Great Expectations

I once read a funny statement on a coffee mug that went something like: "You will stop being disappointed in me if you lower your expectations." Sometimes I do think about how true that is, even if it's worth laughing about.

How often do you find yourself having high expectations of someone only to be disappointed? What about what others expect of you? What about what you expect of yourself? Write about these expectations in your journal. Write about what would happen if you lowered your expectation of others. Write about how it would make you feel if others did the same for you.

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

Playing Catch Up

After all the things I've been through recently, I decided I probably needed to play catch up in my journal. There were several days I didn't get a chance to write in my journal because I had mum visiting. So, yesterday I sat down in one of my favourite cafes and started rereading my journal from the day I was expecting mum to arrive. What surprised me was how I had actually managed, on the days I did make entries, to get everything important down. I suppose that comes down to being a regular journal writer. So, I made an entry about how well I'd covered the events under stress. I added more notes on my emotional state, as most of that was covered by thin description.

How about you? Reread a particularly stressful event in your journal and write another entry on how well you managed to record your emotional state at the time. What else do you learn from rereading those entries?

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

So, What Are You Reading?

With all the crazyness going on in my life recently I haven't really done any reading. The last book I read was an action adventure one by Clive Cussler. I read a journal writing prompt on Creativity Portal asking "what is the book you're currently reading teaching you?" Personally, I can't answer that right now. So, I'm going to the library tomorrow with picking up something to read in mind. What about you? What are you currently reading and what are you learning from that book?

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

Freaky Friday #11

Today is Friday. That means it's Freaky Friday. If you need to know more about this journal writing challenge please read Freaky Friday #1.

Today I challenge you to take some time to write in your journal as if you are your partner. That may be your husband or wife, or, if you aren't in a relationship, your ideal partner. Let them have a say on the issues you've been dealing with together lately. Try to get a sense of how it feels to be them and see things from their perspective.

I often use this journal writing prompt when my husband and I have a disagreement. I find it always helps me see what he's been trying to tell me in words. I highly recommend this one journal writing prompt as a good way to resolve consistent issues for couples.

I hope you enjoy this journal writing challenge. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

Getting Back to Normal

Hubby finally arrived back home from his nightmare trip late Sunday night. As you can imagine I've been spending a lot more time with him, hearing his story and helping him deal with things. There's been a few things to deal with. I'm just glad I haven't had to deal with anything worse, to be honest. Anyway, I'll be getting back to my normal routine as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy the artwork of one of the many Cambodian people hubby felt compelled to buy from. He bought me a set of hand painted cards. The one above is just one of them.

Heather
Photo of a Cambodian artist's hand painted card

Emotional Ups & Downs

When it comes to handling emotions I tend to sail on an even keel, even when the waters are raging around me. But just this last couple of weeks I've felt even my little boat rock some. Those who know me say I seem to be coping really well. I can thank two major reasons for this; one is prayer and the other is my journal. I am in the habit of taking my emotional turmoils to prayer and to paper in my journal, every day.

The hardest part for me has been dealing with the little guy's emotional ups & downs, though. He has been really good up until this week. On Tuesday night he ended up on my lap in tears, sobbing how much he wanted to see his daddy. That was hard to take. I comforted him and told him how much I missed his daddy, too. Somehow I knew he felt better once he's let the tears fall. Poor kid.

Do you have a place to deal with your emotional ups and downs? Is this place your journal? Write about dealing with emotions in your journal? Reread your old entries looking for emotional outbursts. How did writing about those feelings help you deal with them?

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

Hubby Still Improving

I've talked to hubby a few times now since Sunday afternoon. He is feeling much better, but isn't well enough to travel just yet. He's got to wait for the doctor's all clear. That could be as long as a week, so we're still waiting, really.

I have been able to write in my journal a couple of times on my own. Having mum here meant I wasn't getting my usual journal writing time, except those couple of moments I went out without her and the little guy. After dropping her off at the airport I went straight to a place the little guy could play and I wrote in my journal. It was quite liberating. I managed to catch up on some important events, but I am setting aside a journal date on Thursday morning for some deeper thoughts and feelings work. That's a kindy day.

Do you set journal writing dates? Are you able to write deep thoughts out in your journal amidst distractions? What secrets do you have for gaining personal time to devote to writing in your journal? Write about these things in your journal or leave a comment in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

Good News on Hubby

I haven't been able to spend much time online, so haven't really been thinking about this blog. With hubby so sick and away from me most of my energy has gone into thinking, praying and keeping the house running as usual. When I finally got a chance to sit and write in my journal yesterday I made it through a page and a half before weeping for a good ten minutes. I really needed that cry.

The bad news was that he had renal (kidney) failure in Cambodia, was airlifted to Bangkok, Thailand, and lapsed into a coma at some point. The good news is that four days later he is greatly improved and responds by opening his eyes when his name is called. He is still on a ventilator machine to assist his breathing. I will know more on Monday, so will update this blog with the news then.

Thanks for the comments. I have not had much time, so will respond at another point.

Heather

Sorry I Haven't Been Online Much

This is really just a quick update as I haven't had a lot of time to be online. My husband is travelling overseas, which I have mentioned in this blog. He's fallen quite ill and had to be air lifted out of Cambodia to Bangkok, Thailand. That part just happened today. The worrying part has been trying to find out what was wrong with him in the first place, but maybe the details will be for another time. I will let you all know when he is able to speak to me. I haven't heard from him since Thursday evening. His sister keeps me informed, but it's not the same as hearing his voice.

Spend some time wrtiting in your journal about someone whose voice you long to hear. I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt. Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng