Inconsequential Journals

  We are finishing this short month full of hearts with a list of all your favorite things. What is it that you love the most? It doesn't have to be true for all time. Simply go with what you're feeling right now. Think of it as a sort of time capsule for you to look back upon one day. After all styles and opinions change drastically over time and we've got the old prom pictures to prove it! So embrace you're current loves and make a page to remember them. Go retro and pick things you would have recorded in your younger days like color, celebrity, or ice cream flavor. Make it elegant and pick your favorite decorative accent, garden herb, or red wine. Match it to a specific theme. Just make sure it reflects you.  20 Ideas for a "Favorites" List  1- Book 2- Movie 3- Clothing Accessory 4- Footwear 5- Breakfast Item 6- Coffee Creamer 7- Dessert 8- Social Media Account 9- Breed of Dog 10- Creature from the Sea 11 - Lipstick color 12- Video Game 13- Fandom 14- Model

      It's still February and I continue to think about love. Today, I am centering my attention on laughter. We all love to laugh. It can brighten our mood, sooth an ache and even feed our soul. From the chuckle to a gasping, teary-eyed fit, a laugh does us all some good.  Have you seen an amusing meme lately? Heard a funny story?  Are you an expert in silly puns? Write a few down in your journal and give yourself a little snicker. Make it colorful and warm so that the page reflects how a laugh makes you feel. It doesn't have to be a stunning work of art. Just let your happiness show. 

     Today I am thinking all about the guilty pleasures we love to indulge. Most of us have a weakness for something that others may scoff at. Many are foods and beverages that aren't that good for us. Day-glo mac and cheese anyone? But, the category is actually quite broad. Maybe you secretly adore a certain scandalous reality TV series.  Perhaps you can't wait to get back to your steaming romance novel. Are you a disco movie fan? Our browsers could no doubt reveal all sorts of hidden skeletons. Think about one of your favorites and devote a page to it today. It's an appreciation of the little things we know aren't the best yet we still can't help but love. Make it stand out loud and expose the delight you take in enjoying these wonderous little pleasures.    Admit Your Guilty Enjoyment of Something You...                       1- Eat                       2- Drink                       3- Watch                       4- Listen to                     5- Read

      We've taken time to show our love and appreciation for a lot of things so far. Today, let's focus on you. What makes you feel proud of yourself?  It shouldn't be momentous. Few of us will have saved a life or invented something spectacular. Consider the small accomplishments that are special to you. Did you learn how to make a delicious mac and cheese? Grow a giant tomato? Hike to the highest point in Rhode Island? List all your cheerful achievements in your journal or devote a page to just one. Make it stand out and be sure to highlight the magnificence of you.  

     This is it, whether you adore Valentine's Day or despise it, the holiday is here. Romantic love is wonderful and amazing but it is also a very, very small part of how we love. While it's nice to reserve a day for this special relationship, I think it would be better spent saluting the people we "love" but never tell. We have far more of them in our lives then we realize. Consider the stylist who knows just how to cut your hair, the music teacher that waves at every car in the drop-off lane, or the early morning checkout person who hands you a coffee with smile each and every day.  These thoughtful people show so much kindness and consideration to us, we should let them know how much we appreciate it. (It's okay if you don't, I know it can be complicated)  Let's at least make a page in our journal to honor them. Draw a large tree with lots of branches and add a big heart with a thank you on each one to represent the kindness that they have given us.  T

     You knew this was coming. Two things are synonymous with Valentine's Day... flowers and chocolate. While I like flowers very much, chocolate is one of the those things that I simply could not do without. It literally goes on everything and is a natural mood enhancer. What's your favorite way to enjoy this perfect food? Would you use it to compliment a main dish? A beverage? Decedent dessert? Think about all those wonderful sweet, salty combos and add them all to your journal today. Make a beautiful ode to all the ways you enjoy this fabulous flavor. I can fill my page in a nano second. How about you? 

      Today, we are going to appreciate where we live. What is special about your town? Is there an abundance of delicious and authentic pizzerias? Are you walking distance from a beautiful park?  Can you see mountains in every direction? We don't often take the time to think about all the good things around us. Sure, the roads need work and the taxes are high. Everywhere has pros and cons, even that stunning beach could be washed away. But, when we chose to look with gentler eyes, our communities have many things to love and take pride in. It's time we consider them. Write as many down as you can.  If you truly can't enjoy your city or town consider your state or at very least your home. You could even try all three. Just let the good vibes in.        4 Locations to Give a Little Admiration...     1- Your Neighborhood/ Street     2- Your City or Town     3- Your State     4- Your Area (West Coast, Mid-West, South, New England)

           February has arrived and with it constant reminders that Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Candy, flowers and hearts are everywhere. It's nice to think about the romantic nature of the holiday but I also like to use this month to appreciate all the other things I love. Today it's breakfast, especially something sweet and gooey. Cinnamon rolls topped with drippy icing, pancakes filled with melty chocolate chips, or waffles topped with a mountain of caramel apple goodness. You may prefer something savory or a salty sweet combination. Whatever you find your mouth watering for in the morning, dedicate a journal page to show your admiration. Add some sprinkles wherever you can.