Peace y’all,

It’s a gnarly time of year for a lot of us, with a large mixture of complex emotions, relationship dynamics, and heavy expectations. I want to invite you (and myself) to slow down and take some time to reflect as we enter the final month of the year.

In comes , a new friend I met during Alt Marketing School’s Positive Impact Marketing cohort. Lexi is a badass, rebellious business owner based in the UK; she’s an excellent writer and storyteller, and inspires other folks to share their stories too.

As an ADHD/OCD queen, I’ve always had a complicated relationship with journaling. I can get so caught up on when I’m supposed to write, what I’m supposed to write about, how I’m supposed to write, for how long, and how often. As Lexi so beautifully reminds us below, there is no perfect way to journal. Use it as a tool to express and explore and reflect.

Regardless of what this time of year looks like for you, I hope you enjoy Lexi’s offering below.

Warmly,

Andrea

The first week of December always feels like the quiet before the storm. Writing from the UK means I get to witness Thanksgiving traditions from afar, yet still feel the urgency of the media and marketing of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

And then there’s a lull, just for a second.

Or at least that’s how it used to feel… This year, the local Christmas light switch-ons seem to be earlier than ever — markets and fairs full of gift giving ideas are ramping up or triple booked, and frankly our Christmas adverts started on 1 November! 

December is a crazy month, no-matter your religious/spiritual/commercialist views. Just for the fact that it’s the last month of the year (for most in the Western world) means there’s a lot of pressure to not only get things done, but complete EVERYTHING on our to-do lists.

You get the picture. Or I’m assuming you do, considering you opened this piece on “surviving December” and started reading.

Hi, I’m Lexi, and I’m your guide for getting through this shit show/most “wonderful time of the year.” Please make yourself comfortable, preferably with a notebook — but sure, a device of any kind — where you can write your thoughts down.

Maybe journaling is actually something you haven’t done before, but have heard good things about. Maybe you have a complicated relationship with it. While journaling isn’t a miracle cure, it definitely does hold a lot of magic.

And we don’t need January or the good intentions of New Year resolutions to start. Now is as good a time as any to find your way into a practice that works for you.

⏰ Before you start writing…

If you have a people-pleasing disposition, or are overwhelmed by the idea of creating a journaling practice, I’m granting you permission this December to:

• Make this month magical for you, in whatever small/tiny/seemingly insignificant way you can, including journaling.

• Carve out space yourself every day to write and reflect with your journal: 5 minutes minimum, 25 minutes maximum. You can fit that in right? Set a timer and keep going until it pings.

• Put the big stick down (i.e. don’t beat yourself up) when you find that every day might not actually be practical, or you don’t feel like it. Or if you spent 20 of the 25 mins staring at the page… that’s doing the work too. 

📝 How to start writing

You open your notebook. Yes, the pretty one. Yep, the one that you haven’t wanted to write in yet because it’s too pretty and you’ll ruin it. You’re not going to ruin it, please open it. Pick up a pen. Any pen, but by all means go and find your favorite one before we begin. And then write. 

Nothing? Still got a blank page?

Start by writing out a list of everything that’s in your mental to-do list.

Too long? How about the top three things that you could be doing right now instead of journaling with me. Write them down.

Then underneath that, write in big caps, underlined, with doodles of stars and flowers and unicorns, whatever takes your fancy to make it memorable:

IT CAN WAIT!

How does that feel? You’ve now got a to-do list ready for when your journaling finishes up. Now you’re ready to focus on the task at hand — giving yourself some time to reflect.

There are a lot of journaling prompts out there already, or you can use some of the ones below to get you started, but you’re not in this alone. It’s not cheating if you google prompts or find some inspiration from social media or elsewhere. 

Likewise, you can go down the route of writing from a stream of consciousness. That means writing everything that comes into your head out onto the page. Even if that is, why am I bothering to do this? I’ve got nothing useful to say. How is this even helping me understand how to survive December or Christmas or whatever?

It all counts, and soon enough, once you get started, you may find it difficult to stop. 

✋ How to stop writing

Your journal is a safe space for everything that you’re thinking and feeling right now. That means that in 5 minutes, 10 minutes, next week or next year, you’re unlikely to feel the same way, but the useful part comes from staying present with those feelings whilst you’re writing.

Sometimes that’ll look like a balance of good versus bad. Sometimes it’ll be an all-out rant. Sometimes it’ll be joyful. Our days will all look different, but I really recommend ending with gratitude, no matter where your mind has gone with the stream of consciousness or prompt.

To end with gratitude, simply list three things that you’re grateful for right now. Those things can be items, activities, moments, people or pets — it’s your choice where your gratitude lands today.

✍️ 12 Journal Prompts for December

Here are 12 prompts to help you with your journaling throughout the month. Use them as you wish: edit, rework, make them yours as you need to. You can use one every day, pick and choose, or mix and match. Don’t fancy any of them? That’s okay too — trust your gut and go with the flow of your pen. Start with joy, end with something for the future…

1. Seasonal joy: Write about the things that bring you joy during December. It could be festive decorations, holiday music, or spending time with loved ones…

2. A focus state: Where are you writing from? This could be very literal, but the focus could also be the state you find yourself in. What are you feeling in your bones? What is happening around you? What feelings have been evoked in the past minutes or hours? Reflect on where you are right now. 

3. Coping strategies: What are your go-to coping strategies for managing holiday or end-of-year stress? Reflect on what has worked for you in the past and what you might want to try this year.

4. Winter wonders: Describe the beauty of winter in your surroundings. What sights, sounds, and smells make this season special for you?

5. Embracing change: Explore your feelings about the end of the year and the beginning of a new one. How do you handle transitions and change?

6. Holiday traditions: Write about your favorite holiday traditions. How do you celebrate this time of year? Can you simplify any of them this year to make them even more enjoyable? Focus on what truly matters to you. 

7. Reflection on darkness and light: Consider the metaphor of darkness and light during the winter solstice. How do these themes resonate with your life?

8. Navigating family dynamics: Reflect on your family dynamics during the holidays. What challenges do you anticipate, and how can you approach them with resilience and understanding?

9. Mindful celebrations: Practice mindfulness during holiday celebrations. Give space and attention to reflect on any moment where you felt truly present, savoring the positive experiences and letting go of perfectionism.

10. Emotional check-in: Take time to check in with your emotions throughout the holiday season. Journal about the highs and lows, and identify any patterns or triggers.

11. Saying no guilt-free: Choose one thing to say no to. How does it feel? Write out the scenario of you saying this no in real life. What’s the worst and best that could happen?

12. Year-end letter to yourself: Write a letter to your future self. Take time to reflect on your personal growth throughout the year. Acknowledge the progress you've made and celebrate your strengths.

Lexi Radcliffe-Hart guides and empowers storytelling so that others can share their magic authentically; from helping businesses connect with their audiences via their content marketing, facilitating courses and workshops, or indeed writing her novel. Her writing can be found via Substack: Our Shared Magic.