Selecting the perfect journal is important to me. The appearance
of my journals reflect the mood I'm in at any given moment as well as the
events happening, challenges presenting themselves, and goals being set during
any period of my life. I crave variety, and if variety appeals to you too, then
a trip to the bookstore should be on your to-do list. There are entire sections
devoted to journals, from the very plain, utilitarian ones to those that are
bound in elaborately embossed Italian leather. (Yes, I do like the Italian
leather journals.)
You may ask: But I can find them online
too, right? Of course, you can. You can find just about anything online.
However, what you miss shopping via the Internet is the experience of touch and
smell, turning the pages, getting a feel for the book in your hands. I pick
them up, page through them because some include inspirational quotes and
pictures, so one never knows what surprises reside inside.
It may sound silly, but I find connection
to my next journal this way. My current journal has a smooth navy cover with an
embossed quill on it. The interior cream-colored pages are edged in gold and have black lines, ensuring that my script moves straight across the page and not up towards
the right, which is apt to happen absent any lines. I selected this journal
when I was feeling more professional (it is no frills), prosperous (it is elegant), and confident (it is sleek).
A few years ago I used a National Football League pigskin covered
notebook from the office because I was in the process of paying off all my
credit card debt and decided to use a notebook I already had. It served its
purpose, but it wasn’t as pretty as some of my others.
The perfect receptacle for your thoughts,
ideas, and happenings can make writing that much more enjoyable. The purchase
you make in that moment is a reflection of your current life. Of course, life
changes and then it's on to a new journal—one that may be radically different
from the previous one. That’s been my experience anyway. Happy journal hunting!
