“How do I hold on to the beauty and the joy of my everyday life? In a journal.”

–Minette Riordan

Let’s throw out the rule on journaling and open up to curiosity. I’m really excited to talk with creative guide Minette Riordan about how journaling helps her capture joy and balance all the things.

For Minette, journaling is about connection to the self and understanding how to really pay attention and listen to how you are today. And there are lots of ways in including using stickers, colors, images, whatever helps you meet yourself on the page.

If you’ve struggled with morning pages or find your words drying up or perfectionism creeping on to the page, let’s take another look at magic of putting pen to paper. And if you love journaling, tune in for more ideas to deepen your practice.

We talk about:

Perfectionism and not editing yourself as you go
Using your journal as a playground for new ideas or to check in on your inner battery
How writing things down helps us identify patterns
Using a question as a point of entry.
Accepting that whatever you put on the page — three words, a tiny sketch — it counts
How to create a 100 day project you can stick with

ABOUT MINETTE

Minette Riordan, Ph.D. is the creative guide women over 50 turn to when they feel lost, stuck, or uncertain about what comes next and are ready to reclaim purpose, creativity, and meaning in the second half of life.

A teacher, artist, writer, and expressive arts facilitator, Minette combines storytelling, journaling, intuitive art, and mythic wisdom to help women reconnect with the parts of themselves they may have set aside while caring for others, building careers, and meeting life’s many demands. Through her workshops, retreats, online programs, and the Sisterhood of Wisdom and Wonder, she guides women to become the Queen of Their Own Damn Story and design lives filled with greater authenticity, joy, and purpose.

Minette holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and is an award-winning entrepreneur who has spent more than two decades helping others navigate meaningful personal and professional transformation. She lives in Loveland with her husband Brad, where she paints whimsical animals, drinks strong coffee, and remains endlessly inspired by stories, nature, and the creative process.

LINKS

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Change comes from action.

Doable changes are things that you can add into your life, one at a time to make micro shifts and really create a ripple effect that will create a big change over time. Choose one that really piques your interest and roll with it.

Here are three Doable Changes from this conversation:

START WITH A QUESTION. If you are often stuck looking a blank page or simply grumbling on the page, try starting with a question. Some ideas: What matters now? What are my core values? What does freedom look like for me? How do I want to spend my time, my energy, and my money in the years remaining? Or even start with What questions do I want to be asking myself?
ADD COLOR. Sometimes it takes a while to get into our words or ideas. Sometimes we can express ourselves better with color. Try adding color to your page, a wash of paint, a crayon scribble. Does it express how you feel? Does it open a new door?
HOLD DAILY LIGHTLY. Play with consistency and commitment in a 100 day journaling project. What does it look like of you batch journal for three days to deal with travel? What does it look like if you skip a prompt that doesn’t apply or appeal to you? How can you commit and flex and see what happens when you show up consistently?