I find journal-keeping a valuable discipline.

    My latest one is a hardbound blank book, 8 1/2″ x 11″. I call it “Suzi’s Sundial Book,” and on the front page I drew a sundial with a silly sun in the sky shining smilingly down on it, and underneath I wrote in a quote: “I record only the sunny hours.”

   Every day before bedtime, or first thing in the morning, I look back on the day’s events and quickly jot five things I’m thankful for that came to light in the course of that day.

      Often these things have to do with how I’m handling challenges that arise, or how my husband and I interact with each other.

I   It’s a priceless record of growth and progress, and is excellent *self-defense* against those times when I forget my blessings and am tempted to believe that I’ve made little or no progress.

    I cannot say enough about the value of these written records as a tool for growing in gratitude and grace, — it provides undeniable proof that I have learned some important life-lessons and that I cannot be made to believe that worst about myself, my progress, etc.

   Instead of doubting myself or my future, a journal helps me to face down “the doubts,” and doubt *them* instead.

My thoughts:

How about you? Do you journal? Do you keep a list booklet? I really love my List Booklet! It is not a journal, really, though I DO like the idea of a Gratitude Journal.

  Mine is used to list the things I would like to accomplish that day. Every thing I can think of goes in that book for the day. As I am doing my work, I will think of something I need to do. I make a beeline (if I can) to my journal (which is in an easy and accessible place) and write it down.

   I may not accomplish everything I have written down, but in those moments of distraction and “un” focus, I can turn to my journal and zero back in on the next thing to accomplish!

   Some things are static in my journal, and definitely a priority. I do not change them but write them down each day, in order to check them off each day.

For me, this is my spiritual devotions that I need to say throughout the day. These are my number one priority (morning prayers, chaplet, rosary, night prayers, spiritual reading).

   I then write down the things I must remember in order to keep healthy (vitamins, exercise, water).

    Both of these categories remain the same each day and should be checked off by the end of the day.

The rest change as the week goes by or as things crop up. It is such a great feeling to check each duty fulfilled!

Don’t sweat it, though, if some things are not checked off. We must be flexible. Just add those things to the next day’s page. I have had to do that for several days in a row because, well….life gets hectic!!

So buy yourself a pretty journal, get yourself a nice gel pen and begin your journaling or “listing”. You will find it empowers you as you begin to organize your life!