Mind your P’s & Q’s: Part I

Do you know the expression “Mind your P’s and Q’s” ? Generally, we take it to mean ‘mind your manners’. But there are various theories as to where it came from: some of my favourites include a printer’s reminder to pay attention to the details — p’s  and q’s were so close in appearance that typesetters had to be careful they were getting it right. Or, it might have been used by publicans who had to track whether they were serving pints or quarts…another example of paying attention.

In any case, this expression fits in with journaling perfectly. Keeping a journal is all about paying attention…to your emotions, to your daily experiences, to your goals and objectives, to your dreams….and many other elements of your life. In fact, p’s and q’s have so much to do with journaling that today’s post is the first in a series on the P’s & Q’s of Journaling.

1. Prompts & Questions

Sometimes, especially when you are new to journaling, you might feel stuck for a beginning point; the blank page might intimidate slightly. If you don’t already have an established habit, there are techniques to get you writing. Even seasoned journalers find these tools helpful to spark new ideas and insights. These are two key techniques that I find endlessly useful…Prompts and Questions.

Prompts

Prompts are open-ended sentences that — imagine this — prompt you to write!  They give you inspiration, they lead to unexpected insight, and they are great to fall back on when you feel a bit stumped by what exactly to write about. Sentences that are declarative stimulate your writing in a specific way; they allow you to express certainty and say what you mean. For example:

What I most like about my life is __________________

My favourite place to go is ____________________ because ____________________

They are declarative statements that invoke the more logical, conversational part of your mind. These kind of prompts are also helpful with young writers — to get students writing, or when you are travelling with children and want them to record their experiences, for example — they may not know how to begin or sequence their observations. Open-ended sentences give a structure that serves as a spur to writing…and you never know how much will follow the blanks!

Questions

Questions also prompt, but in a different way. The open-ended, inquisitive nature of a question stimulates the mind differently, opening up new ideas and accessing a more creative aspect of the brain. Asking yourself a question invigorates that inner voice of knowing, and encourages it to be heard! Instead of stating something directly, a question might sound like this:

What is it that I most enjoy about my life each day?

Where is the place that most nurtures my soul?

A question allows for investigation into hidden motivation, lets deeply held beliefs come to light, and opens a space for your inner wisdom to emerge.

The difference between these two approaches allows for different results. And they are both useful depending on your mood and the way a prompt or question might strike your fancy at the moment that you see it. They both inspire new writing, and that, as Martha Stewart says, is a good thing.

If this idea intrigues you, explore our Prompt of the Week tag to see some earlier examples. Or you can start using this technique immediately by requesting my pdf resource, 365 Prompts & Questions, one for each day of the year, for only $1.99. Order today and begin prompting and questioning yourself to greater self-knowledge!

Related posts:

1. The “Whys” Child Mind