A Hodgepodge of Thoughts

The last time it snowed in my hometown was 1972.

Happy spring, everyone!

Like many of you I’m sure, I’m stunned by how quickly this year has been going. Maybe this feeling of acceleration is compounded by my book project with quarterly deadlines. It’s a new experience for me, organizing my year around one book and its deadlines. Not complaining, just noticing how differently it’s shaping the year.

What’s also new this year is, this weather. My god. California has been getting a deluge of rain, like massive record-breaking brain. Not just that. One Saturday morning, we were relaxing at home and my eyes caught a view of snow falling outside the window. I thought my eyes were mistaken.

It doesn’t snow where we live, which is one of the reasons why we love visiting my in-laws during the holidays—to get a proper white Christmas. It snowed for hours and though the snow didn’t stick to the ground, we were surrounded by snow-capped mountains by morning. The rain is still coming down here and I’ve been living in wool sweaters and Hunter rain boots as if I lived in the Highlands of Scotland instead of where I actually live, in the desert of Southern California.

In addition to the book, I’ve been writing other things that’ve been getting some press. First, my essay upon which my book is based was featured in the March edition of The Christian Century! It’s entitled, “Staying in a Culture of Leaving” and you can read it here. I was also featured on Caroline Donofrio’s Substack, which you can read here. Caroline was one of the main writers and editors for Cup of Jo for many years. You have to pay a subscription fee to read her interview of me but the small fee is so worth all the wisdom and recommendations she offers bi-weekly.

Finally, because I want to live up to the title of this blog post as being a random assortment of subjects, I’m sharing some easy journal prompts to either kickstart your journaling routine or deepen it.

Journaling is an integral soul-care practice as it helps you recognize your authentic voice within, especially if she’s been squelched by external forces and expectations.

I’ve often heard people share that they don’t know what to write about. The blank page intimidates them. Prompts are the solution!

Here are 5 journal prompts I use on the regular. Rotate your usage of them for one year and you will not be the same person a year from today.

Start by just setting aside 15 minutes a day. Some days, you’ll be inspired to write for longer. Other days, you’ll want to cut it off short. Write in an old-school diary or on your laptop or on tiny scraps of your daughter’s doodles.

There’s no wrong way to do this.

1) Reflect upon the previous day from beginning to end. Pick one moment when you felt a glimmer or a gust of joy. Describe the experience with as much sensory detail as possible. 

2) Write down a thought causing you stress right now as succinctly as possible. For example: I'm upset because Tina is difficult to deal with.

Then, write whatever comes to mind in respond to this question:
Who would I be without this thought?

3) Write down the practical behaviors of the alternative-you described in response to journal prompt #2. Try embodying that alternate-you for one week. See if you like her. If you do, invite yourself to give up that stressful thought entirely.

4) Give yourself permission to dream and set aside your skepticism for just 15 minutes Describe your life one year from today.

5) Set your timer for 15 minutes and write down everything you're grateful for, no matter how big or small it is. Add sensory details when possible (e.g. the smell of fresh lavender, the feel of my daughter's cheeks, etc.).

Try out these prompts. Play with them. See how they work for you.

And until next month, may the early spring blossoms grace your path.