One of the things I love the most is hearing stories of other people’s lives. One of my favorite channels is the Biography Channel and I love watching E! True Hollywood Stories. It is only fitting that I am in the business of journals as I try to encourage others to document their life stories.

We all have a story to tell. I would have to say my theme song for this business is a song by David and the Giants from their 1989 album R U Gonna Stand Up (yes I’m dating myself and most likely you haven’t ever heard of this group) titled, “Everybody Got A Story to Tell.” I just love the title of the song and the song tells stories and how we all have something to contribute and our life does count on this earth.

When I came across the magazine, Where Women Create, I was thrilled to see a magazine that tells stories of entrepreneurial women. It not only does it through the text but also visually as each article shares the creative spaces of the women they feature. I don’t know about you but I am part visual learner so to not only read inspiring stories of how these women came to discover their passions but to also see the spaces where they create this passion is a feast for my eyes.

If you need a little inspiration, be sure to pick up the latest issue and read some of the great stories of some amazing women. More importantly, take out your journal and begin to document some of your amazing life!

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The title of this article might sound a little dramatic but I can attribute my being able to journal as a salvation point in my life. It was my ability to unload my thoughts, frustrations and hurts on to the pages of my journal while growing up that helped me to stay out of trouble.

I grew up with a normal loving family. I had a mother, father and two brothers. We seemed like the perfect middle class family until one day that was all thrown out the window and my parents divorced. My brothers went to live with my dad and I stayed with my mom. Being raised by a single mother wasn’t easy. My mom worked so hard to put food on the table and a roof over our heads that there was barely any time or money for anything else.

I wasn’t able to participate in any school activities such as band, cheer-leading, etc. because my mom couldn’t leave work to pick me up after practice nor could we afford the cost of being involved in extracurricular programs. This meant that I really didn’t have many friends in school. I had other kids in the neighborhood to play with but when they were participating in other activities, it left me pretty lonely.

During these lonely times, I would write in my journal. I would write stories and dreams. For such a young person, I would really get in touch with my feelings. It was my escape as well as my best friend. I believe that had I not had a place to go to express myself, I would have found other avenues that might not have been so safe.

I recently attended a tradeshow where I had a booth to display Sheic Journals. I was reminded of how journaling impacted my life as a young girl as girls from ages 8-15 stopped by my booth and fell in love with the journals. Several mothers purchase a journal as a gift for their daughter.

How interesting to jump ahead to today that I have this company centered around journals.  I am so passionate and such an advocate for journaling. I’m excited for these girls to have the experience of journaling and for their mothers to recognize it. Who knows another life might be saved.

One of my favorite things to do is what I call “dream drives.” It is where I get in the car and drive to neighborhoods with big beautiful homes in the best location in the city I live in at the time. Taking these drives inspires me and gives me a burst of energy I need in knowing that one day soon I will be an inspiration for someone on their dream drive.

It is something about seeing those big homes that reminds me if that person can do it, so can I. In this blog, I want to share with you a great video from founder Angela Jia Kim of Savor the Success and how she uses her journal to capture her dreams as she walks around New York. This is a great and easy way to journal that anyone with a time starved schedule can do.

Enjoy the video and be sure to post below what inspires you.

What a horrific 5 days it has been. After celebrating my birthday the last week of September, we came home to find one of our cats had been a fight. He is a cat we took in from the wild and he isn’t fixed so this isn’t uncommon for him especially this time of year. As our first week back progressed, I noticed on Wednesday that he was running a fever and his leg was swollen.

Let me back up and give you a little history on this cat. We named him Renny because my husband says he looks like the horse, Renegade, which  Florida State University’s mascot, Chief Osceola, rids out on at the beginning of a home game. When Renny first started showing up at our house, we would try to coax him to us and of course feed him. Long story short, it took us 1 solid year before he would even let us pet him without him swatting at us. He has since joined our family and been with us for a total of 2 years now.

Jump ahead to today and it has only been in the last 3 months that he has let my husband pick him up without completely freaking out. We were trying to get him used to being held so we could take him to the vet to get neutered. Since we had gained so much trust and he was running a fever, we decided this was the perfect opportunity to take him to the vet. We also decided that since he was there, we would see if we could get him neutered after the vet got his fever down and the infection cleared.

I have to say I was hesitant and that should have been my first clue. We took him in and the doctor gave him antibiotic and his fever went down and the leg was no longer swollen so the next day the doctor decided to neuter him. All went fine and we picked him up that afternoon after his surgery. He was really, really out of it but we thought it was normal.

A day progressed and he wouldn’t drink and was acting very strange. Day 2 of being home didn’t get any better and he was acting even more strange and still not drinking. Day 3 came and we took him back to the vet and he felt he was dehydrated so he gave him an IV. He seemed to perk up so we took him home. Day 4 he still wouldn’t drink and was still not any better. I started force feeding him water and it seemed to help some but he still wasn’t the same Renny.

Day 5 we took him back to the vet to find out if he had Feline Leukemia and if he did, it meant we were going to have to put him down. By this time I was a complete basket case. I was bawling my eyes out. I didn’t want to share with anyone because they would think I was being stupid for loving a pet so much but my cats are my children. Call me crazy or think what you may but I truly care for them as much as a human.

Not to mention the thought of putting him down reminded me of when I had to put my beloved baby dog, Snoopy, to sleep and how even after 12 years I still miss her. I just couldn’t cope with the thought of going through that again. I mean I know it will happen one day with all our pets but Renny was still so new to our family.

I couldn’t take him to the vet as I just couldn’t bring myself so my husband took him and I said my good-byes just in case I would never see him again. After he left, I sobbed and began praying, “God I know there are people out there suffering and this is a cat and it may seem ridiculous to ask but if you could cause a miracle and save Renny.” I pleaded like I have never pleaded before.

I decided to take a shower to try and calm myself down and took my phone with me for when my husband called. The phone rang and my heart sank down the drain. I answered and the first thing my husband said was, “Wanna hear some good news?” I started sobbing and whaling in the phone and praising God. He went on to say that he did have FIV, which is feline aids but he was fine. His recovery was taking longer because his immune system is down and also he was still dehydrated.

Cats can live with FIV all their lives. Hooray we get to take him home!!! We actually decided to let the vet keep him overnight to hydrate him and keep watch on him. This is where the story gets even more interesting. Tonight my husband gets a call from the vet. Apparently the hair salon next to them caught fire this afternoon and they had to evacuate. Are you kidding me! Renny is fine and went home with the vet but can you believe it.

We still have a road ahead of us but I am forever grateful to God for giving me a miracle. Lately I have been feeling disconnected with my spiritual side and wondered if God was still hearing me. It is nice to know that no matter how far away I am from him, he is still listening.

My birthday celebration last week was awesome! My husband, brother and sister-in-law rented a beach house in Topsail, North Carolina. It was so wonderful to be on the water. The water has always held a special place for me and is where I used to go as a child to write in my journal or write poems.

One thing I like about the water is it is constantly changing between the tides and the weather. It can look so peaceful one moment and so violent the next. I have found such peace in the ocean and also such tragedy when a friend of mine was lost at sea.

When we arrived at the beach house, the ocean was very strong and stirred up. The water was murky and dark. It seemed to be a reflection of how I was feeling on the inside when I arrived. If you are a business owner, you understand how trying to get out of town for a vacation can be tricky. By the time I left I was a bit frazzled. This is a picture of the third day when it started to calm down.

By the 4th day, the ocean was beautiful and calm and I too felt the same way inside. I was finally starting to relax and live in the moment. It was amazing to me how my surroundings were reflecting my inside. On the last day of the trip, I took the photo below of a beautiful sunrise and the very calm and relaxed waters.

It was a huge difference from when we arrived. I have to admit though that returning back home after our vacation did bring with it some anxiety and trying to re-enter the day-to-day routine of the business but at least I savored every moment while I was away. I’m excited to be embarking on this new decade of my life. What a way to start out my 40s!

Next week I turn 40. I’m looking forward to my 40s. The number doesn’t bother me nor the age. At least I thought until the other morning (at 4am mind you!) when one of our cats decided to wake us up by puking in the bedroom.  Normally when I am woken up early this early, I toss and turn trying to go back to sleep. When or if I do finally go back to sleep and then have to get out of bed, I physically feel horrible and wish I would have just gotten up. Does that ever happen to you?

This particular morning I decided to get up rather than try to go back to sleep. I have had so much on my mind lately that I thought it was a great time to grab my journal and jot some thoughts down and see if I could clear my head. What came out on the pages was surprising to me and not at all what I thought I would write about.

I started to reflect on the last 10 years of my life and what my goals were as apposed to where I am now and reflected on how far off track I got with my goals. I actually felt like I was having a mini-midlife crisis. Don’t worry, I wasn’t tempted to buy a red convertible like some of the experts say people do in a mid-life crisis. I just started questioning the decisions I was making and the reasons I was making them.

In a bit of a panic, I decided later that day to contact my wonderful friend, mentor and muse, Traci Long. I shared with her what I was going through and she immediately pointed out a pattern she has seen with me when I get to a certain point in my successes. It is that point where you are just about at the top of the mountain and then instead of going over the other side, you stop and slide back down the mountain.

“You’re not allowing for the miracle on the other side,” she said to me. What is so funny is that I decided to have a theme phrase for this year that would signify what I would do this year whenever faced with an obstacle. I would say this phrase and remind myself what I want this year to be. My phrase for this year is “Take Risks.”

I mean I have a plaque in my office that I happen to come across in a store by accident. I was put in the path of a jewelry designer who takes beautiful rings and engraves words on them and I had her create a ring that reads, “Take Risks.” I really thought I was taking risks this year. I mean I launched a journal business that I have been working on for 4 years and I have been letting go of other things that have been hard to let go of.

Sounds like I’m taking risks right? Wrong, what my dear friend pointed out to me is that I do this constantly. I come up with brilliant ideas and take them to a certain point and then when it is time to see if these ideas can fly on their own, I back down and move on to something else. I retreat to what is comfortable rather than going all the way in. I always seem to create a back-up plan for what I am doing.

She made another good observation in that I have built a cocoon for myself and become too recluse with my business. She is right! I have been in a virtual bubble for the last 9 years. I mean I work with clients all over the world but never have to meet them face-to-face. I have been so busy with running one of my companies that I have forgotten how to be social. I mean I have fun with my neighbors and I have certainly been more social but I have forgotten what it is like to really interact with people regarding business.

Interestingly enough, I have signed up for a booth at one of the Southern Womens’ Shows, which is a huge trade show in the southern region of the United States. I was even about to back out of that or sabotage the entire thing before I have even gotten there.

Now I know the true meaning of taking risks. It is making a leap even when there is no safety net or assurance that everything will be okay. Next month, I’m taking a risk and going for it! After all, I want to get on the other side of the mountain for a change and receive my miracle!

I’d love to hear if you have ever experienced the same thing and how you got to the other side of the mountain. Be sure to leave a comment below.

If you are a visual person or just very artistic, you might find art journaling right up your alley. What is art journaling? It is a form of journaling that draws upon the creative process using various mediums such as paint, images, drawing, words, etc. to express your thoughts or feelings.

I have to admit I haven’t done this type of journaling but it certainly intrigues me and it is something I am learning more about. I have been following various individuals who have been using this form of journaling.

For example, you might have heard of Donna Downey, who is a creative force in the crafting industry. Donna posts on her blog what she calls “Inspiration Wednesdays”. She takes her notebook and shows you via video something that inspires her and she begins to create amazing art. It might be a lesson, feeling, thought or an image that inspires her. She also posts photos of the finished product. You can check out Donna’s Inspiration Wednesdays by clicking here. Watching her go through the process is quite intriguing and awe inspiring.

While I’m still learning the process, I thought I would share with you some resources I have come across that can help you explore this technique. Who knows, you might enjoy this type of journaling more than just writing and writing.

Books on art journaling:

	Journal Spilling: Mixed-Media Techniques for Free Expression by Diana Trout
	Artist’s Journal Workshop: Creating Your Life in Words and Pictures by Cathy Johnson
	Raw Art Journaling by Quinn McDonald
	The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make it Your Own by Traci Bunkers

Inspiration

	365: A Daily Creativity Journal: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life! by Noah Scalin
	Journal Bliss: Creative Prompts to Unleash Your Inner Eccentric by Violette

If not having enough time is a reason you don’t journal, I want to share with you an easy way that doesn’t take much time but has a huge impact. You might already be doing it and didn’t realize that it is considered journaling. It is called List or Log Journaling. If you have ever made a list of things you want, you are journaling. How cool and simple is that!

To give you an example, when my husband and I made the decision to move to another state, we made a list of what we wanted in a home and neighborhood. You can see my list pictured here. You will notice that there are check marks next to most of the items. Those are what we accomplished when we finally moved. What is even better is that just by making this simple list, I am able to remember why those things were important to me and how I felt at the time I was making that list.

List journaling is really powerful. It not only captures what you want but you can tell what place you were in at the time you made the list. You can look back years later to see what was accomplished and how far you have come. There are many ways to journal out there but this is by far my favorite one because it gets to the point and is so simple. I did do more descriptive journaling along the way but when I didn’t have time, I at least had my list I could look back on to review.

If you decide to do some list journaling, here are 10 Rules for Creating and Conquering Your Life List as outlined in the book Dream It. List It. by 43Things.com. Also be sure to check out their website as it is a great way to accomplish their first rule.

1. Make your list public. Making your goals public solidifies your commitment to them, holds you accountable, and helps you connect with others who share your interests.
2. Include serious and fun goals. Vary the scope of your goals and include some wild just-for-fun dreams.
3. Include undefined goals. Avoid overlooking a developing passion or interest by fearlessly adding goals even if you can’t totally articulate them.
4. Document progress. While reviewing the list, record your progress and determine the next steps.
5. Make goals manageable but rewarding. Divide big goals into smaller tasks, but not so small that they become tedious.
6. Define the finish line. You’ll find it easier to complete certain tasks and track progress if you determine the duration, results, or final outcome you desire from achieving a specific goal.
7. Prioritize goals. Arrange your goals to reflect what you want to begin working on right away.
8. Maintain a manageable list. Somewhere between twenty and forty-three is a sweet spot for many people.
9. Review your list weekly. It sharpens your focus, keeps up your momentum, and reminds you of what’s important.
10. Revise and remove goals. A life list should be constantly evolving – it should reflect what’s important to you right now, not what mattered in the past.

Recently, I had a friend return from a trip to Europe. She expressed to me how laid back everyone was and how enjoying every moment out of a day was the priority. “The locals were just interested in seeing the beauty of every moment,” she expressed. She went on to explain how it was very different than America where we are so busy just trying to keep up. More than any previous generation, we find ourselves stuffing our calendars so full there is no possible way to get things done.

Once the day is done, we fall in to bed exhausted only to wake up and do it all over again. It was no surprise to me that when I did a survey to find out more about people’s journal habits, 84% of the people I surveyed said they don’t journal because they don’t have time.

This along with many other reasons is what drove me to create Sheic Journals. We ALL have a story to tell and we are the only ones who can tell it. If you don’t tell your story, who will?

I’m going to give you tips to lift the excuse of not having time to journal. You don’t have to spend hours on journaling. You can take just a few minutes a day. Here are some tips that will help you find the times that work best for you in your busy schedule.

• When choosing a time of day, find a time when you are least likely to be disturbed. I have a friend who likes to get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning before the kids and husband. It is her quiet time to grab a cup of coffee and just be with her thoughts before the hustle and bustle of the day begins.
• Rather than reading the morning paper at breakfast, take five minutes to write in your journal. Trust me you won’t miss anything as you will be bombarded with news all day anyway. At least this way you start out your morning on a positive note rather than constant negative news.
• For me, after I take a show in the morning I take 5 minutes to jot down any thoughts. Being an entrepreneur, I always seem to get my best ideas in the shower so I want to capture them immediately before I forget them.
• When you take your 15 minute break at work, take 5 minutes to write in your journal.
• While waiting in the carpool line at your child’s school or if you are waiting in any waiting room, take five minutes to journal.
• Once you are home, dinner is done, dishes clean and everyone is off to bed, take 5 minutes to reflect on the day in your journal.

Those are just some suggestions. You know your schedule better than anyone and you will find a time that works best for you. Give yourself permission to find time for yourself. It doesn’t have to be hours just five minutes. The point is to slow down long enough to take a breath and make yourself a priority. After all, it is a moment to make it all about you.

This past weekend, my hubby and I took a trip home to see family. I always take reading material with me on the airplane so I can distract myself (I don’t like to fly!). I picked up the latest issue of Where Women Create magazine. I just love this magazine. It is so beautifully done and is one of those magazines that wouldn’t have the same effect if it ever went digital.

If you have never heard of Where Women Create, it is a visual feast by featuring inspiring spaces of some of the top names in the crafting world. While I’m not a huge crafter, I love the spaces that are featured and the stories of how these individuals started their journey. Pick up a copy as you won’t be disappointed.

In this quarter’s issue, they featured Holly Becker of the popular blog, decor8. I was enjoying Holly’s story of how she got started. She was sharing her story of how she worked in the corporate world and was having a panic attack one day. She continues, “After my panic attack, I began to journal daily so I could tap into what I loved to do as a child. I also did a lot of list making and mind mapping.”

Whoo hoo!!! I was excited to see that she tapped in to the power of jouraling and look at her now.  In her words, “And now, six years later, I author one of the most influential design blogs with a daily audience of over 46,000 people.”

It is always my desire for people to tap in to their soul through journaling. In the words of L’Oreal just say to yourself, “I am worth it”. If you too find yourself in an unhappy place, take your journal out and remember what you used to enjoy as a child. You will be amazed at what you discover.

Of course I want to eliminate any reason you won’t journal, whether it be time or convenience. Be sure to check out our easy to use journals to help make your discovery process more enjoyable. Click here to learn more.