Yesterday I had the honor of leading a Creative Journaling workshop at the “Guam is Good: Cancer Symposium” held by the Edward M. Calvo Foundation. Keynote speaker Lori Earl flew to Guam to speak about her family’s experience with cancer. She is the author of the book “This Star Won’t Go Out,” based on her daughter Esther’s story. The symposium was full of support, resources, and education. I decided to share what I offered in the Creative Journaling workshop here.
This is the printout that was included inside a notebook with a quote on the front: “Fill your paper with the breathing of your heart.”
Creative Journaling Session with Michelle Pier
Purpose: To offer a safe space to recognize some of your challenges, acknowledge triumphs, explore hopes and desires, and to embrace life with more clarity and purpose through writing.
Intro: How journaling helps to heal, express and bring forth clarity. Personal story about my love for writing, and how it has been an amazing tool as I’ve moved through hardships as well as joyous times.
Key Points to Remember
- Honor where you are.
- Respect your unique process
- Release and write through & beyond your inner critic.
- Let it be unedited, free-writing or “stream of consciousness” (bad grammar, fragmented thoughts, doodles, sketches and run-on sentences are welcome here!)
- Take your time, be open to the process, and go as simple or deep as you like.
Writing Prompts to Get You Started
- How are you feeling right now in this moment? Today? This week? What do you think has contributed to the way you are feeling?
- What are the simple things in life that make you smile?
- What lessons have you learned about yourself or your life recently?
- What are you most proud of yourself for this week?
- Have you felt any challenges this week? If so, what are they, and if you were your own personal mentor or coach, what advice or solutions would you have?
- What can you do to simplify your daily life? Are there too many things on your plate? Are there nonessentials that you can kindly decline, even ones you’ve already agreed to? Can you create a “proactive no” for yourself? For example, “I don’t commit to any social events on Sundays” or “I need more time to think things over before I give any firm answer to something”
- What do you need most to nourish yourself today? This coming week? What can you do to meet this need?
- If you could design the perfect (ridiculously amazing, and catered to your unique lifestyle and needs) career or life in general for yourself, what would it look like? Don’t be afraid to dream a little or lot with this one.