I wrote my first ever journal entry when I was eleven. My guinea pig had died and it was clearly noteworthy enough for me to open a (Brambly Hedge — remember them?) notebook, jot down the date and write “Tonic died today.” Our guinea pigs were called Gin and Tonic — I think Gin departed this world soon after, too. From then on I wrote in the notebook, filling it up and starting another, filling that up and switching to a binder with looseleaf A4 paper. I have my entire teenage chronicled in an ever-changing array of handwriting styles, coloured pens and dramatic exclamations — losing my virginity is recorded in extraordinary detail *ahem*

Having this diary is such a gift. I’ve dipped into it over the years, and once I get past the cringe-worthy accounts of a teenage girl’s life, there are gems to be found, flashes of insight that make me marvel at how much I intuited even at such a young age. But the most important thing that diary gave me was a journalling practice for life.

When my love died in 2005 I filled a whole Moleskine notebook in a month, pouring out everything I’d wanted to say to him, trying to make sense of what had happened. I had our entire relationship recorded in my journal, from every sweet thing he’d ever done for me to the usual frustrations a couple in love encounters. My journal has been my sanity keeper in the worst times of my life. It’s been the receptacle for the sweetest memories, the most embarrassing secrets and the daily humdrum banality of being alive.

I’ve always wanted to have one of those sketchbooks filled with artsy inked notes and clever watercolour vignettes. I went to art college but I can’t draw to save my life, so I’ve learned how to do it my way, with words and cut-out images and the occasional glue stick. I call it my Creative Dream Journal and it lives in a turquoise Filofax filled with images and scribbles, plans and lists, poetry and musings. So much of what I have drawn into my life over the last few years first existed in my CDJ. Which is why I decided to make the creation of a Creative Dream Journal the focus of my new course.

Over the years my journal has existed in many forms, but at its core it’s been my confidante and safe place. Whether I’m using pen and paper or postcards and washi tape, it’s the way I access my innermost dreams and my most honest and authentic voice. I don’t lie in my journal so I always get the truth about myself reflected back at me. I can join the dots backwards and witness my own growth. So many times I’ve leafed through my journal to figure out why I was feeling a certain way and had I felt that before…. had I survived it? And it’s all in there, the proof that I have survived: the grief, the PMS, the moving home, the making and breaking of friendships. It’s all in there. Its like having my own manual-of-me.

When I die I’m sure there will be loved ones who’ll appreciate having my journals to read through to help them feel more connected to their mama/auntie/wife, but for now my journal is for me alone. It’s the bestest friend I’ve ever had and my constant companion.

I really can’t say enough about how incredible — and useful — journalling is. So I’ve made a course to share the love and help others ignite their journalling passion, too.

Registration for Journal Your Life opens tomorrow. I hope you can join me!

As you probably know by now, I love books. The fact that there is one out in the world that has my name on it makes me happier than I can say. Every year I say (to myself — no one really cares) that I’m going to only give books as Christmas presents, but I never actually do this; there are so many lovely things I want to give my loved ones, I can’t rein myself in to just bookish gifts. But that doesn’t stop me drooling over their covers.

So here’s a few of the books I own and a few I want to own — all of them would make ace Christmas presents :)

For the foodies

1. Jerusalem
2. What Katie Ate
3. The Kitchen Diaries
4. Edible Selby
5. Kinfolk magazine
6. salt sugar smoke


For the magpies

1. Creative Walls
2. Nomad
3. Granny Chic
4. London Style Guide
5. Francesca Woodman
6. Decorate Workshop


For the wordsmiths

1. Writing Down the Bones
2. Selected Poems, Sharon Olds
3. Eats, Shoots and Leaves
4. On Writing
5. Bird by Bird
6. The House of Belonging


For the thinkers

1. The Quantum Universe
2. The Soul of Money
3. Essays in Love


For the soul searchers

1. The Dance
2. Finding Your Way in a Wild New World
3. The Lotus and the Lily


For the bookworms

1. The Night Circus
2. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
3. Gone Girl

Ps. I’m not an affiliate for Amazon, so these links are just for extra info xx

I’ve been sitting here for an hour trying to find a way to write this post that doesn’t sound sales-y, cheesy or annoying. It’s not easy. So I’m not going to dress this up — here’s what I’m trying to say: if you have a treasured woman in your life and you’re wondering what to buy her for Xmas, can i humbly suggest my book, This I Know? As an author it’s important to promote your own books at this time of year but, to be honest, it’s more than that — I’d love for This I Know to to be gifted into the hands of women who need her. Women who are searching for themselves, yearning for a creative life, wondering if they are the only ones feeling the way they do. I shared my heart in the book because I wanted other women to feel less alone, so if you know a soulsister who might need a gentle read to take her into the new year, think of me and my wee book :)

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca  | Chapters | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Powell’s

There’s something else, too. Many authors sell copies of their own book but this was something i decided not to do as I felt the cost of the book + shipping from the UK (which isn’t cheap) didn’t make for a great deal. So, while I can’t offer signed copies of the book to give as gifts, I’ve come up with something just as lovely…

I have a small stack of Polaroid postcards that are just begging to be personalised and used as bookmarks. I’d love to send one to you to tuck inside the book before you wrap it, so here’s the plan:

1. buy a copy (or two!) of This I Know to gift to a friend(s)

2. send me a copy of the receipt by email (forward me the email invoice or photograph your receipt) with the subject line “POSTCARD!” — mail to: nita [at] susannahconway.com

3. make sure you also include in the email:
— the name of the person who’s receiving the book so I can personalise the message on the postcard (if you bought 2 books I’ll send 2 postcards, etc)
– your mailing address

4. wait for the mailman to deliver the card(s)!

NOTES

– I’ll cover the cost of the postage for all the cards (they’ll be sent in envelopes to protect them)
– deadline for emailing me the copy of your receipt is THURSDAY DECEMBER 6th. All postcards will be sent on Saturday 8th — any later than that and you won’t get them in time for Xmas
– the postcards will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis until I run out of cards :) I apologise in advance if the cards go quickly and you don’t get one (on the other hand, maybe no one will want them… you never know!)
– to make it fair this offer is only for books purchased on or after today’s date (November 26th)

Looking forward to sending out some love notes xo

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | Chapters | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Powell’s

First of all, thank you so much for your lovely congratulatory and supportive comments on the last post. It really does mean the world to me, and actually, i got a bit teary reading your words — it’s an amazing thing to feel supported by people who don’t know you (even though we do know each really, don’t we) — thank you so much for your kindness and generosity. It’s going to keep me going as i navigate this odd inbetween time and prepare to make the big jump… xo


Yesterday I nipped up to Londontown to toast the birth of The Simple Things. I’ve been having brainstorming lunches with Janet, the creator of the magazine, since last year, and to see it in its finished form is so exciting. It’s a really lovely magazine, one to savour with a cup of tea and a slice of cake, and I’m honoured to be contributing a monthly column about mindfulness and exploring the senses. In an age of digital communications it’s a treat to flick through a paper magazine, one you’ll definitely want to keep and refer back to.

They’re currently offering three issues for just £5 when you susbcribe — overseas subscribers get a good deal too.

(The other thing i love about the magazine is that it’s full of images we can use for vision boarding. All you need is that and few Toast catalogues and you’re all set ;-)