The Ritual Breaking-In Of New Notebooks

[Miz Black Crow]

Once upon a time there was a little Black Crow who had a fear.

She loved notebooks. But she was afraid to start them. The blank pages scared her. What if she wasn't good enough? What if she would never write words that deserved the nice paper she bought? The stories or tales she told wouldn't be worth the notebook. She should just stop right there. It happened time and again: nice notebook bought, feared, and shelved.

And then one day she finally conquered her fear. Figured out how to open a new notebook in a respectful way, a way that was solemn enough to feel right to write but would also help get her started, make it "safe" to keep writing in the notebook.

She asked her gods for blessings. An official Journal Opening Page, right in the front: the date the notebook was opened, followed by a request of her gods to keep it safe, secure and secret. An invocation. A symbol of her faith.

Now, going forward, she has the gods on her side. She can write: the doldrums of her day, or some frivolous short story, or a bullet journal of to-dos and appointments. She can even write blog posts in the third person for reasons that elude her at the moment (Maybe EoC could help?)

Does anyone else have a fear of new notebooks? How have you conquered yours? What do YOU use to "break in" your new notebooks? A favorite quote or passage? An invocation like mine?