Journalling School Session 12: End of Term Review

Welcome to the twelfth session of Journalling School. Today's session ends this first term of school.

Over the past three months or so we have taken a journey together at Journalling School. This is the end of the term and thus a good time to review how far we have come.

We began with why you would want to keep a journal and what benefits there might be in recording your life. We looked at how to get started and how to keep going. We saw how you could restart hour journal if the habit has lapsed.

Then we looked over a few weeks about using your journal to effect change. We started with an examination of positive journalling and moved on to using your journal to document and work towards your goals and also to solve problems.

We saw how to keep things fresh in your journal, using exercises and techniques (like the Total Recall ego trip.)

Towards the end of term we paused to think about some common journalling questions like what sort of journal to use and how much to write every day.

There was a session on using time narratives in your journal to write about the past, the present and the future.

Last week we considered the power of looking back in your journal.

And so, we have arrived at the end of the term and with it a break from school, although not (it is to be hoped) from journalling. 

I'm setting some holiday homework I think you will enjoy. I will also publish in the coming days a book containing all the sessions that you can download and print. I would suggest you might keep this with your journal so you can review it and gain inspiration when you need it.

Image by  David Michael Morris
used under Creative Commons Licence

Homework

Write about what your reasons were for starting a journal. Consider whether you have derived the benefits you expected. Were there any surprises?

Consider which of the exercises you have undertaken has been most enjoyable or most enlightening. Write about why and what you learned.



Here ends the first term of Journalling School. I hope that the school will return with new ideas, perspectives and exercises after a break. I have some ideas for what to cover next term and would love to hear yours. Please use the comments or email me directly at ray.blake@gmail.com.