→Wr ite→Ritua l→Write→R ual→Wrrite→Rituaal→Write→R ual→W rite→Ritu al→Write→ ual→W rite→Ritu al→Write→ ual→W rite→Ritu al→Write→ ual→W rite→Ritu al→Write→ tual→WWrite→Rituual→Write→ tual→ Write→Rit ual→Write tual→ Write→Rit ual→Write tual→ Write→Rit ual→Write tual→ Write→Rit ual→Write itual→→Write→Rittual→Write itual →Write→Ri tual→Writ itual →Write→Ri tual→Writ itual →Write→Ri tual→Writ l i a t R u i → t r e i W t R → i l r a W u → t l i a R u Rit l→Write→ itual→Wri R ua i
W u → t l i a t R u i → r e it W t → i l r a W u → t l i a t R u i → t r e i W t → i l r a W u → t l i a R u Rit l→Write→ itual→Writ Ritua l→Write→R itual→Wri Ritua l→Write→R itual→Wri Ritua l→Write→R itual→Wri a R u i → t r e i W t R → i → l r a W u → t l i a R u → →Rit al→Write Ritual→Wri →Ritu al→Write→ Ritual→Wr →Ritu al→Write→ Ritual→Wr →Ritu al→Write→ Ritual→Wr e→Rituual→Write→→Ritual→Wr e→Rit ual→Write →Ritual→W e→Rit ual→Write →Ritual→W e→Rit ual→Write →Ritual→W e→Rit ual→Write →Ritual→W te→Rittual→Writee→Ritual→W te→Ri tual→Writ e→Ritual→ te→Ri tual→Writ e→Ritual→ te→Ri tual→Writ e→Ritual→ i t R → i → l r e a W t u → i t l i a R u → t e i t R i → ual →Wr ite
Welcome to this free one weeks worth of guided journaling in partnership with Minderful. On the next page you’ll find more on what is coming up and how to use this course. Wherever you are on your writing journey, if this is your first time or if you’re a seasoned writer I would love to hear about your experiences with this course. Please do get in touch below. Sam - Founder and fellow writer sam@dearwriter.co.uk @dearwriterjournals
Copyright Dear Writer Ltd 2020
Seven days of writing... The journaling practice over the next seven days is based on the guided writing practice in our journals which is a mix of gratitude and freewriting. You can use this by printing it off for your own use or if you prefer, use the prompts and write in your own journal.
Contents: How it works Day 1 A warm-up exercise Day 2 - 5 Gratitude list Freewriting exercise (with prompt) Nightly reflection Day 6 Haiku Prompts
How it works The titles here say ‘Morning’ and ‘Night’ but these are just guides, you write how and when works best for you, see how you feel after trying it this way for a week and if it’s not working for you, then mix it up.
Dear Writer, Firstly, thank you for buying this book. I hope that you get as much out of the practice in these pages as I do. If you haven’t used one of these books before then let me explain a bit about its origin, why it is important to me and how you can get the most out of it. I would love to hear from you and know what you think of the journal and your experience with it. Please do get in touch below. Sam – Founder and fellow writer @dearwriter www.dearwriter.com
5
MORNING PRACTICE 1) Gratitude Here you write ten things that you are grateful for. Ten might seem like a lot, especially every day and it will be a challenge to fill the list. These things can be big or small and re-used each day if you like. The purpose of this routine is to nurture a sense of appreciation and help uncover those things in life which are constants that have perhaps been overlooked or taken for granted. Nothing is too big or too small for this list. Here is my gratitude list from the morning when this was written: · Waking up without a hangover · Having people close to me who I love · Support from a friend I spoke to yesterday about making this book · Having access to great coffee · The way the morning air smells at the moment · Being in a position to help others · Hearing about the birth of my friends' baby · Seeing happy dogs in the park (even though I don’t have one yet) · My fiancé’s love and support (and her amazing puttanesca) · Re-discovering my love for bird-watching recently
2) Freewriting The beginning of each day has either a quote or an optional journaling prompt with a loose theme each week to give your journaling some direction. With freewriting, once you start writing, you write whatever comes to mind and do not stop to re-read or correct as you go with the aim of writing a stream of consciousness. I find I usually 6
start out writing about one thing but almost every time, by the end, I’ll be writing about something completely different and unexpected. I like to think of these pages as a sort of flypaper. I open them and watch as they catch fleeting thought-flies one by one. Less flies means less energy spent trying to swat them away during the day, it gives me a sense of stillness that I try to take with me as I leave the page. What you write does not need to be perfect and it won’t be. This exercise is about flow. You may find that initially it’s uncomfortable to keep writing and that you can’t make it all the way, believe me, you won’t be alone in that experience – it’s like meditation or going to the gym, hard at first but it gets easier and you’ll see the results if you stick at it. Treat the pages are like a friendly wastepaper bin. By writing whatever comes to mind you exhale out what you no longer need and might find that the words themselves aren’t as important as what they uncover. Remember, these pages are for you not for anyone else. If you treat these pages as a private safe space, you will write more freely and honestly.
3) A message to self Before you close the book and go about your day write yourself a quick message as if you were writing a note to a friend or family member you care about. You will find that these will start to come naturally after you’ve finished writing your pages.
7
NIGHTLY PRACTICE A quick five-minute reflection practice for the end of the day. Don’t worry if you miss a night here or there, this book is undated, and it is designed so that you won’t be leaving behind any blank pages.
HAIKU PROMPTS After the daily pages you’ll find some prompts for writing Haiku - a form of short Japanese poetry. In many ways Haiku poetry is the opposite of freewriting. You have to consider the meaning and syllables of every word so they fit the structure of the poem just right. It is an incredibly mindful writing exercise and can give you a great sense of accomplishment when you need it.
SEVEN DAY CHECK-IN At the beginning and end of each week there is a short space to reflect on what has happened and what intentions you have for the next week of writing.
JOIN THE DOTS While this is a guided journal, at the end of the book there are 12 blank dotted pages, an unguided space for you to get creative and journal however you like.
8
A warm-up exercise Before you start your first seven days of writing, here is a warm-up exercise for you to ease you into your journaling and help you set some intentions around your writing. On the following page are 26 empty lines, conveniently as many as there are letters in the alphabet,
Dear Write a Writer, short poem on what you intend to get out of your writing practice starting thank you buying thisletter book. in the eachFirstly, new line withforthe next alphabet.
I hope that you get as much out of the practice in these pages as I do. If you haven’t used one of these books before then let me explain Here is the first part of my own ABC’s as a bit about its origin, why it is important to me and how you can get an example; the most out of it. I would love to hear from you and know what you think of the journal and your experience it. Please do get in touch below. A sacred with time B rave small steps
Sam – Founder fellow writer C almand appearing
D eveloping myself
@dearwriter E xperiencing some joy www.dearwriter.com F ear dripping away
Tip: If you get stuck on the X’s, you can get creative and use them phonetically e.g ‘xcellent’ or ‘xtraordinary’
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Date:
Optional journaling prompt: Start your writing by writing about your role in your community, what can you give? What do you need?
10 things you are grateful for, big or small:
Start writing and do not stop:
Now write a quick message to yourself before you start your day:
Night One thing you enjoyed about today:
At least one thing you accomplished today:
Where could you have been kinder/more loving today?
One intention for tomorrow:
Date:
Optional journaling prompt: Start your writing by describing yourself as the person who loves you the most would.
10 things you are grateful for, big or small:
Start writing and do not stop:
Now write a quick message to yourself before you start your day:
Night One thing you enjoyed about today:
At least one thing you accomplished today:
Where could you have been kinder/more loving today?
One intention for tomorrow:
Date:
Optional journaling prompt: Start your writing by describing yourself as a tree, the colour of your leaves, the texture of your bark, the conversations you overhear.
10 things you are grateful for, big or small:
Start writing and do not stop:
Now write a quick message to yourself before you start your day:
Night One thing you enjoyed about today:
At least one thing you accomplished today:
Where could you have been kinder/more loving today?
One intention for tomorrow:
Date:
Optional journaling prompt: Start your writing by describing how you change with the seasons.
10 things you are grateful for, big or small:
Start writing and do not stop:
Now write a quick message to yourself before you start your day:
Night One thing you enjoyed about today:
At least one thing you accomplished today:
Where could you have been kinder/more loving today?
One intention for tomorrow:
Date:
Optional journaling prompt: Start your writing by describing a place or a view that makes you feel calm.
10 things you are grateful for, big or small:
Start writing and do not stop:
Now write a quick message to yourself before you start your day:
Night One thing you enjoyed about today:
At least one thing you accomplished today:
Where could you have been kinder/more loving today?
One intention for tomorrow:
Haiku prompts Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. The poems are made of three short, unrhymed lines. One way of writing them is to follow a 5-7-5 syllable pattern. While most of this journal is about freewriting and not editing, Haiku poems need a bit of thought and reflection to find the right words that fit into the poem. While they don’t take long to write they give a great sense of accomplishment and insight. Use these pages to try writing some Haiku, you can use the prompts provided or reflect on whatever you like. Here is one I wrote on my experience journaling:
The write ritual Will wash away our troubles Bring ease to our lives
205
Your morning routine:
Someone you love:
Your boundaries:
On listening:
On honesty:
t l e i t R i → r e W t → i l→Wr te→Ritual →Write→Ri i l r i a W R u → → t l e i a t R i → r e W t → i l r a W al→ ite→Ritu l→Write→R al→Wr ite→Ritua l→Write→R al→Wr ite→Ritua l→Write→R r a W R u → → t l e i a t R u i → r e W t → i l r a W u → ual rite→Rit al→Write→ ual→W rite→Ritu al→Write→ ual→W rite→Ritu al→Write→ ual→W rite→Ritu al→Write→ W u → → t l e i a t R u i → t r e W t → i l r a W u → t l tua Write→Ri ual→Write tual→ Write→Rit ual→Write tual→ Write→Rit ual→Write tual→ Write→Rit ual→Write → t l e i a t R u i → t r e i W t → i l r a W u → t l i a itu →Write→R tual→Writ itual →Write→Ri tual→Writ itual →Write→Ri tual→Writ l i a t R u i → t r e i W t R → i l r a W u → t l i a R u Rit l→Write→ itual→Wri R ua i
l r a W u → t l i a itu →Write→R tual→Writ itual →Write→Ri tual→Writ Rituall→Write→Riitual→Writ Ritua l→Write→R itual→Wri Ritua l→Write→R itual→Wri Ritua l→Write→R itual→Wri a R u i → t r e i W t R → i → l r a W u → t l i a R u → t →Ri al→Write Ritual→Wri →Ritu al→Write→ Ritual→Wr →Ritu al→Write→ Ritual→Wr →Ritu al→Write→ Ritual→Wr e→Rituual→Write→→Ritual→Wr e→Rit ual→Write →Ritual→W e→Rit ual→Write →Ritual→W e→Rit ual→Write →Ritual→W e→Rit ual→Write →Ritual→W te→Rittual→Writee→Ritual→W te→Ri tual→Writ e→Ritual→ te→Ri tual→Writ e→Ritual→ te→Ri tual→Writ e→Ritual→ i t R → i → l r e a W t u → i t l i a R u → t e i t R i → ual →Wr ite