A great way to bring nature journaling into your daily life is by using the Compass Page. This page organizes your journaling around four meaningful areas: Daily Life, Nature and Surroundings, Memory-Keeping, and Reflection. However, you could always choose the four different regions of your compass. With all of the various planning methods and choices for goal-setting, the heart of this work is narrowing down the way you go about finding your purpose through journaling. This layout is a perfect blend of planning and creative expression, allowing you to stay organized while connecting with nature. Every time you create a new Compass Page for your day, week, or month, you’re not just setting goals and scheduling tasks—you’re also opening the door to new reflections, observations, and moments of inspiration. Whether you sketch a quick landscape, jot down a feeling inspired by the weather, or simply reflect on the natural world around you, the Compass Page makes it easy to weave nature journaling into your routine. For the Compass Page, you can reference this work each and every time you make a new layout for your day, week, or month.

You can find inspiration from my Compass Page or you can download your own ready-to-use template.

“Your mind is the garden, your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds.” —William Wordsworth

Just like a real garden, our thoughts need space, nourishment, and time to grow. I sometimes like to pause on certain words that come across in readings, poetry, or even on social media. The word cultivate stuck out to me when I initially started trying this activity in journaling workshops and seminars because we are not only constantly creating, but we are growing in many ways, too. I am not necessarily a person who has a green thumb, but I do think that journaling can be used as a tool for tending to what is going on in our minds each day. The idea of a thought garden is not new. Below are some of the inspirations for this journaling prompt, including one of my favorites from Morgan Harper Nichols.

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention never fails to inspire, and the 2024 theme—Heart, Hope, and Humanity—beautifully underscored every session I attended. From practical classroom strategies to profound reflections on identity and storytelling, the convention offered a wealth of insight and inspiration. There is something powerful about bringing together people who love learning, who love working with students, and who love teaching—it creates an undeniable sense of belonging.

My goal for 2025 is to ground myself in the meaningful work of teaching, even though I am no longer in the classroom. I seek direction, passion, and a renewed spirit for doing what I love. This post highlights key takeaways from the 2024 convention and includes personal reflections on what I hope to find in 2025—a deeper connection to heart, hope, and humanity in my work.