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Cathy Hutchison with a journal

Peek Inside a Journal | Cathy Hutchison of YourVisualJournal.com

Last updated on December 10th, 2022 • Peek inside a Journal

Want to see inside my journal? 

Normally, I interview other journal-keepers about their practice for the Peek Inside a Journal feature. 

But this time, we are looking inside my journal. 

I’m Cathy Hutchison, the creative spark behind YourVisualJournal.com. Here’s how I approach my personal journaling practice.

When did you start journaling? 

Like many people, I had way too many journals that had the first three pages filled out, then were abandoned. That changed when I saw sketchnotes for the first time.

Rewinding to that day, I was at a point in my life where I was burned out. I felt like a hamster on a wheel. 

Imagine me sitting in an auditorium at a conference listening to speakers which I should have found inspiring, but instead just made me feel overwhelmed. At the break, I walked to the back of the auditorium saw a man with markers filling whiteboards with words and doodles. (Later, I would learn these were sketchnotes.)  

Suddenly, I had total clarity. I could see the ideas. Everything that had been presented clicked into place and made sense.

I became obsessed with learning the technique so I could have that clarity always. At first I just kept loose pieces of paper as I practiced, but eventually I bought a journal and kept it with me all the time so I could think on paper in this creative style whenever I wanted to.  

Sketchnotes in Cathy Hutchison's journal

How has journaling impacted you? What has it meant to you? 

My journal is a workhorse. I plan my days, brainstorm ideas, take notes, and have it out for almost every conversation. (You never know when someone is going to say something brilliant that you want to capture.) 

Here’s the thing: my brain loves this!

There’s no more worry. Stuff that used to get stuck running circles in my head are now poured onto paper where I can see them and deal with them. It gives me clarity.

After years of doing this, I can say it has made me much more intentional. I cross things off that don’t matter and embellish the things that do. 

Tell us about your personal setup? What type of journal and tools do you use? 

I’ve test driven a lot of things over the years, but I always seem to come back to crayons. My favorite are Caran D’Ache’s NeoColor II water soluble crayons which I blend with an Aquabrush.  (I also always keep a cigarette case with me full of plain old Crayola crayons because they are super functional.) I also go through phases where I use Tombow Dual Brush markers because you can get such an amazing “pop” with the colors, and for journals with thinner pages, Prismacolor Colored Pencils lay down way more color than their drugstore counterparts.

I keep several pens on me. The Kaweko Sport is portable and a great fountain pen to learn with. (I’m not sure why I enjoy writing with a fountain pen so much, but I really do!) I also carry a few PITT Artist pens because they are waterproof which is a necessity when using water soluble crayons. For a basic black writing pen, I really like Paper Mate InkJoy because it writes so smoothly.

My go-to journal is the Leuchtturm 1917 A5 Sketchbook. A5 is the size of a folded letter sheet of paper. For me, it is the perfect balance of portability while having enough paper space to really think on. I like the thickness of the pages in the sketchbook version. (Hey Leuchtturm, if you are reading this, please add the index and page number features to your sketchbooks!) 

When do you find time to journal? 

My journal is always in my bag as I’m moving through my day making it easy to pull out and open wherever I am, so I journal all the time.

Do you go back through old journals? How often do you review? 

I often reference past journals. I number my pages and keep an index of what is on each page to make it easy to find stuff later. 

Once a year, I do a deep review of the previous year’s journal.

My personal practice is to take my birthday day off and spend it in nature in silence. I always take my journals from the previous year and look through to pick up on themes. Then I capture my insights in my current journal. 

What advice do you have for people just getting started? 

Having a journal you carry with you everywhere is a big win. Whether that is pocket sized, passport sized (A4), or A5, it’s easier to journal when you have easy access. 

Capture whatever is pinging in your brain. If you’ve thought about it three times or more, chances are it is worth exploring. Trust that. 

Where can people connect with you to learn more?

I’m most active on Instagram (@cathy.hutchison) and in the Visual Journaling Community on Facebook. I’d love to see you there!

About Cathy Hutchison

Cathy Hutchison helps people get more joy, meaning, and freedom in a world of demands through the practice of visual journaling.

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Comments

  1. Samantha

    05/16/2022 at 6:47 PM

    Looks interesting, may help me with big decisions i have to make in my life. lots on my mind.

    Reply

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Cathy helps people banish overwhelm,
boost creativity 🎨
and reconnect with their ♥️
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This morning I received an email from @songdance.c This morning I received an email from @songdance.co with a link to a song. I had no idea how much I needed to hear these words. #journaling #yourvisualjournal #bulletjournal #artjournal #neocolor2
Making my inner 7 year old happy with sealing wax. Making my inner 7 year old happy with sealing wax. #journaling #stationery #artjournaling #sealingwax
I bought something that I wanted SO BAD when I was I bought something that I wanted SO BAD when I was seven years old. 

I realized that now that I'm a grown up I could just buy it. 

On Amazon. 

#sealingwax #journaling #artjournaling #yourvisualjournal
I love learning about the authentic fascinations o I love learning about the authentic fascinations of the people in my world. The obscure hobbies they love. The ideas they just can't stop thinking about. The things they pour time (and money) into for no reason except that it gives them joy .

As you jump into 2023, I highly recommend purchasing a #notebook that you can take with you everywhere to feed this part of your life . Write down your inspirations. Capture ideas. Develop thoughts by reviewing them periodically. (And definitely scribble doodles in the margins--that's an important part.)

Engaging a #journaling practice--whatever that looks like for you--can give space for the quirky, beautiful, creative part of you to grow. And as it turns out, #visualthinking in a #journal is my personal, random fascination.

#yourvisualjournal
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I just did my 2022 annual review—a practice I le I just did my 2022 annual review—a practice I learned from @michalroots . 

As one part of this, I wrote the sentences that jumped out at me from my 2022 journals as I went page by page. It left me with a sense of what the year was about and gave me an appreciation for the incredible beauty of friends, creativity, inspiration, and big ideas. 

I also looked at my vision board to see what happened, and what didn’t. For the things that didn’t happen, I gave some heart time to figure out the level that I actually want them (and learned it was low.) The things that happened had a lot of desire behind them. (It was an interesting thing to observe.) 

If you want to take Michal’s course, DM him for the link. I found it a valuable process that I will continue going forward.
#journaling #yourvisualjournal #artjournaling #bulletjournal #bujoinspiration
Do you create a #visionboard each year? The latest Do you create a #visionboard each year? The latest post at YourVisualJournal.com dives into how to create one in your journal. #journaling #artjournaling
Happy thanksgiving 🍁 Happy thanksgiving 🍁
Brush markers make my heart happy. #brushmarker #t Brush markers make my heart happy. #brushmarker #tombowdualbrushpens #bulletjournal #bujo #yourvisualjournal
Brush markers are easy to use, and putting a few d Brush markers are easy to use, and putting a few doodles at the bottom of your todo list makes it more engaging for your brain. This whole thing was quick to draw. (Mostly circles, a rectangle, and a few lines.) Coloring in with #brushmarkers was fast and easy. 

#yourvisualjournal #bulletjournal #artjournaling #sketchnotes #tombowdualbrushpens
Artistry is a practice. 🎨 Creating some magic i Artistry is a practice. 🎨 Creating some magic in my journal with my #tombow brush markers #artjournal #yourvisualjournal #bulletjournal
While I love color, the power of a simple black an While I love color, the power of a simple black and white spread is delightful to me. #brushmarker #tombow
I was never the kid who drew all the time, but aft I was never the kid who drew all the time, but after 15 years of visual journaling I've fallen in love with cartoons. #yourvisualjournal #artjournaling #cartoons
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Disclosures

Some links on this site are affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The author receives a  small (really small) commission if you happen to buy something.  Funds are used to support journaling supplies & four crazy sweet Aussies who bark for treats every time I come in the door. (To be fair, I have a pattern of giving in to them.) I write about all kinds of journaling, and if Bullet Journaling is your thing, I’m here to support you. But if you want to go deep, go to the original source–Ryder Carroll, who created the system, and started it all at bulletjournal.com. I use the method daily which is why I started writing about it here.
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