My Journey in Journaling



I am super excited about today's blog! And the truth is that I didn't even know what I was going to be writing about until I started writing in my journal. I have always written. I have always gained clarity, perspective,  awareness, and peace of mind by writing. When I was 10 my journal/diary entries went something like this: "I can't stand my parents. I hate my teacher and my brother is an idiot". In my teens, my entries were: "oh my Gd he's so cute! I hope he notices me. Oh my Gd he noticed me! My parents are totally not cool and my brother thinks he knows everything." 
Later when I came to Israel it was all about my adventures in Israel and when I had to return my entries were about how sad I was that I was not in Israel. Thankfully I got married and had children and now live in Israel and my life as well as my journal entries were focused on my family and the dailies. In the last 10 years or so my journaling has become focused to the point where today I can say I am almost hyper-focused. Now to someone who as a rule is not focused, being hyper-focused is such a rarity that I didn't even know such a state could exist. 
Lately, I've become so attached to my journals that I give them names. (And I talk to them, and cuddle with them...but that is a different story)  This year's journal is called Qi-balti. A play on words. Qi refers to Qwerki Quotes & Inspirational Thoughts. (See my blog from 3 weeks  ago: http://bit.ly/3VpLG3B) 
QiBalti means I received in Hebrew.   I received: abundance,  health, wealth, prosperity, happiness,  success, a vacation, a new wardrobe, a sandwich... basically anything that the universe wants to give me.  I am open to all possibilities. See as a (supposed) control freak I decided this year that I would have a word of the year. everything I say, everything I do, and every single thought I have will relate back to the word of the year  And my word of the year is hachna'ah which means surrender. Now for a (supposed) control freak to say "I surrender" is like saying: I'm not addicted to my phone (I'm so not...) and I won't be on my phone today (no problem if the day is Shabbat...). So for me to say "I surrender" is close to ... Winning a prize at the rinky dinky games at the X. (#Torontonian_girl_through_and_through)
 In other words: close to impossible. I also have a motto this year. "Go big or go home." So far I've been home.  Not big not going. Just home. But hey the year is still young and I'm just getting started. 
Back to journaling (sorry I tend to go off on tangents) 
QiBalti is also numbered, sectioned, and color-coded. (And so far beautifully designed...yea me!) . This makes things easy to find should I wish to dig deep into to myself. I feel like the "Monica" of journaling (#friends). It would seem that this OCDness should hinder the flow of creativity. And hinder the flow of  Tova being Tova. But here is the thing: Tova is actually clearer on being who and what  Tova is- when Tova is organized and clearly defined. Tova can find things when they have a clear and defined space. Most importantly Tova can find Tova. I find it such a relief not to have to sift through piles and piles of debris in order to extract what I want. (I'm talking about my thoughts not about the laundry yes?) 
I don't know if this year's journal is going to yield good things and good results. I do know that like life journaling is a process, and I am testing it out. I'll let you all know at the end of the year if it worked or if it didn't. 
I would love to hear from you. How do you journal? What works for you? What strategies do you use? in order to have the best journaling experience? 
Till next week
Tova
P.s. my parents have become a lot cooler and I now have a great relationship with my brother.









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