Tomorrow is Family History Day. The day honors the busiest day ever recorded at Ellis Island. April 17, 1907 was a milestone date, with 11,747 immigrants passing through towards their dream of making a new start in America.  Family History in Context Ellis Island is a symbolic place to many Americans, primarily those whose ancestors came from Europe. All Americans share a sense of resiliency, no matter the background of their ancestors. The vast majority ...
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If there's one theme that's followed all of my professional career, it's this -- transitions are trying. Why Transitions are Trying In reality, the best use of change management skills were surprisingly -- or not so surprisingly -- during the 15 years I worked as a real estate agent. Change stinks! What I witnessed first-hand while working with hundreds of families is what William Bridges mapped out in his famous model that describes why transitions ...
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Reflection Writing in your journal is an amazingly simple tool. Most amazing because it's a secret no one really knows about. Learn the Simple Power of Reflection Writing In a quick moment of mindfulness after you write in your journal you can capture the wisdom within. Be your own self-development coach, identify that next big idea, give yourself the quiet hug you might need. Want to learn more? Join me for free drop-in sessions on ...
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What if I told you there is ONE very simple journal writing secret that can change your writing -- and your life -- in just two minutes. I've been a journal writer my whole life. I even learned the Intensive Journal Method in my twenties and have been using it ever since. But about three years ago I learned the most amazing journal writing secret. And now it's the basis for my own personal growth, ...
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Pleased to have an article featured on Insight Timer Blog -- the very important topic of processing the year that was 2020, and letting it go. Enjoy the article on their website, or below.  2020: A Year With No Transitions Laura Stukel explores the shifting states of transition and suggests three meditative journaling practices to let go of 2020. In a normal year’s end we start to become wistful, reflecting upon and gathering up the ...
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You know what we all need to close out this crazy year? Supportive time with the friends we miss the most! This virus may have created barriers and challenges, but we can still create connections. And take steps together to help with healing and hope in the year ahead. Gather your friends to explore three fun and simple activities together in your own private online lounge. Everything is easy and online so you can enjoy time together, ...
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Self-care is more important than ever right now. Had the honor of talking with Leah Hope from ABC7 News last week about tips for self-care this holiday season. From ABC7 News: How to self-care, improve mental health amid pandemic holiday The video and transcript article includes some great advice on different options for self-care. Dr. Sonya Dinizulu made a great point, "It's not meant to be commercialized or glamorized." Remember that splurging on a spa ...
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I'm thrilled to be featured once again on the Insight Timer Blog with a special article about mindfulness this holiday season. Copy below or click to on their website. Create a Giving Mindset: The Power of Your Journal This Holiday Season The holiday season approaches, and it will be one like no other. Amidst a global pandemic many connections and traditions we look forward to may be a bit different this year. While not ...
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I've always been fascinated that so many of the world's religions honor a festival of light around the darkest time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, this season feels especially dark. But there's always a light if we look!  For the month ahead I invite you to find ways to celebrate the light. The challenges of 2020 will be in the rearview mirror soon enough. Stay patient, stay safe, and don't forget to ...
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Jot Some Joy Lately I find myself thinking a lot about Lucy from the Peanuts cartoon, "Stop the world! I want to get off!" We need to keep on reminding ourselves, that times are different. They are complicated. And despite all the strengths we are bringing to stay positive and keep going, this pandemic is just dragging. It is OK to feel off. It is OK that you are struggling. It is OK that moment ...
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Today and tomorrow in Mexico, people will not just honor, but celebrate their departed loved ones. The human heart grieves long after a loved one has passed, and the traditions of Día de Muertos create a beautify communal moment. Some of the traditions in Mexico include enjoying a loved one's favorite foods, creating a memorial altar, sharing stories and memories, or relishing photos or cherished mementos. We are in a moment of history where technology is ...
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Thrilled to be featured right now on the Insight Timer blog. Check out my guest post about the benefits and how to of blending meditation with journal writing. Or is it journal writing with meditation? Read more to find out. 'Mindful Journaling' feature on Insight Timer ...
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Aug 16th (8/16) is what I call Story Changers Day. A day to honor ancestors known, unknown or hidden. We all come from great grandparents, great greats, great great greats ... Some of their stories we know — and appreciate. Some we know, and let’s say, we’ve learned from. Others we have a sense of based on assumptions or gut instincts. Nonetheless, for the average person ~80-100 years back we’re connected to amazing people who ...
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In the past four weeks I've worked with over 45 students in online journaling workshops as each looked for ways to process the impact of the COVID-19 crisis individually and as a learning community. Nearly 75% of the way complete, it's fascinating what we've shared together. And the lessons I've learned. My big takeaway comes down to four coping categories, and eight simple journal techniques. As groups, we're using journaling as a means to cope ...
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Since social distancing due to coronavirus has started I find myself incredibly tired so early on some nights, completely crashed out on others, and sometimes I just toss and turn and toss and turn. And man, regardless of the type of sleep, I've had some crazy dreams. Dream Insight I've since learned that this is common around the world. Sleep experts think there is a combination of forces at work. In some ways the daily ...
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If you're like me, you're hunkering down for safety, while your head and heart try to process what this pandemic really means on a day-to-day basis. Astronaut Scott Kelly (the twin who was in space for a year) offered some inspired tips on what it takes to live effectively in isolation. The NYTimes shared an article written by the astronaut. One of the unexpected findings was the importance of keeping a journal while in isolation.  ...
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This is a tough time, but we’ll get through it. The best thing to do as a community is social distancing. But let’s keep spreading kindness. As my way of sending a little ripple of love and healing into the world I am offering three free Journal the Self Online workshops. This is normally a six-week, self-paced program. But if you have extra free time and can commit to doing the class in half the ...
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My in-laws are a family of math people, and bakers. So we never miss out on celebrating Pi Day. (Our favorite is a cookie-cake with the Pi symbol on the middle -- a circle, of course. We waited so that we ate it at exactly 3.14 1:59!) A great Pi-related journal prompt is the List of 100. This is great if you want to generate big ideas, and tap your intuition in the process. Start ...
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Topics du Jour is one of my favorite journal techniques because it's so clever, simple and effective. The idea is easy - brainstorm the top 30 words that mean the most to you. Represent your own priories with names of people in your life, values or skills, your favorite activities or hobbies, etc! Then assign each to a number. Now you are ready for Topics du Jour in your journal. Write about each topic on ...
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We've gained an hour of sunlight (but I do miss that hour of sleep!). The earth still appears to be sleeping, but change is afoot. In your journal this is great inspiration. Try a Springboard or a Clustering write. Spring forward... As a Springboard write, use the words as your prompt and follow your writing. As a Clustering write, place the words in the center of a page and circle them. Then branch and sketch ...
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February is the shortest month, but packed with inspiration. I think of it as Head (Abraham Lincoln's birthday), Heart (Valentine's Day, of course) and Gut Instinct (taking a leap into Spring). My posts this month have reflected ways to use this inspiration in your journal. As we enjoy today, the gift of one extra day, I'll share some tools to tap the Head, Heart and Gut. Tools for Head, Heart, Gut Instinct Be sure to ...
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Reflective Journal writing is so simple to do -- and brings amazing insights. I also love those times when my journal absolutely makes me laugh out loud. It's often when I need a humor break the most, or as I'm making some sort of delightfully profound connection -- blowing away an obstacle that had been weighing me down. It's really fun for me to share a recent humor example that I think will stay with ...
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Pisces Season is upon us. A call to listen to our inner wisdom, intuition -- and dreams! Ever wake up with a dream and wonder what it means? Writing about it in your journal can help you sort out these messages and insights from your subconscious. See previous blog posts on Character Sketch, Unsent Letters, Artmaking, Springboards and other techniques you can use to explore the meanings of your dreams. Want to inspire more dreaming ...
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Valentine's Day is an important day to make time for loving yourself too! All journal writing is a form of self-care, but one method especially stands out. It also draws out your own inner wisdom in a delightfully surprising way: the AlphaPoem. The technique is simple, just write an inspirational word or phrase down the side of your journal. Try a word or phrase of about 10-15 letters for the best results. Reflect on the word ...
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Since I studied the Ira Progoff journal method in my twenties, Abraham Lincoln has been my most consistent source of journal inspiration. From his quotes as a Springboard, to his wisdom in Dialogues, and his leadership through Character Sketches I continue to be influenced by his amazing poise, grace and insights. Here's a favorite Lincoln quote as a Springboard for your journal, in honor of his birthday today: Character is like a tree; reputation its shadow ...
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Parasite was the big delightful surprise out of the Oscars last night -- the first time a foreign language film has taken home the top prize. This was one of many awards the film took home, including Best Director for Bong Joon-Ho. In his acceptance speech, Joon-Ho shared a quote that he explained in English was "carved deep into my heart" and he acknowledged Martin Scorsese in the audience as the source. From Joon-Ho via ...
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Wintertime really calls me to slooow down. I’d hibernate if I could! So I always feel for the poor celebrity groundhogs who get dragged out of their cozy dens early each February 2nd to help us ‘forecast’ when spring will arrive. But the movie ‘Groundhog Day’ is one of my favorites. The message of embracing the ability to repeat, tweak, repeat, tweak again, and grow stays with me.  So here’s some inspiration for your journal, ...
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As a teacher, my goal is always to help students understand the wisdom within. It’s possible to tap this wisdom through the practice of journal writing. One amazing suggestion to empower your journal writing is by using an entrance meditation. An entrance meditation is anything that works for you to quiet yourself before you begin writing. This process of settling the day-to-day busy-ness of our brain then engages the more intuitive, creative, symbol-oriented part of ...
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Oh how fun just to follow the pen! Lots of flowy, streaming inspiration for your journal this week. Go-with-the-flow Aquarius Season kicked off on Sunday. And yesterday, we celebrated John Hancock's birthday and his famous signature with National Handwriting Day. Here's how you can inspire some Stream of Consciousness or flow writing in your own journal:

• Set the mood. If you want to open up your head and let your pen take the lead, ...
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If there's one lesson I take from the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it's about how great the world could be if we would each take a bit of time to think about life through the lens of another's perspective. On the date we celebrate his birth, I invite you to learn more about the journal-writing technique called 'Perspective'. This writing tool happens whenever you change the point-of-view. Maybe writing it from you ...
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Happy birthday Peter Roget (inventor of the modern thesaurus)! Okay, I did have to look this up. But I love that it's a thing. In honor of Peter's love of words, I'd invite you to try the Clustering technique in your journal today. Clustering is a quick and simple technique that tricks your left (thinking) brain into taking a break, so your right (scenery) brain can write. This is consistently one of my students' favorite ...
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Count 12 days from Christmas, and you land on - January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany. In religious tradition, this is the date the three wise men finally completed their journey. The word roots mean 'manifestation' (as in the three kings manifesting their quest to see the baby Jesus). But the word also means 'an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure,' according to Merriam-Webster. What an amazing prompt for your journal. This year I had ...
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Happy New Year! This quiet time of year, plus a fresh start calls us to think about what we want to make of the next 365 opportunities ahead. It's a great time to take a snapshot of the different elements of your life, assess where you are, where you want to be, and action steps to tune up the areas that need attention, or tame the areas that feel overloaded. Personally, I like a two-step ...
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Whether 2019 was amazing, or you want to forget it, it's time to let it go. There are lessons in letting go - what hurts, what's easy, things to repeat, things to never try again. The process of mentally letting go is a great activity for your journal. List of 100 from Journal to the Self is a great technique for this. (You can read more about this clever and trusty tool in a previous ...
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Whether you're a Seinfeld fan or not, today is a big day - Festivus! To celebrate, all you need is an aluminum pole, feats of strength, and, the airing of grievances. I find the episode so funny. But humor aside, the airing of grievances is an effective journaling exercise, the Unsent Letter. It feels so good to let it all out. You have your say, and it's all one way - the floor is fully ...
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The longest day of the year is here. Today is a reminder of the power of the stillness. The quiet of the winter manifests as an eruption of spring. One is not possible without the other. What can you learn from the stillness? This is a great Springboard for your journal. Just write the prompt and follow your pen. Don't forget to finish by re-reading and jotting down a reflection. Springboard is just one of ...
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Capricorn season is upon us - the sign of discipline, resourcefulness, and practical ambition. Time to get things done! Horoscopes may be unscientific, but I always seem to get just the inspiration I need. The traits of Capricorn set us up for the can-do spirit of a New Year. And what a fantastic time to move forward, based on what's happened in the year just wrapping up. What a great prompt for your journal -- ...
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Happens to all of us. Nagging thoughts that just won't go away. The ones that wake us up. Or pop in at the stop light. Betcha didn't know there was a term for this -- it's known as the Zeigarnik Effect. Basically, researchers have found that if you tell someone not to focus on a white bear, they end up focusing on white bears! Journal-writing can be a powerful tool for working with these inevitable ...
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How do you create a mindset for a New Year, and build simple practices? It starts by giving a regular voice to your very own truth. And there's no better place to do this than in a journal. Have you made New Year's resolutions before, but not followed through? Or does setting goals take you to a place of frustration and distraction? It's possible that you've been focused on a concept of your dreams, but ...
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Let's face it. Anyone can set a resolution for the New Year. But what's the difference among those that bring that January vision to life during the next 365 days? The key is voice, poise and growth. Together you can create a new mindset, and simple practices that equip you to do the things that really set your heart on fire! And it can all be designed, refined, celebrated and boosted through your journal. Watch ...
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The Bill of Rights was finalized 228 years ago today. At a personal level, what are your rights -- how do they impact your hopes, visions and dreams? If you listen to your intuition you may realize it has a lot to say. Here's a way to listen with one of my favorite Journal to the Self techniques, List of 100. (You can read more about this clever and trusty tool in a previous post.) ...
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Most often, a journal write is private, just for your own use. But some journal writes can be a gift to others -- like the Character Sketch. Today is 'Christmas Card Day' in honor of the first card being created in England back in 1843. It's a great prompt to try a new journal writing technique. The essence of a Character Sketch is pretty simple. Just call to mind someone special. Use someone on your ...
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Really inspired by the concept of one thing: the next right step. It's about mindfulness, being in the present. It's about stress management, just one step. It's about change management/transition inspiration, each step leads to a bigger goal. This theme is a great prompt for one of my favorite Journal to the Self techniques: the List of 100. List of 100 taps the best of your left (thinking) brain and your right (creative) brain. It's ...
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Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the sentiment and traditions of this day. As you reflect on this holiday of gratitude, try an AlphaPoem: Use the letters from the word 'THANKFUL' as your prompt. Simply write the letters down the side of a blank page. Reflect on the word for a few moments, then write quickly. Just follow your pen, as a rhythmic paragraph unfolds. Perhaps each line starts a new phrase or sentence, ...
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The season of Sagittarius reminds us to take aim. Take a moment to try a journal-writing prompt inspired by the archer of the Zodiac. Try the Clustering technique from Journal to the Self ®: simply write the inspiration prompt, "Taking aim" in the center of a blank page and circle it. Take a few deep breaths as you reflect on the prompt. Then brainstorm whatever comes using branching, arrows, doodles or whatever strikes you. When you ...
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Former First Lady Michelle Obama is celebrating the one year anniversary of her best-selling book, Becoming, with a guided (or Springboard) journal. The prompts are designed to help each of us find our voice and are inspired by the lessons she has learned in her own life as well as some of her most memorable quotes. For example, the USA Today shared this example: “When they go low, we go high. How do you put this phrase into practice?” ...
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It's go time and I'm ready to roll. Connect with Team Sage on social media:

• Facebook - @SageWisdomWithin
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• Twitter - @SageWiseWithin

Watch my blog and these social media spaces for information on practical and fun journal techniques, journal prompts, articles on the brain science of journaling and more!   Photo by Dids from Pexels ...
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Ah. It's the weekend to 'Fall Back'. One hour of sun taken from the evening and granted to the mornings. At least for a few months. Autumn is a vibrant season of change. The colors, the daylight, the weather calls us to let go. But this weekend we 'fall back'. It takes resources to weather a change. Your resources might be your inner circle, your own sense of your strengths and values, your self care ...
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For over 25 years working in the change management field I’ve always been inspired by the stories and case studies of people with an inner power of self-resiliency and the ability to lead when others want to run away. As I began the journey to find my father-in-law’s biological family I found myself gravitating towards stories written by the genealogically bewildered. It’s hard enough to be anchored in you as you when you’ve known all ...
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How many of us make New Year’s Resolutions … and then forget about them? Breaking the year into quarters is a great way to keep on track with goals and priorities, without checking and over-analyzing so much that we don’t make any progress. The changing of the seasons is a great way to open ourselves to the cycle of progress that is always with us in nature. Fall in particular is a visual reminder to ...
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Ever read something quickly and then it still stays with you so vividly? This article Welcome to the Clan by Jodi Klugman-Rabb for Severance Magazine was just that for me. As a therapist, Jodi works with some clients on parental identity events such as she personally experienced. She wisely points out the importance of rituals in processing any life-changing event. And, unfortunately, the lack of ritual examples for the genealogically bewildered community. With open ears ...
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It is. Psychologists Erich Wellisch and H.J. Sants named the phenomenon in 1964, while working with adoptees. The term refers to their observation that missing details about your own ancestry can lead to an experience of ‘genealogical bewilderment’. I’ve been on a quest recently to find the biological family of my deceased father-in-law, who I never had the chance to meet. Every answer my husband and I celebrated created dozens of new questions and emotions ...
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