YOU are a BEAUTIFUL Soul... An AMAZING "Circle Journal" Adventure

I wanted to end January by sharing the most amazing experience I had when I received back my second ever circle journal.  "What is a circle journal?" you ask... It is a five month commitment for which you create a small album in which you scrap the instructions and the first two pages and then you send it out into the world to be created.  You will not see it again until it arrives back home fat with completed pages!

 

Here it is FAT with Pages

In the meanwhile about every two weeks you receive a new journal to complete according to the owner's instructions.  Our circle journal group consisted of 10 women from all over Alberta and Saskatchewan who committed to the process and "NO!" we did not all know each other, but we sure did GET to know each other through the journals that appeared every couple of weeks!

 

My Instruction page

I went out on a bit of a limb with this journal because I wanted to create something that allowed me to share my true, authentic self, and also something which would give me a glimpse into the true authentic self of my fellow circle journalers... So I asked each of them to create two pages that listed all the compliments they had ever received and which included at least ONE favorite photo of themselves.  That's it.  Doesn't sound too hard does it? But REALLY!!!  Just try and compile an entire page of good things about YOURSELF... we just don't DO that in our society!  We have no problem at ALL in coming up with a list of NEGATIVE things about ourselves.. but Good stuff?! which is why I went with the "compliment" idea... because I figured it's slightly easier to create a list of what OTHER people said about you than to come up with your own!  

Here are my two pages...

I really wasn't sure what I would get back and if the other women would even embrace this very personal request... don't forget I don't KNOW these women!... but when my completed journal arrived back home I was amazed and truly gratified with the results of  what this wonderful group of women had created for me.  They have generously given their permission to allow me to share it with all of you... so HERE IT IS ... My 2012 "You Are A BEAUTIFUL Soul" Circle Journal... and the amazing process of the "reveal"!

Here is an exerpt of what I wrote to my group about the experience of seeing my completed journal:

"Well Ladies.. you have all blown me away! I have just spent the last two hours going through my journal... (I'm the one that made you create two pages about yourself)... And it is AMAZING! It has EXCEEDED anything I had hoped to get back!!! Not only did all of you help to create a most beautiful and empowering journal, but you also allowed me to see and get to know the REAL you... Going through this journal was an amazing process... It was kind of like opening one of those presents that's wrapped up in many boxes so you have to keep peeling away layers until you finally get to the REAL Gift!  First I read what I wrote back in August and admired MY pages (because of course I had totally forgotten everything I had done!) Then I flipped through the pages of the journal and admired everyone's work and craftiness, giggling at some photos and admiring other photos; THEN I read all of your comments on the back page - (I LOVE that each one of you wrote from the HEART ).  Well after reading those comments I just had to go back to each of your layouts and look at them again but now with your very personal comments in hand, and I REALLY read the words each of you had chosen for yourselves... THEN I went back and re-read your comments yet again, and my heart was so full it kept overflowing into my Eyes!  But I only thought my heart was full because THEN I saw the final page, the back cover where each of you had created your name bracketing the "You are a BEAUTIFUL Soul" comment and I knew that was the REAL gift (Heartfelt Sigh), my heart was truly FULL.  Thank you ALL for both your efforts in making me a beautiful journal, but also for truly participating in my exercise of Empowerment and Joy, what an amazing memory you have given me!

  And here are their pages:

 

This personal comment brought tears to my eyes because how many of us truly feel that WE are the only ones?

 You would have no idea how hard this was for Lynnette unless you truly know her and I am so very, very grateful that she allowed herself to do this! {{{Sending Hugs}}}

 

 

This layout is especially dear to me as my friend Melanni created one of her first ever SHE Art Ladues for me to keep forever!

But THIS is my very favorite page of the entire journal... it makes my heart FULL!

Please feel free to leave me a comment because I would love to hear what you think