Paper Daydreams | Uniquely Yours Craft Journal

In Norman Vincent Peale’s book “Being thankful makes everything better”, he wrote about American writer and lecturer Dale Carnegie. It seems that for a long period of his life, Mr. Carnegie suffered from what we probably call “clinical depression.” Rather than see a physician who would only prescribe medications, Mr. Carnegie decided to treat himself. His unique approach did not cure him overnight but in time he did get better and went on to inspire others through his books and lectures.

He sat down one day and wrote out a list of his blessings. This was probably, for him, a difficult task as he was not comprehending or accepting any blessings in his state of mind. Most of us would have stopped right there, but Mr. Carnegie went on to write a list of hypothetical problems. ‘What would my life be like if _______ came to pass?’ he asked himself. As days went by and none of those imaginary things happened, he gratefully crossed them off his list. So began his journey back to a reality of thankfulness for his life, his family, his gifts and talents.

Being thankful is a state of mind and a habit we all should cultivate not just this month, but all the days of our lives. This month, we’ll explore the many ways we can be thankful and show our “attitude of gratitude” to others.

To get us started, I found a “Random Acts of Kindness Suggestion Calendar” at my church recently. Day one reads ” Pay the order of the person behind you in the drive thru line.” Before you scoff, think about this – you have enough money to buy a fast food meal, while many people are just scrapping by. Maybe the person behind you is working 2-3 jobs just to keep the lights on…

‘Til next time,

~Sallie

Word Ghosts take risks

28 Oct 2016 Comments Off on Word Ghosts take risks

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Word Ghosts Tags: Ghost words, risk

“Our future lies chiefly in our own hands.”

Paul Robeson

“I don’t know where I’m going but I’m on the way.”

Carl Sandburg

” Adventure is worthwhile in itself.”

Amelia Earhart

” Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.”

James Bryant Conant

(American Chemist)

Prompts and Resources

26 Oct 2016 Comments Off on Prompts and Resources

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Mindfulness, Paper Daydreams Tags: Jon Kabat-Zinn, Meditation, Prompts, Resources

Dear Fellow Journalers,

quiet-the-mind-meditation

When you write in a Mindfulness Journal you are already moving toward the practice of mindfulness. You observe your feelings in real-time, paying attention about your thoughts and not challenging them.

As you become adept at practicing awareness and living in the moment, you’ll naturally want to write out your thoughts. Some people can start with a prompt to inspire them. The main thing is to begin with the same intention that is a the crux of all mindfulness practice stay present and fully aware.

Some tips:

a) Decide how much time you want to spend writing your entries.

b) Write, don’t edit. “Stream of consciousness” writing allows you to access the part of you that lets you experience your life moment to moment.

c) If you do re-read your journal posts, do so without criticism. If you write long enough, you’ll begin to see patterns in your life. You’ll see what emotions or distractions consume you while you meditate. You’ll be able to see how mindfulness has changed your relationship with stress, difficult people, problem solving and the balance of your life.

d) When you write note the date, name of meditation practice you used that day and how long you meditated. Then write your comments on your experiences, what you used to re-focus and what you felt.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. What did I notice and how am I feeling about my meditation?

2. What am I feeling in this moment?

3. What is bothering me?

4. What are my strengths?

5. I want to thank …..

6. People always…..

7. I would like to volunteer my time today doing….

8. I remember….

9. I’m really afraid of ….

10. I don’t want to write today because…

~~~Resources~~~