How Well Do You Know Your Journals?

They say that when you’re journaling that you’re having a relationship with your mind. It’s a way for you to listen to what is going on in your mind.

Journaling helps us gain mental clarity; it can help us release stress, manage our eating habits, track our goals and even solve problems. Journals are one of my biggest sellers in the shop and we sell many different types of journals. However; we still have people come in and ask what is the best type of journal…and the answer to that question is multi-faceted so I wanted to take a minute to share the different types of journals you can purchase and what exactly you can do with a journal.

I hope this quick list helps you make a better decision about what type of journal will fit your need.

Types of Journals

1. Guided Journal - A guided journal is one that offers you prompts and helps you get your thoughts out in writing. For folks who have trouble getting started, a guided journal, as it's name suggests, guides you through journaling each time you pick it up.

2. Bullet Journal - A bullet journal is a journal filled with lines of dots, or bullets. Unlike the lined journal the bullet journal gives you a bit more freedom for laying out your journal and adding sections. If you like to draw or are creative bullet journals are great to work in.

3. Lined Journal - A lined journal is simply a journal with lined paper in it. You use it to write it in like you would a lined piece of paper. Lined journals are used for many different things.

4. The Blank Journal - the blank journal is normally composed of blank pieces of paper and can be used for many different things such as doodling, art, as well as writing. This blank canvas can be used to create many different writing formats.

5. Pocket Journal - the pocket journal is usually a smaller pocket size that will fit in your pocket or purse. These are usually use to capture notes and ideas that come up while on the go. 

The above types of journals is just a quick guideline to help you understand what types of journals are available for purchase. What you use your journal for can range from many different needs. Here are a few that we have seen - but journals can be used for just about anything. The great thing is that you get to decide how and for what you want to use your journal for:

1. Food Journal - many people keep a food journal to help them manage the food they eat. I use a food journal and use it to make my weekly menu's as well as to create my shopping list each week. It helps me stay intentional with my keto eating and only purchase exactly what I need for the week. It helps me create menus much easier as I can copy from past weeks. I also write down new recipes that I create and keep them in my food journal.

2. Project Journal - project journals help you plan out a project and keep track of the steps needed to complete the project. I use my planner for my projects, but a planner journal functions in the same way.

3. Gratitude Journal - many people find that keeping a gratitude journal of all the things that they are grateful for is a way to keep positivity and appreciation in their lives. Focusing on all the good things that happen in a day instead of the bad can improve your overall attitude and keep someone who may be prone to negativity, thinking positively. 

4. Art Journal - you don't have to be an artist to create in an art journal. It's simply a way to release your creativity and ideas. Many people can express their feelings through art instead of words...this is the perfect journal for this type of creativity.

5. Fitness Journal - much like the food journal, the fitness journal helps you keep track of workouts. It's a place to track your weight, food and training information. Keeping it all in one place helps you manage the process of working much easier.

6. Travel Journal - travel journals are used to keep track of places you traveled, what you saw, where you stayed. You can keep track of your packing lists and shopping needs as well as tuck pictures, tickets and other fun artifacts from your trip.

7. Stress Journal - I first heard of a stress journal when working with a business coach. She instructed me to spend 5-10 minutes every morning writing down the things that were stressing me about my business. Getting them out of my head and on paper allowed me to release them in a way that was causing stress and instead allowed me to then work through them in the journal. 

8. Ideas Journal - the idea journal is great for those big picture people who have so many ideas that they can't act on them. Put all your new ideas in a journal so you get them out of your head and on paper. This way you don't lose them and you can act on them when you are in a place to better thing through them.

9. Letter Journal - a letter journal can be used in a few different ways. You can use the letter journal to write letters to your future self...or to others. You don't have to give the letter to the people you write them too...but it allows you to get your thoughts out on paper. Sometimes this can be therapeutic if you are angry or upset...you write the letter to release the anger or sadness. You can decide if you need to anything further with it or leave it as is.

10. Couple Journal - a couple journal can be used a few different ways. If you are apart the journal is a good way to talk to each other and share your thoughts. It's always fun to get the journal back and read several days of letters from your love. You can also use the couple journal as a way to talk to each other if you can't do it face to face. If you struggle with communicating the couple journal is a great way to get your feelings out and shared with each other.

Here are a few different types of journals that we carry in the shop. We have a large selection of different colors and styles and all are available online and in the shop.

New Year & New Mission - Welcome to 2022!

Hello & Happy New Year!

I can't believe our shop opened a little over 5-months ago. 

When I started this little paper store in Laurel, MS…my goal was to bring a nice greeting card, stationary, and book store to the people of Laurel and to those that visit this marvelous HomeTown. But over the months that I have worked in the shop, day in and day out…a new vision has come to life for me.

When people come into my shop…usually the first thing they see is a wall of cards…greeting cards, birthday cards, thank you cards, sympathy cards…I have so many wonderful vendors that make these beautiful cards. And you will also be seeing more printed cards made in our shop this year as well!

These are women-owned businesses in the United States and they make their cards by hand. I hand pick the cards that go on that wall…my hope is that there is something there for everyone. But it goes a bit deeper than that. 

It’s my wish for people to come in my little shop and find a card…that when they read it…they say…Oh I need to get this for “whoever that may be.” 

I hope that when you lose someone dear to you, that you will come into the shop and pick up a card so that you can send a handwritten sympathy note - because that card will mean so much to the person who needs it the most. 

My hope is that when someone has done something really nice for you that you come in and pick up a card that will tell them how much you really appreciate having them in your life.

I love having a group of women friends come into the shop and go straight to the card wall. They laugh and share the funny cards with each other, and they select a few for those important people who deserve…or need them. This happens several times a week and it never stops feeling good! 

And I love that we now have regulars that come in and buy cards for the people in their lives.

I love when you come in the shop looking for that perfect journal or planner because I understand the need to have that paper journal to write you thoughts, fears, hopes and dreams in. And that planner that you need to help keep your days, weeks, and months - and life organized. It’s about the creative process and I love that you get that.

We also have had several folks walk in or call about creating personalized stationary or notecards…and that makes me giddy inside! I love that people want to send notes and better yet…they want to handwrite them on a notecard made by me…in my little shop…in Laurel, Mississippi. 

There is no better feeling inside for me,  than creating a set of notecards, invitations or business cards for someone…I hope they know and understand the love that I put into each order as I box them up and send them on their way. Every order is made with care and each piece is created and touched by us…and I love that!

So my mission this year, in 2022 is to help people:  

• send more letters, cards, or notes to those people in your life that you love and want to support, wish them a happy birthday, tell them thank you…or just to let them know you are thinking about them. Think about how they will feel when they know you took the time to pick up card, add a handwritten note and drop it in the mail. It’s such a ‘feel good’ thing!
   

• step away from their keyboards for a while and pick up a beautiful pen or comfortable pencil and spend more time writing…spend more time with your thoughts…journaling and leaving a legacy! You many not think about it, but what if you could leave a journal filled with your thoughts, advice, or life for those that you love? I think about what my kids will know about my life when I am gone…I hope my journals will tell them the life I lived.
   

• pick up a real book that will either take their minds away from everyday life…or teach them something new and help them grow. I want everyone to feel a real book in their hand and have the ability to learn from the amazing authors that take the time to write them for us.
   

• get kids more interested in writing and sharing their thoughts. I don’t want our children to grow up not knowing how to write a thank you note or a letter. If our children don’t see us doing it, will they know the importance of doing it? Does your child know they should send handwritten thank you note when they get gifts? I want to help share  the importance of letter writing with our younger generations.

Because I think we all need the love of a card, the time to be with our own thoughts in a journal, and learning and growing our minds by reading more books! To help support my mission the Be Amazing Paper Company will be hosting some special events in 2022 and we can’t wait to share them with you! 

Thank you for your support in 2021 – we couldn’t do what we do without your support of our business! Richard and I hope that you all have an amazing New Year and that 2022 brings you peace, love, and joy!