You know that beautiful blank book or leather journal you were given as a gift that sits unused on the shelf because you don’t want to “mess it up.” Or how about the one at the bookstore you’ve ooh’ed and ahh’ed over but didn’t buy because, what would I use it for? Well, I’ll tell you what for:

YOU!

YOUR words, your thoughts, your feelings, your beliefs, your prayers are worthy of that beautiful book.

I used to be afraid of “ruining” journals and would just scribble my drivel on legal pads or loose-leaf paper. But one day I realized that my words are not only a reflection of me, they are me, and they deserve a book made lovingly by hand or decorated with the art of a master.

I heard a writer say once that as soon as she started a new journal she would intentionally make a mistake on the first page. She made her book imperfect like herself so she felt free to be her imperfect self within its pages.

There is no writing prompt today, but rather an assignment:

Go out and buy that gorgeous blank book or retrieve that cast aside gift and start writing about beautiful you!