Katrina Byrd

Where have I been? In the bin, as they say on the BBC, which we watch so much we talk about the need to “sort” this and biscuits instead of cookies. We do not go to the loo, because we have some self-respect. (WordPress is going to hate this post. It’s gonna yell at me, make your topic clear in the first paragraph! P-shaw.)

Writer Katrina Byrd

Y’all, I have been using the Flounce Resilience Journal: Self Discovery and Growth by Katrina Byrd. Katrina Byrd is a storyteller/activist from Jackson, Mississippi. She’s a Millsaps College undergrad (where my mom went to school) and a University of Mississippi for Women MFA grad. Katrina will be the guest facilitator for our Second Saturday at the Writing Room at 100 Men Hall June 14th, and I am so excited. I want her to teach us all how to write the way she does in this “Mississippi Native” interview at Rooted Magazine. Fearlessly, beautifully, effectively. (How did she know it was perfect to end that paragraph with a white dead kitty in the road?)

Resilience Journal

Back to the journal. It’s simple. Each daily page is the same, with spaces for your emotion tracker, gratitude list, goals and intentions, reflection, creativity (a long oblong space), and “What I accomplished today.” I can’t explain the impact it’s having on me, maybe Katrina can. Only did I realize in writing this blog post that “resilience” is in the journal title, and if I had to classify the impact, it would be exactly that. It is as if my contentment at my life has been detached from my mood, my accomplishments, my judging of my life. How can that be, when what I’m doing is tracking my mood, my goals and intentions, my accomplishments? I don’t know. I’m only grateful for it. Ha, ha–I need to add that to today’s gratitude list.

Katrina at 100 Men Hall

I hope if you’re within driving distance you’ll come to 100 Men Hall in June. The instruction is free. The 100 Men Hall space is amazing. It’s a full three hours in a supportive writing environment, 10am to 1pm, on a Saturday. I know we’ll all come away motivated to zap up our writing—and our lives—with resilience.