For earlier generations, the journal wasn't—as it is in modern times—primarily a

tool to reflect on your feelings. Present-day use of the word journal

tends to imply that you're creating a subjective, intensively inward-focused
collection of thoughts and musings. Witness, for example, a recent issue of
the magazine Personal Journaling, which offers ideas and exercises for travel
journaling ("Which traditions or customs are you comfortable with and
which make you uneasy? Why?"), dream journaling ("What does this dream
tell me about the way I treat myself?"), creative journaling ("Focus on a specific
topic and write everything you can think of, never lifting your pen."),
and mind-body journaling ("The wise teacher is within you, and through
writing you can begin to "hear" her more clearly"). (PersonalJournaling also
tells you how to make decorative handmade paper with newsprint, dryer
lint, and a blender, should you wish to make yourjournal an objet d'art as well
as a diary.)
But the journal of self-education has a more outward focus. It is modeled
on the last century's "commonplace book," a looseleaf or bound blank book
in which readers copied down quotes and snippets that they wanted to
remember.

For earlier generations, the journal wasn't—as it is in modern times—primarily a

tool to reflect on your feelings. Present-day use of the word journal
tends to imply that you're creating a subjective, intensively inward-focused
collection of thoughts and musings. Witness, for example, a recent issue of
the magazine Personal Journaling, which offers ideas and exercises for travel
journaling ("Which traditions or customs are you comfortable with and
which make you uneasy? Why?"), dream journaling ("What does this dream
tell me about the way I treat myself?"), creative journaling ("Focus on a specific
topic and write everything you can think of, never lifting your pen."),
and mind-body journaling ("The wise teacher is within you, and through
writing you can begin to "hear" her more clearly"). (PersonalJournaling also
tells you how to make decorative handmade paper with newsprint, dryer
lint, and a blender, should you wish to make yourjournal an objet d'art as well
as a diary.)
But the journal of self-education has a more outward focus. It is modeled
on the last century's "commonplace book," a looseleaf or bound blank book
in which readers copied down quotes and snippets that they wanted to
remember.

For earlier generations, the journal wasn't—as it is in modern times—primarily a

tool to reflect on your feelings. Present-day use of the word journal
tends to imply that you're creating a subjective, intensively inward-focused
collection of thoughts and musings. Witness, for example, a recent issue of
the magazine Personal Journaling, which offers ideas and exercises for travel
journaling ("Which traditions or customs are you comfortable with and
which make you uneasy? Why?"), dream journaling ("What does this dream
tell me about the way I treat myself?"), creative journaling ("Focus on a specific
topic and write everything you can think of, never lifting your pen."),
and mind-body journaling ("The wise teacher is within you, and through
writing you can begin to "hear" her more clearly"). (PersonalJournaling also
tells you how to make decorative handmade paper with newsprint, dryer
lint, and a blender, should you wish to make yourjournal an objet d'art as well
as a diary.)
But the journal of self-education has a more outward focus. It is modeled
on the last century's "commonplace book," a looseleaf or bound blank book
in which readers copied down quotes and snippets that they wanted to
remember.

For earlier generations, the journal wasn't—as it is in modern times—primarily a

tool to reflect on your feelings. Present-day use of the word journal
tends to imply that you're creating a subjective, intensively inward-focused
collection of thoughts and musings. Witness, for example, a recent issue of
the magazine Personal Journaling, which offers ideas and exercises for travel
journaling ("Which traditions or customs are you comfortable with and
which make you uneasy? Why?"), dream journaling ("What does this dream
tell me about the way I treat myself?"), creative journaling ("Focus on a specific
topic and write everything you can think of, never lifting your pen."),
and mind-body journaling ("The wise teacher is within you, and through
writing you can begin to "hear" her more clearly"). (PersonalJournaling also
tells you how to make decorative handmade paper with newsprint, dryer
lint, and a blender, should you wish to make yourjournal an objet d'art as well
as a diary.)
But the journal of self-education has a more outward focus. It is modeled
on the last century's "commonplace book," a looseleaf or bound blank book
in which readers copied down quotes and snippets that they wanted to
remember.