Think Tank Journals: 2016

As 2015 narrowed to an end I had some leave days and wanted to do a DIY project. Naturally it included drawing, doodling and colouring type of features. 

I love journals, notebooks and activity books. Keeping these in mind I decided to design a Journal. 
Because I use my journal to capture my thoughts and ideas I wanted to be a thought collection journal. But I didn't like the sound of a 'Thought Collection Journal'. Scribbling for a little while I stumbled over "Think Tank' and woohoo!! The Think Tank Journal was born. 



I designed one cover and loved it. I coloured it in and I was so happy with the end result. I went looking for a small notebook to put this cover on. This is when I realised that we don't have very many note-book options here in our book shops. We get the usual 'exercise books' that we use in schools but the hard cover note books (A6, A5 in size) or the fancy-full spiral note books. 

What happened to the book shops???? 

All the scavenging lead us to find very few note books. The search for the note-books were hard enough, the prices of notebooks gave me a mild heart attack (figuratively of course). Anyways I purchased a few different types of note books and brought them home. I covered them with my colorful designs and set to fill up the inside. 

What do you write in a THINK TANK JOURNAL? 

1. Let's begin with Goal Setting. So in the first page I have allocated space to list three goals I want to achieve this year. And of course let's just be realistic. None of the 'New Year, new me' nonsense. 
2. Inspiration quotes. Google helped to search for some quotes that help to inspire and motivate us. I jotted down a few of the quotes on random pages. 
3. Fun Activity. I love doing little activities and documenting the results. So on a few other pages I listed down activities for FUN. Some of these activities include; (i) Take a silly selfie; (ii) Listen to a song from the 90's. 
4. Doodle Colour Time. No journal of mine is complete without some colouring fun time, so I draw some doodles for me to colour when I reach that page. 

And that is how the journal was completed. a friend saw the journal i completed and wanted to purchase it. This got me thinking, would other people like to buy this? I took a photo of the journal and posted it on a Facebook group. Orders have been pouring in. I love the fact that others are loving this Journal idea :-) 

So if you would like to purchase one; hop on over to the MisMatched Company to place your order. I would love to see the results of your activities and coloured doodles. Share them on social media using the hashtags; #MisMatched #ThinkTankJournal and #RoyalBano 

You can follow me on twitter and instagram and tag me there as well. Or you can post your results on the MisMatched page. 

Dear Journal,

I have had a habit of writing/keeping my journal on a daily basis. I pour out my thoughts, keep records of important transactions of events that took place, keep track of my menstrual cycle, note down important meetings I need to attend and of course mark deadlines and try my level best to meet deadlines. I loved writing and doodling in my little books. For the purpose of convenience I have now diverted into keeping online journals. This lacks the doodle portion but it comes with selfies (#selfieLevelBoss). Making a long story short - it helps me deal with my days; good or bad. I am able to write at length some days and other days I don't write a single thing. It is my therapy. The Writing therapy and the selfie therapy. 

Recently I met a young girl online and we began to chat. She mentioned how she was lacking self confidence. In another instance I met a young woman who shared that she felt she was very boring. I shared my journal keeping with both of them. I shared with both of them my e-Journal project. And I am happy to report that they have been doing the same and finding that it has been helping them feel better. 

Now I am no therapist (yet) but I feel keeping journals and taking selfies, pouring our feelings into an electronic document (for our eyes only) and/or drawing/doodling how feelings helps to deal with some things. With that being sad I would like to point out that if you feel low; unwell; angry; or any other negative feeling and these feelings are persistent or if they are being counter productive to your life PLEASE by all means see a professional. You may take your (e) Journal with you to share how you felt during a certain situation as this would help your therapist understand the context better. 

So her is to keeping our thoughts in our little USB's or HDD's. Taking shameless selfies to feel good about ourselves. My mantra is; I am beautiful. That's just who I am. No one has to agree or disagree with me. It is about making myself feel worthy. It is about making myself feel worthwhile. It is about making myself important BECAUSE I know I matter. 

So until next blog ..... Dear Journal, Today I shared the e-journal idea with the blog page (dramatic music. fade to black)