Writing a journal is like making a new sofa cover (but not as hard). Here’s Niki Solomon, master craftsman of soft furnishings, making a sofa cover in turquoise velvet with the help of Lightning the Thunderpuss, who is partial to velvet.
The sofa underneath has great structure, but life has had its way with it. Time for a makeover by someone who has the skills to make it happen. You can see from the general chaos that this is what it looks like when a creative person is in flow. Bits everywhere, it looks really haphazard and the tidy police are really going to disapprove. The journal is like the plastic pattern in the photo that Niki has made as a template for the seat covers. We don’t expect this to look pretty just yet, although Lightning seems relaxed and at home in it. It also reminds me of the great American poet, Walt Whitman, who began his great works in journals, where he eventually found his unique writing voice. He was also a newspaper editor and it was said of him that he worked in a sea of paper that came up to his knees.
This is what your journal is going to look like, a sea of thoughts, ideas, inspirations, bits and pieces everywhere and seemingly random co-occurrences. Underneath there is a structure that is not going to be visible for a while, and that’s more than ok – it’s an essential part of the growth and development that your journalling will enable. Where else but in your journal can you make this much mess and not even have to tidy it up?
And where else but in your journal practice are you going to work out all your ideas about what you are going to change and make happen this autumn? Join us for the Journal for Success masterclasses starting October 2nd on Wednesday evenings in Plymouth, Devon. Your life will be turned over like a good compost heap, aerated and refreshed, your journal will be full of flow, and you’ll see some amazing results in your life. The groups are warm and welcoming and you’ll feel at home. We’d really love to share this journey with you.
Click for more information on the October Journalling Groups