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Journal ecosystem – the internet has given a name for something I’ve been creating since I was a pre-teen, and I’m here for it!
Thanks to this fancy title, I no longer feel the need to justify all the notebooks on my desk, on my nightstand, and in my handbags. And when someone asks, “You’re buying another journal?” — I can confidently say, “Yes! Yes, I am. It’s part of my journal ecosystem.”
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There’s something powerful about starting the year with a blank page. And I do this quite literally by buying lots of new journals for the new year!
January feels like permission to begin again. It’s a time to reflect, reset, and recommit to the life (and habits) you actually want. If you’ve ever said, “This is the year I’m going to journal consistently,” this is your sign to start now, in January, and set the tone for the rest of the year.
Consider this your January Jumpstart. Here I offer you 31 journaling prompts designed to help you reflect on the year you’re leaving behind, get clear about what you want next, choose a word for the year, write affirmations that actually resonate, and set meaningful personal and professional goals.
You don’t need fancy notebooks (although I will never turn one down), perfect handwriting, or hours of free time. All you need is 15 minutes a day and a willingness to be honest with yourself.
Let’s do this!
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See Jane Write Collective member Cherith Fluker has had quite a year. Her blog, WhatCherithInks, won awards from Alabama Media Professionals and the National Federation of Press Women. Her career as a freelance travel writer is flourishing, and she published her first book — Secret Birmingham: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure (Reedy Press). And she’s done all of this while working full time in the field of education. So it seemed only right to catch up with Cherith for our next Keeping Up with the Janes feature. Keeping Up with the Janes is a new feature that allows us to revisit past See Jane Write Collective Members of the Month to see what they’re up to now. Let’s learn the secrets of Cherith’s success.
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What’s your word for the year 2026?
I’ve been choosing a word for the year for several years, and it’s a practice I’ve happily passed on to the women of the See Jane Write Collective.
Some years, I’ve picked three words. In other years, I’ve chosen a phrase.
Some years, I get completely obsessed with the word that I chose. It becomes my mantra or prayer that I constantly whisper. Other years—like this year, I must admit—I forget which word I picked until someone asks me.
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I’m obsessed with goal setting. I set writing goals and goals for other areas of my life each year, each quarter, and each month. Because I’m so passionate about goal setting, I’m constantly reading books, attending workshops and listening to podcasts to help me get better at setting and achieving my goals. I take what I learn, tweak it and try it out. Then I figure out how to share what I’ve gleaned from my personal experiences with you. That’s why I get so excited for my annual Write the Vision Workshop! (This year’s workshop is on Sunday, December 14 at 4 p.m. CT. You can sign up here.)
If you HATE goal setting, it’s probably because you’re not following through. And if you’re setting writing goals each year and nothing in your writing life is changing, chances are it’s NOT because of laziness. You work hard. Probably too hard. You are NOT lazy. But I think I know what’s holding you back.
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