I know, I know. You write enough as it is during the day, the last thing you want to do is to write in a journal. But don’t dismiss journaling. There are many, many ways to journal. Yes, you can keep on online blog, but there are new ways to keep a handmade journal and make it much more personal than anything on the computer.
Smash books are the latest thing for people to incorporate their artistic skills and journal in a whole new way. You don’t need anything but a notebook, markers, a pen and your imagination.
I am terrible at writing
Who says you have to write? Use photos, images you’ve seen in a magazine or online. Print it off and cut it out. Write a word on how it makes you feel. The whole point of journaling is to express your feelings. It doesn’t matter how you do it. Just get in there and see what happens. Cut out words from magazines, quotes posted on line—-anything to show how you feel. If you like computers, save computer links. Smash books can chronicle every day feelings as well as help you set goals. It can keep a memory alive from the best moment of your life so that when things aren’t going as well as you’d like, you can go back to that day and remember the good days.
What if I’m not good at writing or reading?
Musically inclined? Find your favorite artists for music online, and print off the music that you can feel in your soul. Write down the lyrics (or print them off and paste in your smash book). Draw!! Any age, anything–it doesn’t have to be a picture–a doodle, a funny face, it doesn’t matter. It’s YOURS!
Do I have to share this?
Absolutely NOT! A Smash Book is yours. Your feelings. YOUR place to express everything you feel inside and get it out. You can easily make one with a dollar store composition book and even attach a ribbon with a dollar store lock so your private feelings are protected. You can make multiple smash books–ones for dreams, memories, good times, and goals….the lists are endless. Younger children can make smash books with their parent’s help-a fun activity for parents to share with their children in the creation of the book.
A smash book is for you. A journal, a place to escape. To write, to draw, to get the emotions that we bottle up inside ourselves, out onto something.
If people would like to share their smash book creations, we will eventually have a section here for people to share what they’ve done, as well as art work, poetry, stories and more.
Happy Journaling!
