How to Create a Travel Inspiration Journal
An inspiration journal is central place where you can jot down ideas and other things that will inspire you to achieve your goals. It can help you get started, unstuck, or maybe lead you into a completely different direction but mainly motivates you into action.
You can create an entire journal of strictly inspiration or like me have a combination of places I’ve enjoyed and would love to revisit along with bucket lists of things I’d like to do and places I’d like to see.
When we travel the experience is usually over far too quickly. By journaling we get to explore how we felt about the places we went to and the activities we participated in. We get to know ourselves better by clarifying our thoughts.
Journals also serve as records. We can record our progress or expound on the places we’ve been. Sometimes it’s helpful to look back so we can realize all that we’ve accomplished.
These books will get your creativity started.
An Illustrated Journey: Inspiration From the Private Art Journals of Traveling Artists, Illustrators and Designers
The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing On Location Around The World
A World of Artist Journal Pages: 1000+ Artworks – 230 Artists – 30 Countries
Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler (Travelers’ Tales)
Two major trends have recently swept the travel world: the first, an overwhelming desire (thanks to Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love) to write one’s own memoir; the second, an explosion of social media, blogs, twitter and texts, which allow travelers to document and share their experiences instantaneously. Thus, the act of chronicling one’s journey has never been more popular, nor the urge stronger.
Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler, will inspire budding memoirists and jetsetting scribes alike. But Writing Away doesn’t stop there—author Lavinia Spalding spins the romantic tradition of keeping a travelogue into a modern, witty adventure in awareness, introducing the traditional handwritten journal as a profoundly valuable tool for self-discovery, artistic expression, and spiritual growth.
Writing Away teaches you to embrace mishaps in order to enrich your travel experience, recognize in advance what you want to remember, tap into all your senses, and connect with the physical world in an increasingly technological age. It helps you overcome writer’s block and procrastination; tackle the discipline, routine, structure, and momentum that are crucial to the creative process; and it demonstrates how traveling—while keeping a journal along the way—is the world’s most valuable writing exercise.
Globejotting: How to Write Extraordinary Travel Journals (and still have time to enjoy your trip!)
Most travel diaries fizzle. By day six of a big trip, people are struggling to recall what happened on days three, four, and five. They return home with mostly empty journals, or bland writing that fails to capture the full spirit of their journeys. Award-winning travel humorist Dave Fox comes to the rescue in this book that’s both informative and irreverently funny. You’ll learn to: Bring destinations to life with bold details.Splash those details quickly onto your pages so journaling doesn’t gobble up your precious vacation time.Elude your Inner Censor and write with confidence.Weave together your outer and inner journeys, using unfamiliar places as a backdrop for self-discovery.
Dave shares his favorite journaling techniques, shows how to find time to write in the middle of an exciting trip, and infuses it all with a generous dose of his off-the-wall humor. Whether your journeys are weekend road trips or excursions around the world, this book will help transform you into a travel journaling superhero!
Once you’ve found some inspiration to get you started choose the type of sketchbook, binder or journal you would like to use.
Carolina Pad Studio C Zip-it Notebook with Zipper Pouch Cover
Pocket Leather Journal with Owl Handmade Blank Craft Paper Brown with Gift Box
or binder
Kate’s Paperie Binder with Set of 3 Journals, The Art of Travel
Genuine Leather Journal Notebook Refillable with Cool Lock 6-ring Loose Leaf Binder
I’m inspired by colors, textures, mixed media, positive quotes, photos, places, travel, sewing, fashion,jewelry, music, art, painting, movies, stories . . .
Ideas to get you going.
Top ten list
Bucket list
Favorite travel quotes
Favorite places
Start with a map
Start with a ticket stub
Start with a postcard
Cut out magazine photos
Start with a photo you took
Favorite thing you ate
Describe the smells
Describe the texture
Describe the taste
Most exciting
Least exciting
I’ll never do that again
Do you have a travel inspiration journal?
Inspire others. Share this!
The Willis Tower was originally built and still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower. This 108-story skyscraper is one of the most famous landmarks in Chicago, Illinois. It took 2,000 workers three years to build and has been open to the public since 1974. It’s the second tallest in North America and the Western Hemisphere and the eight tallest building in the world.
If you’re visiting Chicago I highly recommend checking out the views from this iconic skyscraper. The Skydeck is the highest observation deck in the United States and from the 103rd floor features expansive views of the city and lake front. Visibility from the Skydeck is approximately 40-50 miles. On a clear day you can see four states: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Fun Fact
The average sway of the building is six inches from true center. But don’t worry the building is designed to sway up to 3 feet and you won’t feel it anyway.
Insider Tip
The Willis Tower Skydeck is a popular attraction, which receives about 25,000 people each day. The best times to visit are either early morning or evening. One way to beat the long lines and save money is to purchase a Chicago CityPASS. If you purchase the booklet ahead of time you can totally by pass super long lines and go straight to the elevator that swoops you up to the Skydeck.
The CityPASS also includes entrance to Chicago’s most popular attractions, The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, The Art Institute, Museum of Science, Planetarium, etc. It comes out way cheaper than purchasing tickets for each individual attraction. Especially if you’re traveling as a family.
Chicago CityPASS ~ See the Best and Save Money
Have you visited the Skydeck at the Willis Tower?
Where you brave enough to step out onto the platform?
Willis Tower related products.
Inspire others. Share this!
I had family visit me recently and it since it was there first time in South Florida I had to take them to see Wynwood’s famous walls. You know it’s one of my absolute favorite places to be. And guess what? They were blown away. It is a very special feeling when you step out of your car and are completely surrounded by huge colorful beautiful images. The atmosphere is fun and casual.
Most of the time you can catch the artists at work.
This one is my favorite. It’s beautiful, colorful, creepy and mysterious.
Wynwood Walls is famous for it’s graffiti murals.
Have you been to Wynwood, Florida? Which is your favorite mural?
Inspire others. Share this!
“Believe in yourself. Believe you are somebody. Nobody else can do this for us. We must move into our inner soul and sign our own emancipation proclamation. Be proud of your heritage. We don’t have anything to be ashamed of. Somebody told a lie one day and made everything Black ugly and evil … something degrading or sinister. Let’s get the language right so everyone here may cry out: ‘Yes I’m black and I’m proud and beautiful.”
Believe in yourself!
Inspire others. Share this!
Recently, I went for an early morning walk run. I didn’t get very far down the path before spotting a huge dragonfly on the ground. I wasn’t sure it was dead but it was lying perfectly still. Thinking about having it fly onto me gave me the creeps and its large dark fly like eyes made me feel disgusted but as I got nearer I noticed the stunningly beautiful colors on its body. Vibrant shades of green and blue coming alive before my eyes in feigned movement under the glare of the morning sun similar to the optical illusions of cracker jack prizes. This creature does have extraordinary beauty which gave me the courage to get close up for a photo.
We each have the power to change our perspective if we take the time to do so. There are days when everything seems so hard. There are times when we just cannot find the right solutions. Sometimes it takes slowing down and looking at things in another light to spark the right answers or at least get us going in the right direction.
When I am behind the camera lens I am slowing down to really look at something. For example, I was on the beach one afternoon and I noticed debris all along the shore. From far away it looked like garbage but when I got near enough to really see the details something magical happened. It became mysterious to think of where these bits and pieces came from ending up together at my feet on the shore. At what precise moment did they become beautiful? Maybe when I began to define each and everyone individually. Searching with hungry eyes for beauty.
I lost something and I’m searching for solutions with this creative exercise.
Do you have methods to help you with problem solving?
“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” Paulo Coelho
“Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary.” Gerard Way
“Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living. If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you’re not demanding more from yourself – expanding and learning as you go – you’re choosing a numb existence. You’re denying yourself an extraordinary trip.” Dean Karnazes (Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner)
Inspire others. Share this!
 |
| Miami Wynwood July 2012 |
Sadly tragedies happen everyday and people are offended and outraged. I see their anger and hear their rants but how about creating something positive with that energy. Instead of uselessly cursing and hurling anger out into the world why not focus on a solution. Why not harness that energy in a positive way? Focus on creating change for the better.
Ask yourself:
How can such and such tragedy be prevented? Who is hurting? How can I help?
The next time you feel outraged ask yourself who can benefit from your energy? Who can you help directly right now?
This world is yours what will you do to make it better?
Inspire others. Share this!
I grew up fearing I would make the wrong choices. Then two years ago I made a decision to do only things I am passionate about. I will no longer allow fear to steal any more of my precious time. For me that means doing what I love every day. Every day I write, I take and edit photos often and as I type this I have the greatest urge to play with yellow paint. And I will paint very soon. By giving myself permission to practice my passions I have discovered my Bella Vida. My mission is to share each and every positive discovery that has enriched my life with you. Subscribe here.
Taking the first step is a big deal. It is opening yourself up to the universe. It will change your life for the better. Once you determine what your passions are you can create a plan with a mission and goals to accomplish. Here are a few questions to help you discover what your passions are.
How to Find Your Passion
– What do you spend hours doing?
– What can’t you help but do?
-What is it you sacrifice time and money to do?
Writing this post has reiterated to myself that I am on the right track. I hope you feel that way too. Your contributions matter. When you follow your passions everything you create will be authentic and that is your gift to the world. Every day is an opportunity to learn and discover. Begin by owning your uniqueness.
Have you found your passion?
Have you said it out loud?
Are you living your passion?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Only a burning patience will lead to the attainment of a splendid happiness.” Pablo Neruda
“To create art with all the passion in one’s soul is to live art with all the beauty in one’s heart.” Aberjhani
“Stop living within the confines of how others define you! You weren’t created to live their life; you were created to live yours – so LIVE it! ” Steve Maraboli
Inspire others. Share this!
I think my obsession with the sky began in Puerto Rico as a young daydreaming girl in the backseat of my parents Nissan Sentra on our weekly road trips to visit my grandparents. My father would take a different route each time. Sometimes it was the bumpy cement highway zigzagging the island, forcefully cutting through giant mountains, pushing aside hundreds of acres of wild dark green making way for noisy metallic traffic flow. The radio dial would flip between Salsoul 98 and Casey Kasem’s top 40, whenever an annoying song came on, to camouflage cacophonous highway sounds. Passing the coastal towns of Canovanas, Rio Grande, Luquillo, Fajardo on one side, while on the other, we felt the grand depth and height of island’s mountainous interior. Just beyond little towns dangerously perched on steep mountain tops the sky would provide entertainment and put on the greatest cloud coloring and shape changing shows you could never imagine.
Other times we would cut through the islands center via old, flat tire inducing, pothole laden roads criss crossing towns with names like Gurabo, Juncos and Las Piedras. Roads which twisted gracefully, rose precariously and dipped steeply causing awkward sensations in my tummy. The belly of the mountain was wet with humidity while at her heights cold whipping winds could make you tremble. Growing impatient of her sticky embrace I would look up to catch glimpses of an orange, pink and blue sunset just beyond gaps in the canopy.
reflection of the sky among lotus flowers in a pond
When I felt misunderstood
she was my witness
When I first fell in love
she was my witness
My skies were never empty
They were bursting with movement and shooting stars
She taught me how to paint
demonstrating how colors pop and fade away in different light
She taught me nothing is permanent
moments cannot be repeated
Today she is my muse, my connection to the universe, my comfort. You will find her influence in my artworks, writings, photography and paintings.
Have you been to Puerto Rico?
Tell me what inspires your creativity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Always try to keep a patch of sky above your life.” Marcel Proust
“He who leaps for the sky may fall, it’s true. But he may also fly.” Lauren Oliver
“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” Rabindranath Tagore
“Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.” Paul Brandt
“Excuse me while I kiss the sky.” Jimi Hendrix
“time is a tree (this life one leaf) but love is the sky and i am for you just so long and long enough” E.E. Cummings
Inspire others. Share this!
Experts say the best way to form a good habit is through repetition. Today I want to practice thinking big and dreaming bigger. This means letting go of any preconceived notions or bias that might be in the way of future achievements.
One example of this are those negative thoughts that sometimes creep into our minds creating doubts of our capabilities. Let’s give them a big kick sending them out of our minds because the truth is we are very capable of achieving our goals and every try makes us stronger/smarter.
What new things will you try today?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go.” James Baldwin
“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” Arthur C. Clarke
“I don’t think that there are any limits to how excellent we could make life seem.” Jonathan Safran Foer
“Today, many will rise above their believed limitations and make contact with their powerful innate strength. Why not you?” Steve Maraboli
“The only real limitation on your abilities is the level of your desires. If you want it badly enough, there are no limits on what you can achieve.” Brian Tracy
Inspire others. Share this!
 |
| Blowing Rocks Jupiter Florida 2012 |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inspire others. Share this!
When I think of birthdays family reunions come to mind. Not that we need an excuse to get everyone together but sometimes it serves as motivation. It’s a great time to catch up with the people I don’t see often.
Our birthday tradition is dinner followed by cake but there’s a catch. There has to be at least one edible item that is out of the ordinary. Something savory that we don’t eat often or a spectacular something new we haven’t tried before. The tasty treat is the element of surprise and not to be revealed to the birthday person ahead of time.
The theme for my mom’s birthday last year was mango & coconut. Everything was dressed in varying shades of orange from the table cloth to plates, margarita glasses and the even the flowers. The cake was coconut flavor and our out of the ordinary edible treat was mango sherbert.
Yeah, it was pretty yummy 🙂
Do you have any birthday traditions?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here’s a link to a previous crafting post on how to make a custom birthday banner.
.
Inspire others. Share this!
 |
| Painted Poem 2004 |
The first poem I ever wrote was in the second grade and it was about puppies. Since then I’ve written numerous poems. I have no idea how many but it’s probably in the three digits by now. Some have been lost, misplaced or tossed. I even had a journal stolen by a boy. (You know who you are, jErk) nah, That was a joke. lol I was 15 and I’m beyond over it. Life happens and I know eventually each piece will end up exactly where it needs to be.
Sometimes I make painted poems like these. Expressing an emotion using more than one medium.
This is a painted poem I created in 2004.
Click on the photo to read it.
 |
| Painted Poem 2004 |
Inspire others. Share this!
distortion, misreckoning, delusion; error, mistake, misunderstanding, illusion, miscalculation, misconstrual, misinterpretation , mistake, non sequitur, notion, paradox, perversion
**** All of these photos were taken by me during the Wynwood Artwalk in Florida earlier this year. None of the artwork is my own. These are amazing pieces which fascinate me by other amazingly talented artists.****
 |
| wynwood artwalk 2011 |
I was thinking about how easy it is to misinterpret something said on the internet without the benefit of the author’s tone or expression. As a writer my ultimate goal is clarity. An author has to communicate by using only the written part of language: words. The best writers understand how important it is to chose the BEST word to convey an idea. Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaimon and Truman Capote blow me away with their expertise. They make it look easy. I wish I could master the ability to chose the right words. In the meantime it’s playtime with the thesaurus. 😛
When I’m painting I don’t feel this grand pressure to precisely communicate an idea. I know what I am painting. I know the feeling I am expressing with paints and I don’t have to think about it each step of the way. I never worry about how my art will be interpreted.
Interpreting art may seem tricky to some. I believe there is no wrong interpretation. Art should stir some feeling inside of you and that feeling will be particular to each individual.
Look at the above photo of a gorgeous painting that caught my attention during the Wynwood artwalk earlier this year. There is no doubt the artist (sorry I didn’t find a name) is skillful, the colors beautiful and eye catching. It is the interpretation of the subject matter that will cause a debate. This is a good thing. It’s how art teaches us to form opinions. Some people will be appalled, some people will be amused and others like myself will appreciate that the artist did a great job of stirring emotions.
What do you think of the piece? What do you think the artist was trying to say via those big beautiful innocent eyes?
 |
| wynwood art walk 2011 |
 |
| wynwood art walk 2011 |
 |
| wynwood art walk 2011 |
BS, baloney, bend, bias, buckle, coloring, contortion, crock, crookedness, exaggeration, intorsion, jazz, jive, lie, line
Inspire others. Share this!
 |
| Rainy Night Midtown Miami 2.2011 |
It’s very interesting to me that some people believe we can develop our own intuition. I’ve never thought about it that way before.
There are Four Primary Intuitive Senses
Intuitive seeing – we see with our inner vision rather than our physical vision.
Intuitive Hearing – may or may not sound like your own voice.
Intuitive Feeling – a physical or emotional sensation.
Intuitive Knowing – clear and spontaneous knowing.
I’ve experienced intuitive feeling and knowing but I just took it for granted that everyone had that. When in doubt I always check to see what I’m feeling then go from there. I had an experience a while back and since then I always listen to my intuition.
It was the weekend and a group of friends were at the house. We were laughing, listening to music and having a good time while getting ready to go dancing. But by the time I got into the car I had this awful feeling that wouldn’t go away. I didn’t know what it was so I got out of the car. I asked my friends to wait so I could leave my purse at home. All of a sudden it occurred to me that I didn’t want to carry it so I placed my keys, money and lipstick in my pockets.
The club was bumping good music, we got our dance on and everyone had fun that night. It wasn’t till we left the club to go back home that we found my friends car had been broken into and the sound system stolen.
If I would’ve brought my purse I would’ve left it in the car but I followed my gut instinct and left it at home instead.
Has something like that happened to you?
“Intuition comes very close to clairvoyance; it appears to be the extrasensory perception of reality.” Alexis Carrel
 |
| Rainy Night Midtown Miami 2.2011 |
.
Inspire others. Share this!
 |
| Miami Book Fair 2010 |
 |
| Miami Book Fair 2010 |
 |
| Miami Book Fair 2010 |
 |
| Miami Book Fair 2010 |
Some philosophies state that our interior life creates our exterior life. In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode portraying an individual’s point of view by giving the written equivalent of the character’s thought processes in connection to his or her actions. So if we affect each other with our actions that would mean that we are constantly creating and recreating the now.
Our thoughts affect us physically as well as emotionally. If we stopped to find out what is in our stream we could essentially control the exterior by manipulating our thoughts. By thinking a certain way we would be living a certain way. I’m going to let you ponder before my brains start oozing out my ears.
When was the last time you explored your thoughts?
Inspire others. Share this!
I'm based in the wonderful state of Florida and I write about travel, food, experiences and events. I share tips and tons of photos. If you have a question about visiting Florida let me know how I can help you.
This blog accepts ads, sponsorships, affiliate links, reviews and other forms of compensation. Assume everything is compensated . Honest opinions are for useful information and entertainment. Support BVBL Sponsors by Clicking on these Ads
Copa America 2015 Chile Sweepstakes Enter Now
5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Blogging
Cities of the Dead ~ New Orleans Cemeteries
Travel: Doors of Savannah’s Historic District
Exploring the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana
Beautiful Wanderlust Jewelry
10 INSPIRING TRAVEL COFFEE TABLE BOOKS
The Lincoln Memorial in Washington Dc
Best Gift Ideas for Travelers a Gift Guide
The Exorcist Steps in Georgetown Washington DC
