"I don't know what I think until I write it down." »

Years and years ago, I pulled my car over to the side of the road so I could write down a quote that I'd just heard uttered by Neil Peart while talking to Shelagh Rogers on "The Next Chapter" on CBC Radio. In answer to one of her questions, Neil said, "How do I know what I think about something until I write it down?" I was struck by that so intensely because I thought I was the only person who felt that way. I knew that writing things down often revealed my deepest thoughts that I wasn't aware of until the pen was in my hand. 

It was a few more years before I found out that Neil was paraphrasing Joan Didion, who said, "I don't know what I think until I write it down." Or maybe it was William Faulkner's, "I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it." Or it could have been Flannery O'Connor, who said, "I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say." Regardless, clearly I am NOT the only person who ever felt this way and I’m in pretty stellar company! 

I’ve never had a consistent journaling practice and I’ve never really even tried. I write from time to time when inspired, and things that seem helpful to others sometimes end up on this somewhat self-indulgent blog. I mostly have bits and pieces of draft blogs, jotted here and there, and always with the intent that I’ll get back to it.

So I’m excited to start a disciplined journaling practice for the next three weeks, under the inspired guidance of Catherine Farquharson, Mindset Coach. Catherine actually used the Flannery O'Connor quote in one of her promotional emails. That's how I knew this was for me! And to make this morning practice feel even more luxurious, I scored some great journals (on sale!) at Staples. The book, by Èccolo, is hand-made, the weight is great, and the paper is perfect with my preferred pen. No messing around. I bought the last five the store had left. I’m committed!