I'm Not "Good" at Journaling — But It Still Changed My Life
Here’s how I started in real life, not in a perfect routine—and why it might help you too.
I’m writing to you from Steamboat Springs, Colorado today, up in the mountains with my kids and grandparents. I’m working partial days, sneaking in pockets of play, and letting the slower rhythm of this place shape the week.
Maybe that’s why this topic feels so loud in my head right now:
There’s one practice I always return to.
Not every day. Not even every month.
But every time I feel off, overwhelmed, or like something in me is shifting.
It’s never looked perfect. Sometimes it’s scribbled in a notebook, sometimes on the back of a grocery list. But when I zoom out—when I look at every big turning point in my life—this one practice is always there.
Helping me listen. Helping me see.
Helping me come back to myself.
Journaling.
Not the beautiful, curated kind with linen covers and fountain pens. Not even the consistent kind.
Just the kind that catches the truth before I’m ready to say it out loud.
In Today’s Issue:
🖊️ If I Can Journal, You Can Too
💡 How to Actually Start or Restart (No Pressure, No Perfection)
🪶 7 Prompts That Helped Me Come Back to Myself
📍 For the Locals
🖊️ If I Can Journal, You Can Too
I used to think journaling was for writers. Or for people with color-coded highlighters and calligraphy pens.
You know the ones—5am cold plungers with bullet journals that look like works of art.
That’s… not me.
Sure, I’m the annoying person who likes to wake up early. But I left my Type A, perfectionist, people-pleasing self somewhere back in college. Thank you very much!
I’ve never finished a journal cover to cover. I don’t write every day. I don’t even write every month. But I keep coming back to it. Not because I’m poetic. Or disciplined. Or consistent. But because I need a space to hear myself.
It started during 400 hour yoga teacher training at Tough Love Yoga in Atlanta back in 2019. We were given prompts—simple but disarming—and told to just write. No filters. No rules. Just let it pour out.
At first, I only wrote in the in-between moments. When something felt off. When I needed clarity. When I couldn’t quite name what was shifting, but something was. I’d jot down bullet lists—what I did that day, how I felt, what I was craving. Messy. Unedited. Private.
But looking back, those scribbled lists gave me something I didn’t even know I was looking for. They helped me spot patterns. Notice what I was tolerating. What I kept dreaming about, even if I wasn’t ready to say it out loud.
And slowly, those lists started to shift things.
Journaling didn’t just help me reflect. It helped me reroute.
Even with my on-and-off relationship with journaling, it has had a huge impact on my life. So I want to share what I’ve learned, not as an expert, but as someone who believes you don’t have to do it perfectly to get something beautiful out of it.
So no—I’m not a “real” journaler. But I am someone who’s trying to live with her eyes wide open.
Because it’s so easy to live in task mode. Check the boxes. Power through. Be efficient.
Perform.
And forget to ask…
Is this even the life I want to be building?
Is something different calling me?
That’s what journaling helps me do.
Pause. Notice. Listen. Reroute.
So if you’ve ever said, “I’m not a journaler,” I hear you. You don’t need a perfect routine or a beautiful notebook. You just need a quiet moment to be honest with yourself.
To begin.
💡 How to Actually Start or Restart (No Pressure, No Perfection)
When I need to come back to myself, I keep it simple (Inspired by the book Atomic Habits):
Make it visible. Notebook on the nightstand. Index card in your purse. Anywhere you’ll see it. No fancy setup.
Anchor it to something you already do. Morning coffee, bedtime tea, carpool line.
Lower the bar. One prompt. Five minutes. Bullet points. No complete sentences required.
Forget pretty. Go for real. Your journal isn’t for Pinterest. It’s for you. Tears, typos, tangents—all welcome.
This isnt about journaling for journaling’s sake or for a beautiful journal.
It’s about honesty. It’s about remembering who you are.
🪶 7 Prompts That Helped Me Come Back to Myself
These questions cracked something open in me. Maybe they will for you, too. They don’t need perfect answers. They just need space to breathe.
1. What would I do if I weren’t afraid? Try to set aside the money, the logistics, the rules you’ve been told. What would you move toward if fear wasn’t in the driver’s seat?
2. What did I love as a child? Before expectations. Before comparison. What lit you up just because?
3. What does a good, successful life look like to me? Or: When I’m 80, what do I hope to look back on and say, “That was worth it”?
4. What’s one thing I truly love about myself? Let this one be soft. Maybe it’s something you forgot to celebrate.
5. What energizes me? And what’s quietly stealing energy from me—even if it looks “productive”?
6. If my body planned my schedule, what would change? What would get added? What would get canceled?
7. What do I need to let go of—or say no to—to make space for what I actually want time for? Hint: it might not be something big. Sometimes it’s one small “no” that makes room for a better yes.
These questions don’t demand answers. They make space for them.
And in a world constantly yelling at us to do more, be more, achieve more, it feels kind of revolutionary to sit still and ask yourself big picture questions.
📍 For the Locals: In Case You Missed It
I’ve created a local Serenbe & Chatt Hills event calendar that lives at lifeatplay.co. You can browse what’s happening, add events to your calendar, or subscribe to sync everything to Google or Outlook. I do my best to keep it updated (and I even pay someone to help), but the only way to guarantee your event makes it in is to submit it yourself. View Events | Submit an Event
Art of Possible Showhouse Open House – July 16, 4–8PM
Tour the Art of Possible showhouse, home technology experts featuring smart lighting by Brian Bartley, art by Judy Walker & Luis Toache, and bites by Gia Rosenfeld. 284 Mado Lane, Serenbe | Free, RSVP: RSVP link
New! Family Haven Chiropractic at One Mado Offering gentle, family-centered care including full spine adjustments, prenatal techniques, and InvisaRED infrared therapy for weight loss and skin rejuvenation.
Silent Book Club at Birdhouse – Sunday, July 27, 9:30–11AM Grab a coffee, mingle, and enjoy a quiet hour of reading at this low-key meetup hosted by Silent Book Club Newnan. Held monthly.
Call for Artists: “Art of Our Time” Exhibit – Submit by Aug 20
A powerful community show exploring truth, tenderness, and transformation through art. All mediums welcome. Exhibit: Aug 23, 1–5PM | 11310 Serenbe Lane | Email: heyjwalker@gmail.com to RSVP or participate.
Apply Now: Chatt Hills Citizen’s Police Academy – Sept 8–Oct 27
A free, 8-week course on law enforcement, safety, and community connection. Open to Chatt Hills residents 18+. Thursdays, 6–9:30PM | Contact Cody
Piano with Kim Bracey – Camp Aug 4–5 | Fall Lessons Now Enrolling
Join a joyful 2-day Piano Camp in Serenbe (Aug 4–5, 9AM–12PM) with group activities, musical games, and keyboard time—perfect for beginners or continuing students. Kim is also enrolling now for fall private lessons for all ages (including adults). Contact Kim to register.
Call for Artists: Serenbe Showhouse – Sept (3-Week Feature)
Design studio Rook & Dash is seeking local artists to feature in their curated space at the Serenbe Showhouse this fall. Interested in loaning work for the exhibit? DM @rookanddash to connect.
2025 Chatt Hills Photo Contest – Now Open!
Calling all photographers—youth, amateur, or pro. Submit up to 5 photos that showcase the beauty of Chattahoochee Hills. Winning entries will be featured at the Fall Festival! Must live/work in Chatt Hills | Enter here
New Class: StrongHER Sculpt – Mon 11:30AM & Tues 10AM A circuit training class at the Gym at Serenbe designed for women 35+ to support strength, energy, and confidence through hormonal shifts. Book via the Serenbe Fit app
Final Month to Book at Oak House Studios – $50/hr in July The beloved creative studio is closing its doors August 1—but offering $50/hour rentals through July as a thank-you to the community. Book while you can: @oakhousestudios
And I hope—if anything in this lands for you—you know this space is a soft place to land. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t need a 5-step plan. You can just… start where you are. And I’ll be here, figuring it out too.
If something comes up while journaling—or even if you just need to say, “I’ve been there too”—I’d love to hear from you. This space is a little braver, a little more beautiful, when we show up real.
Reply anytime. My inbox is open.
With you,
Gina
P.S. I’ve been part of a small group of women business owners here in Serenbe for the past six months—and it’s been one of the most grounding, clarifying parts of my entrepreneurial journey. When the original leader asked if I’d take over, I said yes. So this fall, I’ll be hosting the next cohort: part dinner party, part business circle, part soulful reset. It’s invite-only, but if you’re a local woman running a business (or gearing up to) and this sounds like something you’d love to be part of—reach out. I’d love to see if it’s a fit. We’re capping it at 8 women to keep it cozy and intentional.