Writing is one of the ways I express myself. For the longest time, whenever I've felt something so strongly, I've always turned to the paper and pencil. I was never a normal diary writer, like the girl from the Dear Dumb Diary series (which I was LOVED). When I began writing for The Odyssey Online, it gave me the perfect opportunity to get something out there that had been on my heart for a while, something that I felt was important to me and others should know about it too. I still have those moments. For example, this article you're reading right now.
I came across this book when I was checking out Urban Outfitters' website. I was interested in the idea of journaling with provocative ideas. Those are the ones that really make you think. I checked Amazon to see if they were selling it for a lesser price and they were, so I plopped that--and two journals with a very similar title--into my Wishlist basket. I now have this journal and 642 Tiny Things to Write About. It's been less than a week since I've had 642 Things to Write About Me.
Oh my God.
I love it.
GUYS. THIS JOURNAL MIGHT CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
The prompts in this are really provocative in the best way possible. They get you thinking about your life: the past, the present, the future, all of it. This journal has already helped me out in so many ways. I'm trying to not write in it every day, but rather save it over time so I have prompts to write when the time is right. However, the prompts are so good that I can't stop writing in it and I have to limit myself!
I'm not one for spoilers, but I want to show you how incredibly amazing and provocative these are. So, I'm going to share three...
"Write about someone you feel you should love, but you don't."
"'No fair!' is a child's common complaint. But what was truly unfair about your childhood?"
"The author Cheryl Strayed had to walk 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada to find herself. What did you have to do?"
Man, that last one still gets me every time.
Jason Roberts introduces the journal and at the very end he says this: "engage with them randomly, methodically, or in the order they catch your mind's eye and spark introspection. We hope they'll illuminate a few surprising corners of your spirit and give rise to tales only you can tell." Wow. How freakin' powerful is that.
If you're not one to express yourself often, I really suggest you start writing, especially with this journal. This journal will get you all up in your feels. I've always loved self-exploration, having those aha-moments and sitting back while thinking, "ho-ly cow, I finally understand what the problem is", or "this is the reason why I am who I am today" and a variety of other thoughts you may have. I have a lot of aha-moments when I write. I hope with this journal you will discover those surprising corners of your spirit, and have those many aha-moments, too.
