Since she was able to handle a pen, writer Suleika Jaouad has kept a notebook. It helped her get through the pandemic and life after treatment after she was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 22.
“I was starting to get bored of the sound of my own voice and grievances,” she admits, at one point.
In order to find inspiration, she started reading the journals and diaries of her favorite authors, like Sylvia Plathand, Audre Lorde, and Isabelle Eberhardt.Sontag, Susan.
Before journaling, Jaouad would randomly select a paragraph to read and discovered that it had a “kaleidoscopic effect” on her work, according to her. It made it possible for the “light to fall differently,” altering her viewpoint and generating fresh ideas.
Her most recent book, The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life, which was released this spring, goes into further detail about this journaling strategy. It features writing assignments and reflections from 100 authors and artists, such as illustrator Oliver Jeffers, writer and director Lena Dunham, and poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib.
She hopes that the book “ignites a little spark if you’re feeling like you don’t know what to say or you’ve been saying something the same way,” according to her.
The 37-year-old Jaouad, who founded the online journaling community The Isolation Journals during the COVID-19 pandemic, spoke to NPR about the transformational potential of writing, her favorite journaling prompts, and how to establish a journaling routine. The length and clarity of this interview have been adjusted.
You talk about journaling as a form of alchemy. What does that mean?
It was the closest I’ve ever been to reaching an alchemical location and discovering a direct channel to my subconscious. By the time I finished writing in my journal, I felt like a little change had been made. Some sort of transmutation had occurred, even if I had nothing important or interesting to say that day.
Thus, “alchemy” seems appropriate for journaling. You may transcend the mundane details of daily life by setting aside time each day to write down your thoughts, show up, and write your way back to yourself.
Do you think there’s value in journaling during the difficult moments of our lives?
I turn to my journal to try to make sense of what has occurred to me. It allows me the chance to think things through and decide how I’m going to respond.
The journal has served as both a place of hiding and a place of battling during the times in my life when I felt most vulnerable.
Can you share some favorite journal prompts from your book?
“Just Ten Images” by [memory writer and photographer]Ash Parsons Story is one of my favorite prompts.
She was too tired to do much, much less journal, after her adopted baby was [delivered prematurely and] admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. She therefore made the decision to take ten pictures from the previous day, which she did daily in list format.
I adore the prompt since it’s simple and consistently produces something surprising. You don’t have to think too hard because it has just enough structure.
“A Day in the Life of My Dreams” is another prompt that I frequently write to, and it was created by pediatric hospice nurse Hollye Jacobs. Write about a day in the life of your dreams a few years from the time you get up until you go to bed. Use the present tense, though.
I enjoy this prompt because it makes me think about the future and express what I would like to see in that future.
What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out with journaling and isn’t sure where to start?
Decide how long you want to spend doing it each day. Five days, a week, or thirty days could pass. You can only begin to write through the haze and arrive at an unexpected and fascinating place if you do it often.
Include it in a non-negotiable aspect of your daily schedule. My first cup of coffee in the morning is something I cannot compromise on. Every morning, I take a seat at my kitchen table and use that first cup to write in my journal. Because the coffee always happens, it always does.
Maintain a low entry barrier. “Why not journal in the Notes app on your phone?” I asked this man while I was hosting a journaling group.
“Well, that seems like the wrong way to journal,” he responded. It must be in a notepad with a pen, in my opinion.
Our pleasure of it is hampered by the expectations we bring with us. Keep in mind that journaling can be done in whatever method you choose.
Meghan Keane edited the digital story. Beck Harlan is the visual editor. We would be delighted to hear from you. You can reach us by phone at 202-216-9823 or by email at [email protected].
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